Rafat Abu-Zeineh is the Executive Director of Allied CPAs, a professional accounting firm based in Mississauga, offering businesses and investors complete accounting, tax, audit and advisory services. Rafat’s entrepreneurial journey began in 2015, and after some success, he decided it was time to expand. To help grow his business, Rafat applied to the Mississauga Business Enterprise Centre (MBEC)’s Starter Company PLUS Program in 2018, where he received mentorship and training.
RAFAT’S STORY
Rafat began his career journey over 20 years ago, after graduating from university. Rafat has always had a passion for learning and education, constantly seeking more. He went on to pursue a master’s degree in finance and earned a wide range of certifications. Rafat worked for a large auditing firm before starting his business, gaining much expertise from his colleagues and peers throughout his journey.
“I love transferring knowledge and sharing success stories with other entrepreneurs and business-minded individuals.” – Rafat Abu-Zeineh
After deciding to expand his business, Rafat took the opportunity to heighten his knowledge and expertise needed to ensure continued success for his business, by applying to the MBEC Starter Company Plus Program. Here, he gained a very positive experience which provided him with a lot of insight and information about entrepreneurship. Overall, the positive experience equipped him with various tools and knowledge that he plans to use to help move his business forward.
“The mentors were very knowledgeable in their main focus and communicating with the peers provided more thorough insight.” – Rafat Abu-Zeineh
RAFAT’S ADVICE FOR ENTREPRENEURS
- Don’t hesitate to act upon your dreams if you have the right plan in mind.
- Surround yourself with those who have succeeded and find strategic partners to ensure an established network.
- Continuously building your network of connections is essential to maintaining a healthy business.
- Remember that entrepreneurship requires hard work. You will face various obstacles such as indecision, insecurity, instability, and stress.
Recently, Allied CPAs had the opportunity to be involved in a variety of events such as Hackathon, the CAO-FAMA, and events held by Canadian Turkish Delegates. Allied CPAs’ business model primarily focuses on providing an affordable solution for smaller businesses looking to expand their growth.
Moving forward, Rafat’s goal is to make the world a better place by continuing to offer quality services to help individuals and businesses achieve a secure future.
