From volunteer to trusted advisor

Once upon a time, as a co-founder of the Chestermere Regional Community Development Foundation, Isaac Achal CPA, CA needed an audit done. After some research, he found there was no full-service firm in Chestermere that could do it, and the foundation had to outsource the work to Strathmore.

Clearly, there was a gap in Chestermere’s business community, and this got Isaac thinking—should he start his own firm?

He decided the answer was yes! Getting started came with a learning curve, but Isaac lives by his favourite motto—everything seems impossible until it’s done—and Isaac Achal Professional Corporation successfully began operations just over two years ago. “It can be hard to start out,” says Isaac. “You have very little guidance, but you can call up CPA Alberta, ask questions, and figure out what you can and can’t do.”

Isaac’s biggest tip for anyone wanting to set out on their own and start a firm would be to spend the time building a solid network of both peers and future clients. “If you have a good network,” he says, “then you know you’re going to be OK.”

Isaac Achal CPA, CA

For Isaac, his dream of helping local small- and medium-sized businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and start-ups kept him going in the early days, when he’d spend hours figuring out the limitations of a CPA firm, building said network, and learning the ins and outs of running a business and being an entrepreneur.

“You can’t be an entrepreneur if you don’t like what you’re doing or if you don’t have a vision of what you want to see,” he says. “I like to become a trusted advisor to clients—the person they can talk to for everything.

“Anybody can help clients with their taxes, anybody can do their bookkeeping work, but it’s about getting that relationship with clients, understanding them, and being their most trusted advisor.”

This aligns with Isaac’s clear enthusiasm for his community. He’s passionate about using his skills to volunteer, and he believes this is a big draw to the profession. “If you are a CPA, you should give back,” says Isaac. “And I think most people do, and that’s one of the reasons they become a CPA.”

Isaac has served on audit committees for a number of organizations, such as the City of Chestermere and the Alcove Addiction Recovery for Women Society, and is also the treasurer for his daughter’s figure skating club. And, to bring it full circle, he helped launch the foundation that, in turn, would inspire him to start his own firm. The Chestermere Regional Community Development Foundation helps the community develop infrastructure to make Chestermere a better place to live, which unsurprisingly, spoke to Isaac.

Since starting his own firm, Isaac most enjoys the freedom and flexibility that come with being his own boss. Part of that is ensuring he still has the time to give back, the ability to spend time with his wife and young daughter, and the opportunity to do his best for his clients. “I can now follow my vision, and I have full control of my decisions,” he says. “And we can provide the service that we want for our clients.”