About

MY STORY SO FAR

How did this become my life?

I wasn’t always successful. I started out as a grade 11 drop out. But, I had a goal. Yes! My goal was to be rich and successful so I worked and waited, and worked and waited, and worked and waited. But nothing came. One day I realized I had been wasting my life putting in time for others. What I needed was a change in my perspective. Instead of spending time for others, I needed to invest time in myself.

I was in a hurry to follow my new dream. I studied long and hard and completed high school. Cramming everything together, I also got married to the girl of my dreams one week after school was out. Now the pressure to be successful was even more intense.

The University of Waterloo accepted me for the fall term. I earned my four-year Bachelor of Mathematics (B.Math) degree in three years. After my first year, I attended 12 months a year, while holding down three part-time jobs.

One job was superintendent of our apartment building that saved us rent. Next, I worked in a retail store Friday nights and Saturdays. I also worked for the University of Waterloo computer center Monday to Friday from noon until 5:00 PM. I couldn’t attend afternoon classes. I studied hard and wrote the exams.

The University of Waterloo hired me full time and everything looked great. I attended the on-campus interviews with a friend. He suggested I talk to an accountant while I waited for him to finish his interview. I had thought about being an accountant before returning to school, but it wasn’t what I was looking for now.

After about 15 minutes the accountant suggested I come to Toronto to meet his partner at Touche Ross & Co. Chartered Accountants. I decided to go to the appointment, and I got a job! WOW!

So, it was off to Toronto to work for Touche Ross & Co. Chartered Accountants (now Deloitte) where I learned about accounting, auditing, and tax. My long and hard studies continued. I earned My Chartered Accountant designation (CA) now a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA).

Later, I specialized with people and businesses dealing with financial difficulties. I became licensed as a Trustee in Bankruptcy, now a Licensed Insolvency Trustee (LIT).

Next, I became a Partner at the accounting firm of Collins Barrow Chartered Accountants. There I organized their small business accounting & consulting division. I also became the first President of Collins Barrow Ltd. their national insolvency Company with offices across Canada.

I also earned the designation Chartered Insolvency and Restructuring Professional (CIRP) from The Canadian Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Professionals.
During these times, I worked at accounting, consulting and turnaround management for many businesses in many industries.

I left Collins Barrow to take over a small start-up carpet manufacturing company. The business was doing about a million dollars a year in sales. Four years later Walker Mills Ltd. was doing over 16 million in sales.

Next I started James Walker, Chartered Professional Accountant in Mississauga. That was the moment all my knowledge and experience came together for me. I decided to specialize in helping individuals and owner managed businesses, the backbone of the Canadian economy.