My biggest piece of advice for new entrepreneurs...

My name is Jaimie MacPherson and you got it, I'm the founder of the MacPherson Group. With more than 25 years in the industry, I've learned the strengths and weaknesses that can make or break a new business. Check out my biggest piece of advice below... 

If you're a new business owner, then it's time to see an accountant now.

Picture yourself. You’ve just started a brand new business, perhaps you're the proud owner of a bakery or the founder of a production company. It's the wee hours of the morning and you've just spent the entire evening trying to crunch the numbers. What may have seemed like a practical idea (being your own accountant) has now become incredibly frustrating. You're reading and re-reading tax laws that don't seem to make sense and the anxiety around making next month's goals is mounting. 

I totally get it. You're a new business owner and you want to save money. However, if you also want to build a solid company that's set up for long-term success then it's important to hire the right people in the beginning. One of those people is your accountant. The most successful start ups that my team has worked with are those that include an accountant in their business plan right away. Trust me, it'll save you a lot of hassle, stress, and cash down the line. 

What do accountants do besides file my taxes? 

We help you identify risks. This is crucial for your first year. We'll steer you away from a dangerous path and make sure your goals are aligned with your business practices. We'll develop effective tax strategies and help you chart a course for sustainable profit. More often than not, small businesses monitor success through changes in their bank account — if it's going up then they're doing well and if it's going down, then not so much. This is a harmful generalization. There's so many more factors to think about to determine your success. By choosing your accountant early on in your business, you're able to get expert insight for all your ambitious ideas and practical concerns.

"More often than not, small businesses monitor success through changes in their bank account — if it's going up then they're doing well and if it's going down, then not so much. This is a harmful generalization. There are so many more factors to consider when determining your success."

Remember this: saving a dollar can be easier than earning a dollar. That's pretty difficult to do when you come to see us after your first year of business rather than in your first month right out of the gate.

Protecting your bottom line, 
Jaimie