Get to Know Michael Hayden

Not all paths into the accounting profession are a straight line. Michael Hayden is one example of a top-tier advisor who, through tenacity and optimism, followed an unconventional path into the profession he is now so passionate about. This is his story.

How did you find yourself getting into the accounting profession?

When I was young, I never thought about being an accountant or any type of businessman. I was always the type who liked to work with my hands and tinker around a garage, as a mechanic or doing body work on cars.

School was never a strong point for me, I always struggled. Learning disabilities weren’t something they tested for back then. However, I then went on to have two girls who were diagnosed with Dyslexia, which is a learning disorder that runs in families. This may explain why I struggled so much in school.

Looking to pursue my love of working with my hands, I enrolled in school to become an aircraft mechanic, only to be rejected due to my grades. My fallback position was to enroll in Commerce courses and see where these would take me.

In my first year of University, I fell in love with accounting and started to research the CA profession. I completed my undergrad at Concordia, and my graduate program at McGill on a part-time basis while working in a garage to pay my way through school. I successfully passed the UFE on my first attempt.

What have you learned about yourself during your education and professional journey?

Working in small firms throughout my career, and making partner at the age of 29, helped me develop into who I am today; a visionary, a big picture seer, a planner, and a resource person. I’ve learned that although the little things are important, not to sweat them too much, and instead to look past them in order to foresee the final results. This allowed me to work on creating the best path to reach the larger vision of success.

Describe your practice and the types of clients you work with.

My client base consists of a lot of commercial and residential builders, managers, and operators. I have also recently branched out into the automobile dealer network and found it to be exciting and extremely challenging.

Over the years I’ve made great connections in the banking, legal, and business community. I’ve maintained these relationships by being straightforward, honest, and pre-emptive on problem accounts. As a result, I’ve solved numerous tax audits and financing projects.

My clients and staff are very loyal and have been with me for a long time. My oldest client was a client of the firm even before I was born. When I started working in 1988, they were one of the first accounts I worked on. I’ve seen them grow from a few small retail stores in Montreal, to now having big box stores in Ottawa, Toronto, and Montreal. They’re building a large real estate portfolio and are in the process of transitioning it to the second generation.

After spending the past 18 years as Managing Partner at a smaller firm, it was time for the next step. We merged our very successful practice into MNP.

It has been an exciting journey and I look forward to what comes next.

What advice would you give someone trying to make their way in the accounting profession?

To be a great partner, a great leader, and a great consultant for your clients, it’s very important to have a strong team around you who will do what it takes to give the client the best service possible. It’s also important to have great partners beside you to help propel you to be your best.

But most importantly, you need to have a very supportive family. My wife, son, and two daughters will tell you that I never missed an important event in their lives and was always there for them. I receive the same support from them, especially during the challenging times our profession faces.

Contact

To learn more, contact Michael Hayden, CPA, CA at [email protected] or 514.744.9001.