Words of Wisdom for Young Budding Entrepreneurs 

As Senior Relationship Manager with Provision CPA, Vernon believes open communication and a strong working relationship are vital to success. He strives to anticipate client needs and find opportunities for strategic and tactical planning. Vernon finds it rewarding when he has helped play a role in developing a tax plan that turns into a savings or profit maker for the client. It’s a privilege to be involved in something as personal as an entrepreneur’s business vision.

One of the best pieces of advice he was ever given was “Give all that you can without expectation. No matter how much we give away, there will never be any shortage because giving brings its own reward.” A fun fact about Vernon is that he used to be a self-employed musician. Art and music are part of his daily life outside of the office, and you’ll find him enjoying it any time he can with his family.

As the Client Advocate and Admin Manager, Stefanie wears many hats. Front-facing, she spearheads onboarding for new clients and answers front desk phone calls and emails, while internally managing Provision CPA’s Admin team behind the scenes. Stefanie enjoys the act of troubleshooting and figuring out how to solve problems in a way that adds value to her clients and ensures they feel heard.

Stefanie has worked at Provision CPA for seven years now and she describes every day as an adventure. She’s fulfilled by the constant ability to learn and take on something new, with the personal and professional support of her team.

The most important thing to know about Stefanie: Don’t let her RBF fool you, she loves to laugh and make others laugh, too!

Ahmed is an Intermediate Accountant at Provision CPA. He’s always had an analytical mind and an insatiable curiosity for business. Ahmed knew early on that he wanted to get involved in the field of finances. After studying business at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, he explored a career in Accounting.

Ahmed loves being the entrepreneur’s trusted partner in all things finance. He enjoys helping them grow their business by providing astute financial advice and making sure tax season is a smooth process for them. He also takes pride in making sure his clients can make the best decisions for their businesses, helping them succeed year-round.

When he’s not working, you’ll find Ahmed exploring the nature B.C has to offer. The best piece of advice Ahmed was once given is “Focus on improving at your passion and the rewards will follow.”

As an Administrative Database Analyst, Kristen makes sure that Provision’s clients are taken care of by analyzing business processes, identifying gaps, and providing creative solutions that help the Provision team to do their job most successfully.

Before landing at Provision, she explored several industries from marketing to manufacturing, and pursued her MBA in 2017. Kristen was drawn to the firm’s flexible and collaborative work environment, and strong focus on training and mentoring team members. Collaborating with her team, Kristen’s goal is to make accounting simple while also instilling confidence in clients that their work will be done on time with exceptional service.

The best piece of advice she has ever been given was “Don’t stop learning. Every day is an opportunity to learn something new.” Outside of work you’ll find Kristen in the kitchen learning new ways to make traditional food. A fun fact? She used to work at a brewery as a Beer Quality Tech, which is where she discovered her passion for process improvement.

Sarah’s love for tax (believe it or not) and passion for entrepreneurship led her to Provision CPA. Her role focuses on quality control, making sure all team members are well-equipped, and that processes are efficient and effective so that clients receive excellent service. Being able to serve, add value, and alleviate a client’s burden while also celebrating their entrepreneurial journey is rewarding to Sarah.

Did you know that Sarah had conquered 7 continents before the age of 30? Not only is she a globetrotter, she can also speak 5 languages. When she’s not working, you’ll find Sarah embracing her role as a full-time dog mom.

Maria has been at Provision CPA for almost 13 years as a Staff Accountant, working directly with entrepreneurs and getting to know their businesses and lives on a deep level. Ultimately, she wants every client to feel that she is there for them. To Maria, it’s not just about numbers or making sure everything looks correct on paper – she wants every business owner to feel heard.

Maria views every challenge as a new experience and brings positivity to problem-solving. At the end of the day, she goes home feeling fulfilled knowing she gave her all.

When she’s not working, you’ll find Maria knocking off another local trail from her long list of hikes. Since she was a Girl Guide Leader for 20 years, she knows her stuff! Ask her for her B.C. hiking bucket list.

With over 20 years of entrepreneurial experience, Bita has had quite the career journey – from owning a bakery, then a flower shop, to selling real estate and getting her Mortgage Broker license, she’s done it all.

Some time ago, Bita decided to go back to school and start a new journey in becoming a CPA. She now brings the passion and determination of an entrepreneurial spirit to her team and clients at Provision CPA.

Bita’s goal is to make her clients’ “accounting life” as stress-free and straightforward as possible. Her strength lies in her ability to speak the “entrepreneurial language”.

The best piece of advice she’s been given is to “give 110% in everything you do”, whether that’s troubleshooting client issues, or riding her scooter (rain or shine) you’ll find Bita fully committing to the job.

After working for multinational companies in the past, Vanessa was drawn to Provision CPA because of a deep values alignment. What she loves about working at Provision is the opportunity to help business owners improve their accounting processes and problem solve through a strategic lens.

Vanessa’s ‘why’ is dedication. She’s dedicated to always giving her best to both her clients and coworkers. Sarah also loves to find opportunities to grow, and when there are gaps that need improvement, she embraces the challenge with open arms. The best piece of advice she was given was from her mom, to “follow your dreams” you’ll see her applying this to both her work and personal life.

When Vanessa isn’t working, she’s going for long walks to “get some exercise” but we all know she’s actually catching Pokémon!

From strategic alignment through to execution, as a Manager, Oliver is involved in supporting every stage of the entrepreneur’s journey at Provision CPA.

Oliver brings experience from working at a large firm in the UK, but he prefers to work in a closer-knit environment where he can be more involved in delivering impact and results for clients. Oliver finds working with people who have a real passion for their companies contagious, proving to him that there IS a way to make accounting “exciting” (most of the time).

What you might not know about Oliver, is that bookkeeping is his superpower. Most people don’t like dealing with the financial side of things – luckily, that’s where he thrives. His experience working with a variety of businesses and industries of different sizes gives Oliver a lens into understanding how to manage and help achieve each client’s unique desire.

The best piece of advice he was ever given? “Never turn down an invitation to do something new.”