OUR APPROACH

Like everyone, you want to feel heard. You crave relatability, especially when it comes to the people digging through your finances. You want professionals who will help you understand your relationship with money: where you’ve come from, where things may have gone astray, and how to help you get back on track. That’s why we strive to understand the full picture of who you are and how your work fits into the larger vision for your life. Working with Make It Count not only relieves a pain point in your tax filing, business, or organization - our process adds humour, excitement, and enthusiasm in a way that many people don’t think they can experience around money. We want to help you feel knowledgeable with where you’re at on your financial journey, so together we can take your finances from being the last task on your list to an aspect of your business that brings you delight, satisfaction, and liberation. 

ABOUT GILLIAN

I'm a former dancer & fitness instructor who transitioned from the movement world into a career of bookkeeping and tax. As a creative entrepreneur, I remember feeling confused and bewildered when interacting with finance & business professionals, when I was seeking a solutions-based and collaborative approach. These encounters inspired and compelled me to differentiate our business by providing a unique service for creatives, values-driven entrepreneurs, & community organizations seeking to understand their finances and feel empowered in their relationship with money.

I have expertise in accounting & payroll for non-profit societies, artist/workers’ co-operatives, and owner-operated corporations, and I have worked extensively as an arts administrator, and finance & operations manager for registered charities. Building my own arts and community projects, combined with my professional accounting training and years of experience, give me the skill-set and unique perspective that sets Make It Count apart. I love working with clients seeking financial literacy and strong financial systems to empower their projects and light up their work in the world!

Alongside running Make It Count, I am an enthusiastic parent to a 2 -year-old on our family farm in the Cowichan Valley. I am deeply interested in slowness, alternative economic models, critiquing late-stage capitalism, and being of service to marginalized communities in whatever ways I’m able.

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS

• Professional Accounting Certificate, Langara College

• Professional Bookkeeping Certificate, Langara College

• Technician Bookkeeper + In-Progress CPB, Certified Professional Bookkeepers (CPB) Canada

• In-Progress: Payroll Compliance Practitioner, National Payroll Institute

• Certified Quickbooks Online Pro Advisor, Quickbooks / Intuit

THE TEAM

Ciara Gunning, Senior Bookkeeper

Ciara has been immersed in the accounting, finance, bookkeeping and payroll space for 15+ years, and has worked in various industries across Ireland and Canada.

She is a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in Europe and a member of Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia, Canada. She is a Certified Quickbooks Online Pro Advisor.

Ciara joined MIC in the Fall of 2021. After becoming familiar with MIC’s work structure, systems, value-based model, philosophy and energy, the initial short-term arrangement evolved long term. Ciara works closely with the MIC team, exercising a keen eye for detail and a commitment to excellence. She works very closely with Gillian to support continuous system improvements and efficiency, maintaining long term value and client satisfaction.

When Ciara is not number crunching, she enjoys exercising, music, podcasts, reading, learning, cooking, nature, nutrition and quality time with her loved ones.

Caro Garofalo, Admin Assistant

Caro is an Expressive Art Therapist and international student (now permanent resident!) from the US who joined the MIC team in 2020. Caro works in supporting with bookkeeping, tax, and administrative duties and streamlining workflows, communicating with clients in the first steps of monthly bookkeeping, and handling receipt processing, file organization, and other back end responsibilities.

Gillian’s business model and organizational structure of MIC has been grounds for learning in so many different ways for Caro, including financial literacy in her own life. It’s inspiring to see how stress free and empowering Gillian makes financial systems to be for all they interact with!

Rebecca Page, Tax Assistant

Rebecca has worked in many industries and always with one toe in the finance/bookkeeping side of things. Most recently Rebecca is a finance associate for a private school’s foundation. Before that many years were spent in the wine industry. Rebecca’s role on the MIC team is to support personal income tax clients, and to help with streamlining processes and workflows.

Outside of work priorities, Rebecca enjoys being Buba to an adorable grandson and creating and maintaining an extensive vegetable garden and vineyard on the 5 acres she shares with her husband, two goldendoodle dogs, and Gillian’s family.