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Dawna McLean Place of Birth: Drumheller Family info: Husband and two kids Education:Partial completion of accounting degree Work Experience: 19 months with Calgary Bookkeeping / taken courses in accounting and partially done an accounting degree What your strengths are: Ability to multi task, wanting everything to be done right, and for the most part get everything done on time Where you want to be in 5 years: Still working from home, continue growing my business, and having more kids What makes you laugh in life: The laughter of my kids How long you have been with Calgary Bookkeeping: 19 months Anything you can share with other bookkeepers moving their business ahead:: Document everything so there is always a trail of what you have done it there are any questions. Enjoy it as it is a dream job. Your favorite thing to do: Play with my kids Your favorite color: Blue and Pink Your favorite food: Chocolate Your favorite place to shop:Wal Mart Your favorite restaurant: Wendy’s as that is where my Son likes to eat. What motivates you on a daily basis:My Children and making sure I stay at home with them. The month you are born in:August Tell me a story of something that happened to you in your life that changed you: Deciding to take a sabbatical from University, which eventually led me here, and the birth of both of my children and how they have motivated me, and challenged me and give me something to smile about each day. Kathy Lawson Place of Birth:Yorkton, Sask. Family info: Twin brother, younger brother, no sisters, single, lots of nieces and nephews. Education:Graduated from S.A.I.T. with Diploma of Applied Arts – Accounting, reached 5th level of CGA Program Work Experience: I have been working for the past 20 years in a bookkeeping and accounting capacity. I started out using a manual set of books, which required only 3 or 4 days a month to complete. The rest of my time was spent working with Seismic companies and the Alberta Government on Seismic maps and applications. After two years I moved onto a retail carpet company. I was the full time bookkeeper/accountant for 5 years and gained my initial computer experience there. Since then I have done work for a variety of companies, mostly Computer Retail and Property Management companies. In each successive position I learned more skills, gained more knowledge and was able to use those skills in the next company. For the past 5 ½ years I have been working for a private company in the hospitality industry. What your strengths are: Intuition, knowledge, attention to details, a love of life and the people I work with Where you want to be in 5 years:Either right where I am now, part time home business, full time day job, or else a full time home business. The thought of either excites me. What makes you laugh in life: Kids, when good friends and family get great news, a good joke, acting like a kid How long you have been with Calgary Bookkeeping: Two years. Anything you can share with other bookkeepers moving their business ahead:Don’t let set-backs or other people get you down about yourself or your business. I have found belief in yourself, even if all others around you doubt you, is the best way to move forward. If you don’t believe in yourself, and convey that confidence to others, very few others will believe in you. Anyone can learn new skills, and be knowledgeable about their chosen field. If you have belief and confidence in yourself and your skills and show that to others, you will always have people wanting to do business with you. Your favorite thing to do:Relax and read a good book, sing a song, get out and dance, spend time with my niece and nephew Your favorite color: This year it is Teal, maybe Purple, I like both together. Your favorite food: Almost anything made by my roommate Your favorite place to shop:A bookstore Your favorite restaurant: Olive Garden What motivates you on a daily basis:The love I feel for the people in my life The month you are born in:September Tell me a story of something that happened to you in your life that changed you: The biggest thing that changed my life is the day I met a family of gals, (with a baby brother). The oldest gal became my best friend, and slowly 1 by 1 all the gals became best friends of mine. Through them I met people with whom I have been best of friends with for over 20 years. It was this circle of friends that taught me to believe in myself, that showed me that I was not a bad person to know. They have given me so much strength over the years to forge ahead when I felt like there was no use even trying to move forward anymore. We all support each other and are there for each other. We cheer each other on. If it were not for them, I probably would not be where I am today. They did not find me jobs, but they helped me find the confidence in myself to be the best I can be. Chris Lagmontagne Place of Birth:Pangman, SK Family info: Husband of 8 yrs – Darren, Daughter 6 yrs – Nikaya, Son 17mths - Kyle Education:Business Office Skills – Diploma (Honours) – Career College Calgary, AB Misc. other courses working towards my Business Admin Degree – Accounting and CGA designation Work Experience: In my most recent job, I was initially hired as the Executive Assistant. This role then lead into handling not only the executive admin duties but working directly with the CFO performing accounting and human resource related duties – a/r, a/p, payroll, benefits, etc., until such time that the company grew and an accounting department was formed. As financial obstacles became apparent for the company and my husband went back working in the oil field, I decided to leave the company and stay at home with our daughter. What your strengths are: No answer provided Where do you want to be in 5 years:Preferably, on a beach somewhere relaxing; but, realistically either pursuing the opportunity to move forward with a bookkeeping/administrative business or back in the work force. What makes you laugh in life: My children…just watching them interact with each other and hearing the sound of their laughter, always makes me laugh. How long you have been with Calgary Bookkeeping: I took the first training session offered by CBE in December (I think??) of 2003. Yes Chris that is right and began working shortly thereafter. Anything you can share with other bookkeepers moving their business ahead: no answer provided Your favorite thing to do:go to or watch hockey; crafts Your favorite color: blue Your favorite food: prime rib Your favorite place to shop:hate to say it; but, I don’t really like to shop. shop. Especially, since having children. Your favorite restaurant: Smugglers What motivates you on a daily basis:The sun shine…I find if the sun isn’t shining…my day does not usually go very well. The month you are born in:August Tell me a story of something that happened to you in your life that changed you: I spent the last few years of my “in-office” working career staying late, going in early, sleeping for only two or three hours a night in order to get more work done, taking my daughter into the office with me on the weekends, working via the internet at home late at night, etc…- I am sure we have all done this…but, it was not until just before I left my last job that I realized there is more to life than work and the only reason I was the only person worried about the work getting done (and usually the only person working “crazy” hours) is because everyone else had said NO….It was then that I realized, I was taking on too much and my family and I were the ones suffering…After struggling and learning how to actually say NO without feeling some sort of guilt, I made a change and now try to only commit to the tasks (work related or socially) I know I can complete and complete to the best of my ability. Angie Minnema Place of Birth:Calgary Family info: Husband Chris, Three Boys, Caleb (12), Jake (5) & Brady (1) Expecting a fourth Child in January. Dog- Katie Education:Some University courses at Mount Royal College, and then decided to do something else. I have my Canadian Securities & Financial Planning Courses. As well as my Master Gardeners Course from the Calgary Zoo Work Experience: Worked in the Financial Industry for about 10 years with a few different securities firms. What your strengths are: I am good with clients, and at building relationships with them. Where do you want to be in 5 years:Still at home with my children, while pursuing my own business and other personal interests. What makes you laugh in life:The little things How long you have been with Calgary Bookkeeping: Approximately 6 months Anything you can share with other bookkeepers moving their business ahead:I am still taking suggestions!!! Your favorite thing to do:I have a few favorites, I love to read, yoga, run (when I am not pregnant) hang out with my family, water ski and enjoy friends. Your favorite color: Definitely orange Your favorite food: Everything…I love to cook and I love to eat out and try new things. Your favorite place to shop:: I am not much of a shopper, I do like to wander Ikea or Pier 1 without kids. Costco is good too! Your favorite restaurant: Juan’s – Mexican Food. It is great! What motivates you on a daily basis:My family The month you are born in: My October Tell me a story of something that happened to you in your life that changed you: It would have to be when my first son was born. I was 20 and single, and it had a huge impact on the direction of my life and who I would become. He has made me a stronger, smarter and I had no idea of what I was capable of. I grew up a lot at that point in my life. It helped me to realize my passion of being a mom and doing the best job I can at that. It also made me realize how important a part of my life my family was.
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