If you are a cheese lover in Calgary, then chances are, you are a fan of the Springbank Cheese Co. After all, they have been proud purveyors of quality cheese in Canada for over 50 years. It’s this quality and an overall love of all things food that attracted Shawn McDonald to their doors over a decade ago.

In a 10 year period, Shawn managed various retail and wholesale operations for Springbank Cheese Co. and enjoyed the social aspect of sharing these great products with his customers. In fact, in 2011, he loved it so much that he decided it was time he branched out on his own and opened his own independent Springbank Cheese Co. location in the SW Calgary community of Marda Loop.

“We were expecting our first child,” says McDonald “and I wanted to do things at my own speed so I could make sure I’d be there for my family.”

It was a great decision. Business has grown steadily year after year, and it has allowed Shawn to become entrenched in a community in which he both works and lives. He tries to help out where he can by supporting local fundraisers and sitting on local boards. He finds this local involvement to be one of the most rewarding elements of running his own business.

When asked what Shawn attributes his success to, he replies,

“We are very service oriented. Face it, you can buy cheese almost anywhere, but where we shine is in our level of service. Our knowledge goes beyond the products we carry. We help people pair it with other food, find the right beverage, and give them tips on how to cook it and other savvy entertainment ideas.”

Of course running his business has kept him busy, so when a fellow Springbank Cheese Co. owner recommended Padgett Business Services to take some important financial tasks off his plate, Shawn was quick to take action.

At first he had tried keeping up on the accounting on his own, but soon realized he wasn’t comfortable with his own ability. He felt his time was better focused on his business and his customers. He started using Padgett for general monthly accounting and bookkeeping, but before long they were handling his payroll and income tax (both corporate and personal).

He likes that the Padgett team is well organized and quick to respond to questions. “I also like that they are a small business just like me so we tend to see eye-to-eye on things,” says Shawn.

Their monthly reviews mean actual face time with his accountant, and it helps reassure Shawn that he’s on the right track.

If we’re not on the right track, Padgett is there with helpful recommendations.  Overall they allow me to focus on my day-to-day business and worry less about the financial side.”