About Irv Michaels

About Irv Michaels

Educated as an accountant, Irv has always had a passion for music and the arts. After working as a record producer at Chicago’s legendary Chess Records, he joined a local accounting firm in 1972, where as a CPA and partner, he focused on entrepreneurial businesses.

In 1986, he founded Michaels Consulting Ltd., initially providing consulting to businesses with a focus on software and financial systems, and eventually evolving to a broader business advisory practice. In addition, he was the strategic relationship director at a software consulting firm, and a business performance advisor at a national professional employer organization.

Since 2004, he has served in a business advisory capacity for a range of graphic design, architecture and arts organizations, including IN-FO.CO (LA), Inventory Press (LA), (Chicago), Alligator Records (Chicago), Future Firm  (Chicago),   M1DTW (Detroit), www.sendousignals.com

and E.N.D Studio (Detroit).

In 2020, Irv became a member of the Executive Board  and Financial Chair of the Design Museum of Chicago.

Education & Certifications

  • B.S.B.A., Roosevelt University
  • Certified Public Accountant (inactive)
  • Certified Business Performance Advisor
  • LivePlan Expert Advisor
  • QuickBooks Pro Advisor
  • TSheets Certified Pro Advisor

Member

  • A.I.C.P.A.
  • Illinois CPA Society

Board Member/Financial Chair

  • Design Museum of Chicago, 2020 – present

Mentor

  • 2112, business incubator, focused on music, film/video, and creative industry-focused technologies (inactive).

Former Board Member

  • Chicago Innovation Un-Gala committee member (2015–2018)
  • The Trotter Project (2016–17)
  • Long Grove Arts & Music Council (2010–14)

Speaker

  • Irv is a public speaker, primarily to creative organizations. He leads workshops on business planning and goal setting for Design Core Detroit, https://designcore.org/ and Design Museum of Chicago, https://www.designchicago.org/ among others. 
  • He has participated as a speaker or panelist to many organizations including 2112, music and film incubator, Chicago Creative Coalition, Lawyers for the Creative Arts, Stage 18 Chicago, film incubator and Arts and Business Council of Chicago