True North Tax & Accounting

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Accounting Has A Reputation For Being Boring. We Are Changing That.

True North Tax & Accounting is a modern, remote firm serving Michigan businesses, built around relationships, straight answers and work that is right the first time.

A Michigan Firm That Started With A Family Legacy

True North grew out of one. After Alyson's mother spent more than thirty years building and running her own practice as a CPA, Alyson had the chance to carry that foundation forward while creating a firm of her own.

Many of her mother's long-standing clients chose to continue their relationships with True North, and have been genuinely glad to watch this next chapter take shape. That is not a small thing in this profession. People do not follow an accountant across a transition unless the work was good and the relationship was real.

The firm itself was founded in 2026. What came with it is older than that: a way of working that treats accuracy as non-negotiable and a client relationship as something you keep rather than something you renew.

Aerial view along a long, narrow inland lake: clear turquoise shallows off a sandy shore lined with docks, boat lifts and cottages, deep blue water beyond, and low wooded farmland to the horizon
Working with businesses across Michigan, and virtually with clients nationwide.

The Team Behind The Numbers

We pay attention, and we do it right. Plain and simple.

Our team is detail-focused, dependable and built to handle the full range of accounting needs our clients bring us. We work collaboratively and use the whole team's expertise to solve a problem rather than passing it down the hall. Most importantly, we get it right the first time, on time.

We take the work seriously without taking ourselves too seriously. Our clients get knowledgeable professionals, responsive service, honest conversations and a team that genuinely cares how their business does.

Portrait of Alyson Schell of True North Tax & Accounting

Alyson Schell

President | Owner

Alyson is an accounting and tax professional and the founder of True North Tax and Accounting, Inc. With more than eight years of experience in the accounting industry, she has developed deep expertise in Michigan’s cannabis sector. Beyond her cannabis specialization, Alyson works closely with business owners on the accounting, tax, financial, and operational questions that influence performance, helping them gain clarity and confidence in their numbers.

A graduate of Michigan State University, Alyson began her career in her family’s accounting business, learning early the value of personalized service and long‑standing client relationships. She worked alongside her mother, a CPA who ran a successful practice for many decades, before building on that foundation to establish True North Tax and Accounting. Her approach blends traditional accounting discipline with a modern, business‑focused perspective.

Alyson views accounting as a strategic tool — one that helps owners understand their numbers, anticipate challenges, identify opportunities, and make informed decisions. Outside the office, she is a devoted mom of two. She enjoys the blue freshwater of Traverse City in the summer, the salty Florida coasts in the winter, and exploring wineries, breweries, and new destinations whenever she can.

Portrait of Dawn Carlson, Client Services & Operations Coordinator at True North Tax & Accounting

Dawn Carlson

Client Services & Operations Coordinator

Dawn Carlson is the Client Services & Operations Coordinator at True North Tax & Accounting, where she combines her communication background with more than 15 years of accounting experience to support clients with care and professionalism. A graduate of West Virginia University, Dawn majored in English with a concentration in Communications and has spent the last five years specializing in the cannabis industry.

Clients appreciate Dawn’s approachable nature and her willingness to help however she can. She lives in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and enjoys gardening, entertaining loved ones, visiting local wineries and breweries, and lending a hand on her family’s gourmet mushroom farm.

Portrait of Jennah Schell, Client Accounting Specialist at True North Tax & Accounting

Jennah Schell

Client Accounting Specialist

Jennah Schell is a Client Accounting Specialist at True North Tax & Accounting. She graduated from William Woods University in 2022 with a bachelor’s degrees in Accounting and Business Administration, concentrating in Advertising and Marketing. Jennah also spent five years as a member of the Women’s Golf team, a commitment that reflects her discipline, focus, and competitive spirit.

She is QuickBooks Intuit Bookkeeping and ProAdvisor Level 1 certified and enjoys helping clients feel organized and confident in their financial systems. Outside of work, Jennah can often be found on the golf course, spending time with friends and family, or relaxing with a good book.

Portrait of Kristen Bennett, Client Accounting Specialist at True North Tax & Accounting

Kristen Bennett

Client Accounting Specialist

Kristen holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a major in Accounting from Pittsburg State University. She is a Level 1 Intuit ProAdvisor and has completed Intuit Bookkeeping training, bringing a strong foundation of accounting knowledge and attention to detail to her work. Kristen has also provided years of dedicated service to clients within the cannabis industry and continues to stay current with federal and state cannabis laws through ongoing training and education.

She is committed to delivering professional, accurate, and dependable bookkeeping and accounting support while building trusted relationships with her clients. Outside of work, Kristen enjoys spending time outdoors, cooking, and making lasting memories with her family.

Portrait of Abigail Makowski, Payroll Specialist at True North Tax & Accounting

Abigail Makowski

Payroll Specialist

Abigail Makowski is the Payroll Specialist at True North Tax & Accounting, bringing more than eight years of experience managing end-to-end payroll operations. She specializes in weekly and bi-weekly payroll processing for teams of 100+ employees, wage calculations, garnishments, and working across multiple payroll platforms. Abigail is known for her accuracy, efficiency, and commitment to ensuring employees receive timely, error-free compensation.

When she’s not processing payroll, Abigail enjoys the quiet, rewarding rhythm of life on her farm. She spends her free time caring for her horses, enjoying the outdoors, and creating lasting memories with her husband and their two children.

How We Work

Right The First Time

Accuracy is not a feature we advertise, it is the job. Work gets reviewed before it leaves, and deadlines are treated as commitments rather than targets.

Answers, Not Silence

You should never wonder whether your accountant got your email. Responsiveness is the thing clients tell us they value most, and we protect it deliberately.

Plain Language

We will explain what a number means and what it implies for your business, without the jargon and without making you feel behind for asking.

Certified, And Still Learning

Rules change, and so does the software. These are the certifications, training and professional memberships that keep our team current on both, so the answers you get from us reflect how things work this year, not five years ago.

Intuit ProAdvisor badge reading QuickBooks Level 2 Certified, earned by Alyson Schell

QuickBooks Level 2 Certified

Intuit ProAdvisor

National Association of Cannabis Accounting Tax Professionals logo: an orange cannabis leaf in a purple hexagon beside the association name

National Association Of Cannabis Accounting Tax Professionals

Professional affiliation

Intuit ProAdvisor badge reading Intuit Enterprise Suite Certified

Intuit Enterprise Suite Certified

Intuit ProAdvisor

Baker College and Green Flower badge reading Cannabis Compliance Specialist Certificate, earned by Alyson Schell

Cannabis Compliance Specialist Certificate

Baker College with Green Flower

Intuit ProAdvisor badge reading QuickBooks Workforce Certified, beside the words QuickBooks Workforce Certification, issued by Intuit

QuickBooks Workforce Certification

Issued by Intuit

The Cannabis Chamber of Commerce seal: a sun rising over green fields inside a blue ring

The Cannabis Chamber Of Commerce

Professional affiliation

Intuit ProAdvisor graduate badge reading Client Advisory Services Foundations, earned by Alyson Schell

Client Advisory Services Foundations

Intuit ProAdvisor graduate

Renew Connect logo

Renew Connect

Professional affiliation

Intuit badge reading Intuit Bookkeeping Trained, earned by Alyson Schell

Intuit Bookkeeping Trained

Intuit

Dope CFO VIP Pro Official Member badge with a cannabis leaf at its center, above the Dope CFO name

Dope CFO VIP Pro Official Member

Dope CFO

Intuit ProAdvisor badge reading QuickBooks Level 1 Certified, earned by Alyson Schell

QuickBooks Level 1 Certified

Intuit ProAdvisor

Avalara certificate stating that Alyson Schell has completed training to become a Certified User of Avalara Managed Returns for Accountants (MRA), dated February 10, 2025

Avalara MRA Certified User

Avalara Managed Returns for Accountants

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QuickBooks Level 2 Certified

Come Find Out What Working With Us Is Like.

The first conversation is free and there is nothing to prepare. Tell us about the business and we will tell you honestly whether we are the right firm for it.

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