One Day We Will Have to Thank Trump for Imposing Tariffs
At some point in the future, Canada may find itself thanking Donald Trump for imposing cross-border tariffs, not because he sought appreciation, but because his actions forced us to examine our own economic structure and make necessary changes. His tariffs had an unintended consequence: they unified Canadians in their desire to buy Canada. Yet, despite […]
The Succession Crisis: Why Many Canadian Business Owners Aren’t Ready to Sell
As Canada’s baby boomers head toward retirement, a major issue is surfacing in the business world: many of them don’t have a solid plan for passing the torch. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are the backbone of Canada’s economy, and a huge number of them are owned by individuals who are either at or past […]
Is AI a Game Changer for Small Businesses?
In April 2024, the Liberal Government announced the launch of two programs to grow Canada’s AI ecosystem. As part of a $2.4 billion package of AI-focused initiatives announced in Budget 2024, there will be $300 million earmarked for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). First, $200 million will be made available to bring new AI […]
Bench Accounting’s Cautionary Tale
For a startup, an institutional market of investors exists for companies that are looking to hit home runs seeking explosive revenue growth and quick exits. However, the trade-off is often loss of control over the business. The collapse of Vancouver’s Bench Accounting at the end of last year is a cautionary tale about the consequences […]
The Devastating Impact of Trump’s Tariffs on Canadian Small Businesses
On Friday, January 31, President Donald Trump confirmed tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China to start that weekend, implementing a 25% blanket tariff on Canadian goods coming across the border, except for oil, which will be taxed at 10%. Business owners across the country cancelled their weekend plans and scrambled to figure out next steps […]
The Resiliency of Entrepreneurs in the Wake of COVID
In early March, we realized a seismic shift was hitting the business world like never before. In the wake of the pandemic, our clients’ tone changed from a rosy expansionary outlook to one of uncertainty and survival. By mid March, after two capital raising engagements cancelled, we came to the realization that traditional capital raising […]
How a Door to Door Sales Job Changed My Life
As a teenager with minimal work experience, opportunities for summer jobs were slim. I ended up taking up a job that required no prior work experience or education: door to door sales. I joined a company called Red Rocket at Yonge and Bloor where we were sent out to various territories to sell $5-10 knick knacks including […]
Do you feel like you’re getting screwed by your accountant?
In the last few months, quite universally, almost every new potential client I have spoken to is not happy with their accounting. On the one hand, there are businesses that have decided to hire bookkeepers. While their $20-30 / hr fee is attractive, they typically do not know how to book complex transactions that require capitalization, foreign […]
2019 Vistance Recap & Happy Holidays
Dear Friends, Family and Colleagues, As 2019 comes to a close, we would like to take a moment to reflect on the last year. In April, we began a rebranding exercise completely revamping our corporate name, logo, and website, working with Imprint Marketing. At this point, I did not know what to expect and questioned whether we […]
Entrepreneurs Are from Mars, Accountants Are from Venus
Ask a business owner how they feel about their accountant, and you’ll often hear the same things: Ask accountants what they think about working in companies and you often hear the same things: What is really going on here? Are accountants and entrepreneurs from two different planets? Well not necessarily, but it is easy to […]
