About
I’ve sat in the chair I’m here to fill.
I’m Charles (CG) Morrison. For more than a decade I’ve led finance inside the kind of businesses I now advise: owner run and family companies in construction, manufacturing, and the trades.
01 — The short version
From the numbers up.
I didn’t start in the corner office. I started as a staff accountant, preparing statements and returns for owner managed businesses, learning how these companies actually work from the numbers up.
From there I spent years in the finance chair, as a controller, a CFO, and a chief operating officer, inside owner run and private equity backed companies. I built the reporting, forecast the cash, protected the margin, and sat at the table for the decisions that shape where a business goes next.
I started Black Swan Advisory to bring that same senior thinking to businesses that need it but don’t need it full time. Most owners I meet are already profitable and capable. What they are missing is not effort. It is a clear, forward looking view of the numbers, and someone in their corner who has done this before.
02 — How I think about the work
Less is more.
Smart beats hard.
The goal is never a thicker report. It’s a clearer decision. I would rather give you one number that changes what you do on Monday than forty pages you will never open.
I also keep my lane. Your bookkeeper keeps the books, your accountant handles the tax, and I work the level above, on cash, margin, and the calls that matter. Three roles, one team.
03 — Credentials & community
Qualified, and connected.
- CPA (CPA Canada and CPABC)
- CPABC CFO Program Certificate
- Certified Fathom Advisor
- QuickBooks Certified ProAdvisor
- BA, Economics with Distinction, University of Alberta
Close to the classroom and the community.
Beyond the practice, I teach financial accounting at Camosun College, and I am the Past President of the Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce.
I’ve also given my time to the Island Prostate Centre and the Vancouver Island Construction Association. Staying close to the classroom and the local business community keeps me sharp, and keeps me close to the people I serve.
04 — Off the clock
Outside the office.
Sport taught me most of what I know about discipline, teams, and playing the long game.
That competitive streak never left. When I’m not working, most of my time goes to the trail, the golf course, a mountain, or whatever I happen to be reading.
Let’s talk.
Start with a free finance review. A clear read on your business, and a 90 day plan to keep.
Less complexity. More impact.
