Accounting uncovers everything

Accounting uncovers everything

Tamara Dahlvang, Elevate Hennepin advisor, certified public accountant (CPA) and founder of Small Business Dreambuilders, says, “Accounting uncovers everything.”

As too many business owners know, accounting sits somewhere between an afterthought and a source of stress. But Tamara prides herself on getting entrepreneurs to build their capacity for finances and truly understand their numbers. When they do, they can make better decisions and avoid a lot of surprise setbacks.

Tamara’s path to accounting is unusual—after two decades as a Lutheran pastor, she pursued her long held interest in economics and earned her CPA. She said the
throughline between the two careers is clear: “Both careers involve helping people. Accounting also involves solving concrete problems, which I love to do."

That combination is foundational to her advising practice, where she guides entrepreneurs through the complexities of finances. Tamara also provides certification assistance for small businesses that qualify for Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) so they can better access government and enterprise contracting.

One core focus of her work is helping businesses build systems that protect them from costly mistakes. Especially for new owners these systems don’t often mesh with the do-it-yourself entrepreneurial spirit.

One of her most-common topics of advising are payroll taxes, as she puts it, “Payroll taxes are something that you just have to get right from the beginning, or else they can put you out of business.”

She works with clients to understand what must be filed, when, and how software and good setup can prevent penalties. It’s not exactly a fun part of running a business, but she said once it’s set up, business owners just need to confirm it’s working routinely to avoid serious financial issues.

Beyond compliance, Tamara encourages entrepreneurs to use accounting for strategic decision making. Bank balances alone can be misleading; reliable bookkeeping allows owners to anticipate expenses, understand margins, and adjust their operations.

“You can get more sophisticated with the numbers, too, but first you have to have the numbers,” she said. “A lot of people know what's in their bank account… but if you have accounting software and an accounting plan, you know what’s coming, and it’s a lot easier to anticipate and understand.”

Tools like a profit and loss statement (P&L) help businesses evaluate which products or services sustain revenue and which may be losing money. Understanding this, she said, can help business focus on what matters and potentially avoid wasting a lot of time, energy, or money chasing something that customers don’t really want.

For her, building a strong financial foundation isn’t just about bookkeeping, it’s about creating clarity, preventing avoidable risks, and empowering business owners to make the right decisions for themselves and their business.

While her expertise is significant, Tamara is quick to highlight that Elevate Hennepin’s strength lies in its network. “What I really love about Elevate Hennepin is that it's not just me. It’s a whole host of people who help.”