Marr & Company Chartered Professional Accountant helps the little guy.
Staff took their mission to assist small businesses to a new level by lending a helping hand to struggling businesses who were overwhelmed by the avalanche of paperwork that followed the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Business owners were terrified, trying to figure out how to keep their employees paid and their businesses afloat,” says Marnie Marr, CPA and owner of Marr & Company.
“Every program had different rules for qualifying and the rules were not very clear and often required a technical interpretation.”
Marr saw an opportunity to help not only her own clients but the broader community by passing her knowledge of the government rules and programs that pertained to small businesses to the City of Airdrie.
Seeing a demand for information on the often-confusing process, City staff created the Right for Business Program designed to connect Airdrie businesses with service experts and advisors for support during the COVID pandemic.
“We volunteered to consult with Airdrie businesses and assist them in navigating the COVID crisis and obtaining any supports that they were entitled to,” says Marr.
“It was very rewarding as we were able to help several businesses to receive more funding than they initially felt possible.”
The Right for Your Business Voucher Program was open for applications from Feb. 1 to June 30 and the program had more than 90 applicants.
Marr & Company was started as Westside Accounting & Tax in 1990 by Marr’s business partner. The name was changed in 2018 and the team chose to focus on helping small businesses navigate the financial side of their companies.
The staff completes the bookkeeping, GST, corporate tax, and personal tax returns for the business and its shareholders.
“I’m passionate about helping Airdrie businesses to thrive,” says Marr.
“When local businesses succeed, all of Airdrie benefits. Increasing local employment is just one benefit; there are also social benefits provided by local small businesses. We all enjoy having plenty of restaurants, retail, recreation and entertainment options that small businesses provide. Small businesses are also critical to sponsoring local charities and societies. These businesses truly are the backbone of Airdrie.”
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