It’s been eight years for The Blunt Bean Counter. Sometimes I can’t believe it myself, but there you have it: we’re nearing a decade of blog posts (535 to be exact). It’s an opportunity to sit back, reflect and consider how the popularity of this blog exceeded my wildest expectations.
I’ve been fortunate to have an audience that keeps tuning in and has grown over the years. You are what makes the blog a success. Based on your comments and feedback, I try to include your interests and needs when deciding on topics and writing the posts. Your positive reinforcement has been an essential source of inspiration.
When I first took baby steps into the blogosphere, my career focused on tax, so the vast majority of my posts drilled down on tax topics. I loved — and still love — clarifying complicated topics, eschewing the technical jargon that we accountants hold dear. Or, as my wife keeps telling me, “write in plain English.”
Over the last few years, my interests have changed. My focus has shifted to wealth advisory, and helping Canadians get their financial affairs in order. Sure, tax will always inform the wealth advisory journey — and you’ve heard me go on about the perils of ignoring the tax piece. No financial plan is complete without tax considerations baked in at all stages of the process, from beginning to end, as long as the tax tail does not wag the dog. But it’s a matter of emphasis, and now my emphasis is certainly on the wealth and financial side of the equation.
My professional situation has also changed since I first began blogging. When I started the blog on essentially a dare from a social media consultant, I was the managing partner of Cunningham LLP, a seven-partner firm. Now I count myself as part of a great national firm, BDO Canada LLP. To reflect my status as a partner at the firm, I’ve decided to include the BDO logo in the top left-hand corner of the blog along with a bit of a re-design and freshening up of the blog.
Along similar lines, I’ve decided to open up The Blunt Bean Counter tent to more of my BDO colleagues. I will still be writing and editing, but I will now be including more posts from the professionals I work with, who also have important viewpoints and knowledge to contribute. I think the blog — and you — will benefit from their take on various topics. I joined a large firm in part because of the top-quality people I work with every day. Now you can gain the same benefits that I have been enjoying.
Here’s what won’t change: my commitment to bringing you clear, unvarnished financial insight on topics that make a difference to your bottom line, in your business or personal life. And I'll continue whether as writer or editor, to bring you this insight in the plain-spoken tone that gives The Blunt Bean Counter its name and part of its appeal.
Watch out for my next post, which will unveil something I call the “My Financial Story and Estate Organizer.” It’s a tracking form that can help you store important personal information — to help you organize your financial story and estate. Many of my clients and colleagues have found it extremely useful and tell me it has given them peace of mind. I hope it can help you summarize your financial affairs in one spot.
I’ve been fortunate to have an audience that keeps tuning in and has grown over the years. You are what makes the blog a success. Based on your comments and feedback, I try to include your interests and needs when deciding on topics and writing the posts. Your positive reinforcement has been an essential source of inspiration.
When I first took baby steps into the blogosphere, my career focused on tax, so the vast majority of my posts drilled down on tax topics. I loved — and still love — clarifying complicated topics, eschewing the technical jargon that we accountants hold dear. Or, as my wife keeps telling me, “write in plain English.”
Over the last few years, my interests have changed. My focus has shifted to wealth advisory, and helping Canadians get their financial affairs in order. Sure, tax will always inform the wealth advisory journey — and you’ve heard me go on about the perils of ignoring the tax piece. No financial plan is complete without tax considerations baked in at all stages of the process, from beginning to end, as long as the tax tail does not wag the dog. But it’s a matter of emphasis, and now my emphasis is certainly on the wealth and financial side of the equation.
My professional situation has also changed since I first began blogging. When I started the blog on essentially a dare from a social media consultant, I was the managing partner of Cunningham LLP, a seven-partner firm. Now I count myself as part of a great national firm, BDO Canada LLP. To reflect my status as a partner at the firm, I’ve decided to include the BDO logo in the top left-hand corner of the blog along with a bit of a re-design and freshening up of the blog.
Along similar lines, I’ve decided to open up The Blunt Bean Counter tent to more of my BDO colleagues. I will still be writing and editing, but I will now be including more posts from the professionals I work with, who also have important viewpoints and knowledge to contribute. I think the blog — and you — will benefit from their take on various topics. I joined a large firm in part because of the top-quality people I work with every day. Now you can gain the same benefits that I have been enjoying.
Here’s what won’t change: my commitment to bringing you clear, unvarnished financial insight on topics that make a difference to your bottom line, in your business or personal life. And I'll continue whether as writer or editor, to bring you this insight in the plain-spoken tone that gives The Blunt Bean Counter its name and part of its appeal.
Watch out for my next post, which will unveil something I call the “My Financial Story and Estate Organizer.” It’s a tracking form that can help you store important personal information — to help you organize your financial story and estate. Many of my clients and colleagues have found it extremely useful and tell me it has given them peace of mind. I hope it can help you summarize your financial affairs in one spot.
The content on this blog has been carefully prepared, but it has been
written in general terms and should be seen as broad guidance only. The
blog cannot be relied upon to cover specific situations and you should
not act, or refrain from acting, upon the information contained therein
without obtaining specific professional advice. Please contact BDO
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Please note the blog posts are time sensitive and subject to changes in legislation.
BDO Canada LLP, a Canadian limited liability partnership, is a member of BDO International Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, and forms part of the international BDO network of independent member firms. BDO is the brand name for the BDO network and for each of the BDO Member Firms.
Please note the blog posts are time sensitive and subject to changes in legislation.
BDO Canada LLP, a Canadian limited liability partnership, is a member of BDO International Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, and forms part of the international BDO network of independent member firms. BDO is the brand name for the BDO network and for each of the BDO Member Firms.
Looking forward to seeing the “My Financial Story and Estate Organizer.” This sounds like it will be helpful to us to track and organize our financial and estate related data.
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