Cheryl's Interview - In Focus Kelowna Now
In Focus posted July 14, 2016 by Anita Sthankiya
In Focus | Cheryl Lynn Butler of Altogether Tax Inc.
In Focus is our gift to the community. A way for us to help show our recognition for the people, businesses and organizations that help make our city great. The team at KelownaNow.com is passionate about this community and the people that make it amazing. We want to show our friends, neighbours, family and colleagues that we notice them and the fabulous things that they do.
What is your name?
Cheryl Lynn Butler
Where are you from and how long have you lived in Kelowna?
Of my 51 years, I have lived in the Okanagan for 31 of them. I’ve lived here in Kelowna this time for the last five years. I have lived in Oliver (six years), in Vernon (two years) and in Kelowna for the remainder of difference in years. I have also dwelled on Vancouver Island. Mfavouritete town was Chemainus. I loved living there.
Who is your favourite person to spend time with and why?
My husband is my favourite person to spend time with. He grounds me. I’m such a high energy person to be with, when I get crazy ideas, he talks them through with me and helps see all sides and then I decide if it was a good idea. We also love spending our time together in our yard in all the gardens we have. We share a love of live music. We also share a love of spending time with our friends.
If you could go anywhere in the world right at this moment where would you go and why?
I have this dream of going to Ireland for a beer, Scotland to sleep in a castle, Italy for a glass of wine and France for some cheese. It’s about eating, drinking and being merry.
What is your favourite local store in Kelowna and why?
I have so many places I love to go to. Dare to Dream for all their healing energy products; Choices market for the organic foods; Amni Apparel for the funky but yet lovely clothing. I’m a hippy at heart.
What is your favourite activity?
I love to be in my garden, whether it’s just walking and watering or spending time pulling out the weeds. But these days, the zucchini has been most flavourful. Eating from your own grown garden is a wonderful thing.
If you had to choose: pizza, tacos, or burgers?
I love tacos, especially fish tacos. The ones I tasted in Palm Desert were incredible. I found them at El Taquero on Ellis Street to be the closest to the ones from down south.
What is a hidden gem you enjoy in the Okanagan?
I love walking along the Mission Creek trail. The smell of the water and the greenery is the best.
What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you?
Oh, I’m sure there may be several, but off the top of my head, I can’t think of any. I know my mouth sometimes goes faster than my head and it can get me in trouble.
What is the most inspiring thing that has happened to you?
Recently I’ve been attending some Mental Health & Wellness support meetings through the BC Schizophrenia Society and they brought in a young lady with Bi-Polar. In her talking and being open and honest and seeing how she is working so hard to overcome all her obstacles, that it made me realise that any obstacles that I have put in front of myself are so minor. I can do anything if I choose to. And I am…….
Tell us your favourite childhood memory.
There’s a list, but in a recent conversation this one came up. My family used to own Westside Disposal (back in the 1970’s) – garbage family for 20 years. My brother and I would ride the garbage truck on the weekends as we picked up the garbage at the campsites on the Westside. You know, like Green Bay campground. As my parents collected the garbage, we collected empty cans and bottles. At the end of our first summer, we both bought our own $500 Canada Savings Bond. Not bad for a 10 and 11-year-olds.
Where do you volunteer or give back to in the community?
Currently, I am the treasurer of the Okanagan Jazz and Blues Society, I am guiding a friend of mine as she is the treasurer of the Kelowna’s BC Schizophrenia Society. Because I am self-employed and my job can take me 7 days a week, I don’t get out as much as I’d like to, but I do have several clients that need their taxes done and know who and where they are at, they just might get them done at a super discount. Not going to tell how much.
If you could change one thing in the world what would it be?
That there would be more hugs. If you took the time to share a hug with someone, at the very moment you are accepting that person unconditionally. When that person feels accepted, it increases the happiness factor and maybe that hug would get passed along. Now if there were more and more hugs across the world, there would be way less need to fight and argue.
What is your favourite activity in Kelowna?
It seems my husband and I like to explore the wineries and the breweries. All the new flavours and smells really ignites the imaginations.
Where would you sneak away to in Kelowna to spend some time alone?
Really? In my back yard. I have a swing there that I love to sit on and just watch the garden, the sky, the leaves of the trees floating above me and the bugs fluttering around. I have recently started colouring. Yes, colouring in a colouring book. But it’s the adult type books, not the barbies.
Where would you like to see positive change in Kelowna and why?
Kelowna, just like most other cities, does not have enough affordable housing. I have friends and my own kids that are struggling. One of my sons has a mental health challenge. He is so determined to be on his own like all the other adults, but on disability of only $906 per month, he can not afford to live anywhere here on his own. I have him sharing an apartment with his brother. There are so many jobs here that are in the service industry making minimum wage, how do they afford rent, when at least one paycheque a month is spent on rent?
If you were granted one wish for work or in life, what would it be?
I have a plan to create a healing farm space for a person with disabilities to come and work on and to have healing retreats and programs. My wish would be that the right farm would be presented to me and a team of like thinkers join me on this quest, financially and physically.
Tell us something that not everyone may know about you.
As much as I am an accountant (that doesn’t belong to an organization), I am a creative intuitive person. I am a Reiki Master and healer. I find many of my clients come, spend 15 minutes on taxes and spend an hour on issues and I can help or be there to listen. I’m called the Hippy Accountant. Oh and, I have a Tower Garden right in my office and pick my lettuce every day.
What is the name of your business/organization?
Altogether Tax Inc.
What does your business do?
We are a small office that offers support and direction in all areas of small business operations. We prepare personal and corporate income tax returns. We offer bookkeeping and payroll services. We also offer corporate minute book management. We are an office with office tools, we can even send a fax for you, help you with your letter to write or even fill out forms.
How to people connect with you through social media? (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest)
My Facebook page now has over 300 people as friends. Not sure about the others, it’s hard to keep up. I have my administrator help me in that area. Social media could be a full-time job in itself these days. We can be found on Twitter at @cherylfletche20
Where can people find your business online?
Our website is: www.altogethertax.com
Why did you get into/start this business?
Honestly, my father directed me at the very beginning, in high school. I’m a true Leo and wanted so bad to take Art and dance and drama and so on. He told me no and I took Business English, Typing 10 & 11 and Accounting 11 & 12. I wanted to run a daycare when I finished high school. The Early Childhood Educator program was booked that first semester out of school. My Dad convinced me that running a daycare is running a business. Take the business program. I did and never left. Well actually, I tried a couple times and always came back. It’s what I’m good at and can make money at until I no longer choose to.
What is the goal of your business?
To keep my current staff all on full time throughout the year and perhaps glean one or two more. I want to educate as many small business folks as I can in order to make their business experience a happy one and not stressful one because they lack information on how to operate. Our vision is: To take the fear out of doing paperwork.
What has been your biggest struggle either in work or life?
I’m sure I’m no different than anyone else. The biggest struggle has always been finances. I was a single mother with no child support. But I did it. My work and I were able to feed those now 5’ 11”, 6’2” and 6’5” boys. At work, I hate having to beg for my money. My fees are so reasonable and yet there are still folks who have a hard time paying the invoice or don’t want to. You can’t take the car from the auto mechanic without paying for the repair job, why should you get to leave and not pay me for the work. It’s a normal business side affect, but it’s the toughest.
If you could start all over again would you do things the same or would things be different?
Perhaps I could do a few things different if I were to start over again. Maybe move less often or be tougher with my boys or clients…. But then it’s all those experiences that I went through that has created me, now. I’m sure lessons would still be learned, but sometimes it’s learning it the tough way that you totally gain the knowledge as a result. I’m so much smarter now than I was. Nope, wouldn’t change anything. I’m happy and in love with my husband. I have great relationships with my boys, my friends, family and most of my clients. What else can I ask for?!
Why do you think it is important to shop local?
It’s the local small business that is the backbone of the country. It’s how, as a community, we take care of each other. No one is alone or by themselves. We are all here together. Let’s support each other. Buy that bread that is baked down the road and in turn the bakery will have dinner at the restaurant down the road and so on….
Give someone that you think deserves it a shout out and explain why!
Joanne at Whitworth Holdings. She is the administrator for our landlord. She has done all she could to make our move in to our new office as smooth as possible and if it weren’t for her, my boys would still be living in a not so good a situation, not in their own happy apartment now.
My nomination for the In Focus spotlight is:
Mike and Candace Chisholm of WFG Securities, Kelowna office. Their business philosophy is very much like my own. They are about education folks on finances and taking the fear out of money. They are also very involved in many fund raisers from Mama’s for Mama’s and the food bank and more. They have supported my business in so many ways.
Other information you would like to share:
I have been operating my business for more years than I should discuss. Most of those years have been out of my house. Since moving to Kelowna 5 years ago, my business has done nothing but grow. I started on my own, then hired a couple of part time employees, now a couple full time employees and one part time. We moved in to our office at 101 – 1054 Ellis Street at the end of February 2016. Please come by and say hi. We spend a third of our life at work so we’ve made our space comfortable like our living room. If you want, I give talks to groups about being self-employed and how you are to keep receipts, when you should register for GST and what the difference between being self-employed versus incorporating is. Call us and make arrangements for your group or friends to get together and be educated.
We encourage you to leave your comments and words of support below and submit your own nomination by clicking HERE. You are also welcome to submit a form of your own by clicking HERE. Thank you, Kelowna!
