Name: Michelle Cornish
Book Title: Keep More Money: Find an Accountant You Trust to Grow Your Small Business, Increase Profit, and Save Tax
Your book’s Amazon purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/Keep-More-Money-Accountant-Business-ebook/dp/B06W2KCK9C/
What is your book about? The book is about how to find an accountant you can trust, whether you’re new in business and don’t know what to look for or you’ve been in business for a while but need to find a business advisor that’s more compatible with your needs.
What inspired you to write your book? I was meeting many entrepreneurs online but most of them weren’t from Canada, so I wasn’t able to help them with tax problems because I only know Canadian income tax laws. I wanted to write a book that would help entrepreneurs find an accountant they could trust to help them grow their business and save tax at the same time, but I also wanted business owners to know that accountants can help them with so much more than just filing their tax returns.
Can you describe your writing process? First, I made a mind-map with all my ideas. The mind-map clusters I liked became chapter ideas. Then I created outlines for each chapter. As I created outlines, it seemed to make sense to have the book go through the various questions a business owner would ask a prospective accountant at each stage of being in business, from start-up to selling a business.
I spend a lot of time driving every day, so once I had my chapter outlines ready, I dictated each chapter and had it transcribed. Once I got the transcription back I edited the chapter. After self-editing, I then hired a professional editor. As a final step, I read each chapter out loud.
How did you come to do what you’re doing today? I wrote my book as I was selling an accounting practice I started and ran for four years. I knew I had to sell my practice because I was spending more time at the office than I liked and I really wanted to spend more time with my sons while they are young (5 and7). Writing the book gave me the opportunity to discover something I really enjoyed. I have a novel in the works and some ideas for picture books, as well as another non-fiction book aimed at helping accountants. I’m also creating some e-courses.
Can you describe a typical day in your life? I have one son in school so after a morning workout, the day starts with getting everyone ready to head off to where they need to go that day (school for my oldest and work for my husband). It takes about 20 minutes to drive to my son’s school. Then my youngest and I are back at home until school ends. During that time, we do activities together but I also try and “sneak” some writing in while he is entertained with colouring or Legos. The majority of my work happens after the kids are in bed so I usually end up staying up way too late! My husband takes one day off during the week, which is a dream for me because I get to work all day that day.
What do you most enjoy about what you do? I love the flexibility and being able to spend lots of time with my kids. I also really enjoy the work. While I’m working on writing projects, I also edit so I get to see what other writers are working on, which is always inspiring.
Are there any people and/or books that have inspired you along your journey? I wanted to write a book for several years. Chandler Bolt’s 2016 Self-Publishing Success Summit really spurred me into going for it. There were many inspiring speakers during the summit but I remember really enjoying the interviews with Joanna Penn and Ray Edwards. I also love Brendan Burchard’s book Millionaire Messenger: Make a Difference and a Fortune Sharing Your Advice.
Can you share something that people may be surprised to learn about you? I love karaoke!!
What’s next for you? I’m working on a novel about a CPA student who finds a body during a routine audit. I’m also really excited to start teaching business courses at the local college in the fall.
Is there anything else you would like to add? Thank you for the opportunity to be interviewed.
