I spent years building and running businesses of my own, managing cash flow, payroll, expenses, inventory, pricing, budgets, forecasts, and the day-to-day decisions that came with being responsible for the whole picture.
I was also the person making sure the records were complete, the numbers balanced, and the information was ready when investors, partners, or others needed a clear view of what was happening.
When I eventually stepped back from some of those businesses and returned to the workforce in payroll management, the direction became clearer. The financial side of business wasn’t just something I handled — it was the work I wanted to keep building on.
That’s what led me back to school: to put a stronger technical accounting foundation behind the experience I already had.
That next chapter became Anchor & Arbor.
I knew how to run a business before I knew how to reconcile one.
ABOUT ANCHOR & ARBOR
I didn’t go back to school to start over.
BUILT FROM BOTH SIDES
Going back to school wasn’t a reset. It was a way to put formal accounting knowledge behind experience I already had.
I completed my Bookkeeping & Accounting Technician training, continued building my payroll knowledge, and moved further into professional bookkeeping work. I’m now building on that foundation through a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting, which I’m continuing alongside my professional work.
Since then, my experience has grown across historical catch-up projects, full-cycle bookkeeping, and multi-client accounting. I work in QuickBooks Online, Xero, Sage 50, and a range of supporting systems and workflows, with clients across retail, service, and construction businesses.
I’ve always been the kind of person who keeps going once I know there’s more to learn. As my experience has grown, so has the level of accounting knowledge I want behind it.
I’m not changing direction. I’m sharpening it.
I’m pretty much the same person outside of work.
BEYOND THE BOOKS
I’m straightforward, curious, a little sarcastic, and probably more particular than I need to be about the things I care about. I like understanding people, figuring things out, and I tend to notice details other people miss.
I’m ambitious, but I’m also pretty grounded. I like getting out, travelling, live music, camping, boating, and trying new things — but I’m happiest at home. I laugh a lot, don’t take myself too seriously, and I’ll almost always choose genuine over polished.
I’m also the kind of person who gets invested. If I care about something, I care properly. That applies to people, projects, work, and pretty much anything I decide is worth my time.
That carries into the way I work with people, too. I know clients don’t need another layer of formality or someone making simple things feel complicated. They need someone they can talk to, trust, and actually get a straight answer from.
Good work matters. So does being good to work with.
The name came from two parts of my life that have always stayed with me.
The Anchor came from the water. I grew up around the lakes of Northern Saskatchewan, where summers meant camping and fishing, winters meant ice fishing, and home sat above the river. Ten years after moving to the West Coast, I still spend as much time as I can on the water. It’s where I go to think, reset, and breathe a little deeper.
The Arbor came from the landscape around it. I grew up surrounded by trees and forest, and now, living in Maple Ridge, I’m surrounded by much of the same landscape. There’s something about being in this kind of environment that feels grounding and connected to home.
The meaning behind it came naturally after that. An anchor represents stability. An arbor represents growth.
In business, the two go hand in hand. Growth is a lot easier when the foundation underneath it is solid — clear financials, reliable systems, good workflows, and the right support in place. Bookkeeping is part of that foundation. It gives you a clearer picture of where the business stands and puts the structure in place to support sustainable growth.
That’s the idea behind Anchor & Arbor:
Rooted in systems. Invested in growth.
Before it meant business. It meant home.
WHY ANCHOR & ARBOR
Let’s build a better foundation for your business.
