What to look for in an Accountant

Most people hire an accountant the same way they hire a plumber. Someone's pipes burst, they Google a number, hope for the best.

It works. Until it doesn't.

Here's what I've noticed after over a decade in accounting working across nonprofits, manufacturers, energy traders, and small businesses: the business owners who thrive financially aren't just the ones with the best numbers. They're the ones with an accountant who actually knows their business.

So what should you actually be looking for?

Credentials matter. But they're the floor, not the ceiling.

Yes, make sure your accountant is a licensed CPA. In BC, that means they're registered with CPABC or with any provincial or state body. It tells you they've met a professional standard and are bound by a code of ethics.

But credentials don't tell you whether they'll pick up the phone when something urgent comes up. Or whether they'll flag a risk before it becomes a problem. Or whether they'll explain your financials in plain language instead of drowning you in jargon.

You want someone who asks questions before they give answers.

A good accountant is curious about your business. What are your goals this year? How do you make money? Where do you feel uncertain? If they're not asking, they're not really advising they're just processing.

Look for proactive, not reactive.

There's a version of accounting where someone shows up once a year at tax time, files your return, and disappears. That's a transaction. What you actually need is someone keeping an eye on things throughout the year noticing when your cash flow looks off, reminding you about instalment deadlines, helping you think through a big decision before you make it.

The right accountant should feel like a partner.

Not someone you're afraid to call because you're not sure you understand your own numbers. Not someone whose advice you have to translate. Someone you trust, who understands your world, and who's in your corner.

That's the standard worth holding out for.