At Rare Birds, we’re financial professionals with a head for business and an approach grounded in common sense, service and integrity.
We offer consulting services through a flexible, by-the-project business model. We believe that the best financial strategies and systems will only work if considered as part of a whole, and we’re dedicated to improving the whole through proactive participation, insightful analysis and meaningful systems.
We truly believe that technical competence and interpersonal skills can coexist. While what we do involves high-level financial and software expertise, our purpose is really to enhance your business and quality of life.
We know that the more successful you are, the more you need someone to help you achieve the bold, ambitious plans that you have for your company.
That’s where we come in.
My name is Kimberley Stevens. I started Rare Birds in order to make financial expertise available to business owners through a more accessible business model, and utilizing a more holistic approach.
our story
In 2004, I offered to help a friend who was struggling to keep up at work. His company was not yet large enough to hire a full-time Controller, yet he found himself in need of some heavy lifting in the areas of accounting and business processes. I discovered that he had quite a list of things that he wanted to explore, reporting that he wanted to see, and new processes that he wanted to implement. However, his time was largely consumed by focusing on the part of his business that made him the best in his industry. As I built a relationship of trust with him, I was able to work with him to start crossing things off of the list. I felt the enormous sense of relief that he experienced in doing so.
As other friends and associates learned what I was doing, they approached me to do similar things for their businesses. I discovered that most of them had similar lists. Some even had whole binders! It was as though medium-sized businesses were starving for high-level financial expertise in a flexible, by-the-project business model…
…so I decided to make a business out of consulting. That has been a tremendously rewarding experience.
I’ve been privileged to work with fantastic quality people, to influence their futures in a tangible and proactive way, and to celebrate their wins as they achieve the freedom to spread their wings and become a participant in their own lives. As an example, one of my clients was able to start doing Ironman triathlons every year as a result of my involvement.
Herein lies my reward. There is no greater satisfaction for me than to be able to use my gifts to build more successful businesses and ultimately a better quality of life for my clients.
how we help
We give you access to professionals who will take the time to listen and learn about your business and what makes it unique. Perhaps you’re not in a position to hire a full-time resource, you have a finance department that’s already tapped out, or you can’t get enough out of the typical structure offered by public accountants. We can help.
We’re financial strategists. We love details but we’re also big picture thinkers. We don’t give advice from afar. Instead we get involved in your business, working with you onsite to improve your business systems and profits and the quality of life of the people who work there.
We provide a personal approach by working with you in partnership and building relationships with you and your staff.
We will always put your financial systems into context with your business before making recommendations about them.
We tackle those specific projects and complex problems that you don’t have time to address, allowing you to concentrate on what you do best.
We help you gain and maintain momentum on special projects.
We have the patience and expertise to solve problems that others have deemed impossible.
We make small changes that have a big impact.
We help you create a business that works for you.
why “rare birds”?
When you work with us you will get a different approach and experience, so we decided to go out on a limb and name our company something totally different. “Rare Birds” is an expression that means “a unique or extraordinary individual”, and our hope is that you’ll find working with us refreshingly unique!
our guiding principles
To embody a new generation of financial leaders who utilize a holistic approach to business management whereby exceptional financial expertise forms the basis for solutions, but it does not come at the expense of the core business or the people within those organizations. These financial leaders will excel because they truly care.
- Integrity
- Care
- The Golden Rule
- Servant Leadership
- Keeping Commitments
- Continual Learning
- Balance
- Quality of Life
To build a relationship of trust with business owners and managers, which enables us to work directly with them to proactively manage their businesses by identifying and pursuing solutions that have a strong financial basis, but that go beyond the numbers by addressing the needs of stakeholders. To contribute in a meaningful way that leaves stakeholders with a sense of fulfillment and a greater quality of life as a result of our involvement.
Kimberley is conscientious and highly organized. Never happy to stand still, she is motivated by challenging, growing and changing environments. She has a gift for understanding and solving extremely complex problems, which means that she sees opportunity in what clients often see as problems.
Prior to starting her consulting business in 2004, Kimberley held positions locally in both public accounting and controllership, and internationally as the Director of Financial Systems for a large supply chain management company. Because of her tenacity and her genuine interest in both people and business, Kimberley has had a tendency to take her positions beyond traditional roles. She continues this trend with Rare Birds. She holds a Chartered Professional Accountant designation, and is committed to lifelong learning.
Kimberley is originally from northern British Columbia, which likely explains her love of the outdoors. She enjoys biking, hiking, camping, snowboarding and Nordic skiing. She also loves to travel, and is currently attempting to learn Spanish. She has a passion for helping the world’s neglected poor, and currently sits on the board for HOPE International Development Agency.
If you think budgets, financial software and complex financial strategies are for the birds and you’d rather spend your valuable time on other things, contact us to learn how we can help!
