Michiel Scissorhands cut out for numbers
Michiel van der Schyf stowed away his scissors 14 years ago and started an academic journey in Business and accounting. Today, as a Chartered Business Accountant, Registered Tax Practitioner, and Financial Advisor, he leads Van der Group Accounting, offering services nationwide.
A cut above
Michiel’s entrepreneurial spirit emerged early, owning start-ups and contributing to organisational success. His expertise lies in crafting accounting solutions, ensuring financial compliance, and optimizing processes.
Lessons, ethos and victory
There were pricy lessons in setting up Van der Group Accounting. Michiel explains that he thought he could manage by doing it all. “I did not structure my business fast enough and neither made the most of connections with specialists in various fields.”
A transparent approach defines his business ethos, believing in owning mistakes and building client trust.
Van der Group Accounting’s sweet victory came when they successfully disputed three clients’ tax debt, achieving a 100% debt liability clearance.
Staying on par
Michiel’s commitment to continuous improvement is evident as a XERO certified advisor, embracing cloud-based services and aiming for a paperless practice.
His ROI-focused service involves analysing business processes to save clients’ money. A notable success involved transforming a messy inventory into a strategic system, unlocking capital and ensuring efficient stock management.
His live motto
Guided by John Maxwell’s quote, Michiel sees himself and his team as value officers, not just accountants. Their goal is to be strategic partners, understanding clients’ organizations to develop strategies and enhance the bottom line.
For fun
Outside the financial world, Michiel is an avid reader. He confesses to spending time on social media browsers, but in his defence, the browsing has a lot to do with his industry and subject matters.