Meet Dallas MacCorquodale, Business Advisor, Real Estate and Construction

This article was previously published in the Business Examiner.

Born and raised in Nanaimo, Dallas is the kind of accountant who takes getting to know his clients seriously so he can truly help them succeed. But this analytical problem solver’s career didn’t start out with numbers.

Did you always want to become an accountant?

No. I started my adult life in the military, where I worked in the Communications division with radio, satellites and crypto systems. I spent 12 years in active duty, including time in the Middle East. I decided to go back to school and became interested in accounting. It’s very structured, and involves problem solving and figuring out the best solution for people, which I enjoy.

What is your role with MNP?

I’m a senior manager and business advisor who works with private enterprises. Most of my clients are in the real estate and construction industry — developers, builders, sub-trade contractors. I also work a lot with people who have personal real estate tax problems because they are subdividing land, have multiple rental properties, or have some sort of complex real estate tax issue. My other area of focus is on technological solutions. I can help implement new paperless cloud accounting solutions, and help clients put information into the system in a way that gives them actionable insights into their business.

What’s the common thread that runs through your clients?

Everybody is looking for clever tax solutions to get the most value out of their money and avoid tax when possible, through the rules that currently exist. The other common thread is around business and succession planning: clients have a vision in mind on where they want their business to be or how they want it to grow but may not know how to execute on that vision. My job is often to help them understand the phases and lifecycles of a business and the steps they need to take to make their vision a reality.

How do you approach a client conversation?

On the first visit, I approach it as a doctor seeing a first-time patient. I ask a lot of questions, and some might seem invasive or not pertinent. But if I don’t have the full picture of what’s going on, I can’t diagnose the problem and arrive at a solution. Once I have the big picture, I can look for opportunities the client might not even realize are possible, and we can go from there.

What’s the number one piece of advice you’re giving clients right now?

Keep focusing on where you’re going and planning how you’re going to get there. The economy is hot right now and businesses are growing, but it’s stressful growth because they’re understaffed. Many clients are just homed in on keeping it going. But it is still important to take a step back when you can and put your focus on the bigger picture.

What do you do when not working?

I enjoy the outdoors, whether I’m out for a walk, snowboarding, kayaking or hiking. And I’m a big movie buff.

What is the best thing about living in Nanaimo?

Nanaimo has everything you could want in a town. It has tons of outdoor activities, all the shopping you could want, and it’s a hop, skip and jump from Vancouver and Victoria. It has all the best facets of life. That’s why it’s growing so much!