Just a few short years ago, Matt Dana was living his dream, working in the television industry and happily residing with his wife and their dog, Frisco in the lovely city of Yucaipa. After graduating from Cal State San Bernardino with a degree in business administration and marketing, Dana was hired as an intern in the television division of Paramount Pictures. This experience led to other positions at Fox, The CW, and WB networks where Dana’s work focused on advertising and promotion. Then life closed that door with a slam.
A window opened when Dana’s wife, Natasha started a home-based business, Tie Dye by Tasha, during the COVID epidemic. Dana worked with her to sell her tie-dyed products at local markets and festivals. “She’s the creative side and I’m operations,” Dana said. The business is still thriving and Dana is there for the management side of the business.
It was while working with his wife’s micro-business, that Dana realized he had a passion for working with small businesses. Another door opened when a friend informed him of an opportunity with Paychex. “Paychex is a human capital management company providing services to small businesses including recruiting, hiring, payroll, human resources, worker’s comp, retirement and health benefit services,” Dana explained, “We provide the services that small businesses cannot afford to staff and provide in-house.”
Dana started with Paychex in August 2024 as a sales consultant. He now serves much of the Inland Empire and San Bernardino County. Dana considers himself more of a marketer than a salesman. He said, “I see myself as a consultant, consulting with business owners regarding the services they need. We are not a “one fits all” model. We have scalable solutions and can grow with a business.”
Dana is the local point of contact for Paychex. While Paychex is a national company based in New York and providing services for large corporations, Dana’s focus is on local, small and micro-businesses. “Our division focuses on small businesses and we can ensure that you as the business owner will receive the services you need and the attention you deserve.”
As the year ends, Dana is concerned with changes in California’s business laws and regulations that may impact small business owners. In 2026, California State Mandate requires all businesses with at least one employee to offer retirement benefits. Dana is concerned that many small businesses will not be aware of regulation changes. “As the year end approaches, many businesses are reviewing and evaluating their future needs. The best time to shop for business services is when you are happy with your business partners. There is no pressure and you can make a well-considered decision.”
Dana travels SoCal daily, checking in with clients and helping them assess their needs. But he is easily contacted as his cell phone is always at his side. He encourages business owners to assess their company’s organizational demands and contact him at 951-640-4266 to schedule a consultation.
Photo Caption: Matt Dana, Paychex Sales Consultant