Michelle ‘Mickey’ Coffino has long been a daredevil, challenging societal norms and pioneering change. Her no-nonsense approach to providing consumers withsafe, affordable, and effective products and services alongside her humanitarian concerns has impacted hard-working residents of Charlotte, North Carolina, and touched others throughout the country. Michelle’s story of grassroots entrepreneurship and empathy for vulnerable communities showcases the importance of filling gaps in the market while remaining human-centered.
Since entering business, Michelle has dabbled in a variety of industries. She currently owns nine companies, several of which are focused on cosmetology and esthetics, as well as a scrap recycling company, cannabis licenses in multiple states, and a fledgling beverage company. In all of her entrepreneurial endeavors, Michelle has prioritized community engagement through charity drives and equal employment opportunities, to name a few. With Queen City Metal, one of Charlotte’s largest scrap and secondary metal recycling centers, Michelle gives consumers tax incentives while also helping rehabilitate returning citizens. Some of their stories are shared in a touching video featuring the founder and Queen City Metal staff speaking about their Second Chance Program, which is designed to give incarcerated people skill certification opportunities and a chance to rebuild their lives.
Reenergize, Michelle’s most recent company launch, offers an all-natural sugar and caffeine-free hydration drink. With this project, Michelle hopes to educateconsumers about the dangers of harmful chemicals in various hydration drinks and provide them with a holistic option that supports overall well-being. But whatreally quantifies this product’s credibility is its partnership with UCLA, whose athletes are strictly measured against health and wellness outcomes to ensure theirlongevity and vitality.
Growing up, Michelle didn’t anticipate becoming a business owner. She definitely wouldn’t have imagined becoming a serial entrepreneur. Yet, Michelle has defiedthe odds. She has achieved financial success while also serving her community despite lacking many resources other entrepreneurs have. Michelle’s family struggled financially, but from these hard lessons, she learned how to work hard. Many people are surprised to learn that Michelle has built her companies while being a single mother of triplets. Balancing work and life can be challenging, especially when you’re the sole breadwinner. However, Michelle was determined to provide for her children. At first, this meant completing her cosmetology and esthetics licenses and later studying other disciplines like kinesthesiology and massage therapy. Now, it involves collaborating with some of the most respected institutions and releasing innovative products and services.
Michelle has been given numerous awards for her impact on the national stage. She has been honored as the National Small Business Person and a female entrepreneur navigating male-dominated industries. Michelle has authored a book about this topic called From Stilettos to Steel Toes: Stepping into a Man’s Worldand hopes to inspire any other woman or entrepreneur wanting to make a difference.
“I love helping people discover their unique talent through mentorship and community partnership,” Michelle says. “Giving to others has allowed me to become successful, and I strongly believe that this type of generosity opens doors to immeasurable opportunities for personal and professional growth.”
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