Starting a business is one of the most exciting decisions you’ll ever make. It’s also one where a handful of early missteps, the kind nobody warns you about, can quietly cost you thousands of dollars down the road.
At Piligrim Accounting, we’ve spent decades helping entrepreneurs untangle the financial and tax problems that could have been avoided with the right information from day one. So instead of waiting for you to run into these mistakes, we’re teaching you how to sidestep them entirely.
That’s the idea behind our Startup Essentials Workshop, a practical two-day program built for new entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small business owners. Here’s a preview of what tends to trip people up, and what we’ll cover so it doesn’t trip you up too.
1. Choosing the wrong business structure
Sole proprietorship or corporation? Federal or provincial incorporation? The answer isn’t one-size-fits-all, and getting it wrong can mean paying more tax than you need to, or taking on more liability than necessary. We’ll walk through how to actually make this decision, not just define the terms.
2. Not understanding GST/HST until it’s a problem
Many new business owners don’t realize when they’re required to register for GST/HST, what the small supplier rules mean for them, or how Input Tax Credits work in their favor. By the time this becomes urgent, it’s usually already expensive. We’ll cover registration, filing deadlines, and the CRA compliance basics before they catch up with you.
3. Treating bookkeeping as an afterthought
Bookkeeping isn’t just paperwork. It’s the foundation everything else is built on: your taxes, your ability to claim deductions, your financial statements, even your ability to get financing later. We’ll cover income and expense tracking, home office and vehicle deductions, and what records you actually need to keep (and for how long).
4. Hiring before understanding payroll obligations
If you’re planning to bring on employees, payroll comes with real obligations: CPP and EI contributions, remittances, T4 preparation, and Records of Employment. Getting this wrong isn’t just a hassle, it can mean penalties. We’ll walk through what employers are actually responsible for, before you hire your first team member.
5. Waiting too long to ask for help
The most common mistake we see isn’t a specific tax or accounting error. It’s simply not knowing what you don’t know until it costs you. That’s exactly the gap this workshop is designed to close.
What the workshop covers
Over two sessions, we’ll walk through everything above in more depth, organized into four practical modules:
- Business Registration & Startup Planning: structure, incorporation, registration, and banking basics
- Accounting Fundamentals: bookkeeping, financial statements, deductions, and record keeping
- Canadian Tax Essentials: GST/HST, filing deadlines, CRA compliance, and common mistakes to avoid
- Payroll & Employer Responsibilities: everything you need to know before hiring your first employee
No accounting background required. This is built for beginners.
Who teaches it
The workshop is led by Victoria Agabalyan (PhD in Economics, 22+ years of accounting experience) and Elena Ivanova (Certified Professional Bookkeeper, Founder of Piligrim Accounting, 25+ years of experience). Between them, they’ve helped hundreds of entrepreneurs build their businesses on solid financial ground, and they know exactly where new business owners tend to get stuck.
The details
- Dates: Saturday & Sunday, July 25-26
- Time: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Early bird price: $250 + HST (register by July 19)
- Regular price: $300 + HST
- Seating: Limited
This workshop is ideal for new entrepreneurs, sole proprietors, freelancers, consultants, contractors, and small business owners, or anyone simply considering starting a business in Canada.
Starting your business with the right knowledge can save you thousands of dollars and countless hours of frustration later. Come build yours on a solid foundation.
Seats are limited, and early bird pricing ends July 19.
