From Shoeboxes to Strategy
Evangeline Wealth trades late nights and spreadsheets for insights and scalability with Bright Line
About Evangeline Wealth
Evangeline Wealth Management began in the 1960s as a trust company in Windsor, Nova Scotia. Today, it’s grown into a full-service, independent financial planning practice with 25–30 advisors across the province. Each location operates semi-independently, with advisors serving their own clients but working collectively under the Evangeline umbrella.
Nathan England is the managing partner of the Bedford office, where his team specializes in comprehensive, goal-based planning, including retirement, investments, budgeting, risk, and tax strategy.
“I like to spend as much time as possible with my clients doing comprehensive goal-based financial planning”, said Nathan.
But running his own practice came with an increasing operational cost: time.
The Challenge
For years, Nathan managed both personal and business accounting himself, squeezing bookkeeping into late nights and weekends.
“I started to get overwhelmed with the transaction volume and the complexity of my accounting needs and realized that my time is much better spent in front of my clients and not going through my bank account statements and reconciling them.”
He knew it was time to delegate.
“I didn't have time in my day after a busy day of client meetings to do a bunch of data entry work. What I really needed… was more time to do client-facing work and less time on administrative tasks, as well as good numbers in order to do business planning.”
The Bright Line Solution
Nathan now works with Bright Line CPA on both his corporate and personal accounting and tax planning.
“It gives me sort of a trusted set of professionals to bounce ideas off of because I also speak their language.”
Right away, the Bright Line team helped Nathan transition into a system that not only saved him time but supported his business strategy.
“We’ve got {it} down to two hours a month. I’ll sit down this weekend and go over my to-do list, upload some bank statements, some credit card statements, some commission statements and answer a couple questions, and then I’m done.”
Before Bright Line, his Fridays were reserved for bookkeeping.
“It used to be every Friday morning I’d curl up and got to do my accounting.” That’s changed with more time to focus on clients.
Technology That Delivers
Bright Line’s onboarding stood out because of the firm’s virtual-first, tech-forward systems. Tools like Karbon, Dext, and Uncat made it easy for Nathan to get (and stay) organized.
“They’re very virtual-based and technology forward… Things are getting done in a timely manner and it’s not me at the end of the year taking a week or two in hiding with a box of receipts, just trying to figure out what my life was.”
His favourite tool?
For Nathan, Uncat has been one of the most valuable tools in Bright Line’s tech stack. With a high volume of transactions that often need clarification beyond what appears on a bank statement, Uncat makes it easy to respond to categorization requests and ensure every expense is properly accounted for. This has had a direct impact on reducing corporate tax liability, as more transactions are accurately classified and included in the books without delay.
Even more important than the software itself was what the team did with it. Bright Line used that data to help Nathan track real business performance.
“They took the time to look at the historical transaction of my business and build out the… key performance indicators, the things that I need in order to make business decisions.”
Real-Time Insights, Real-World Decisions
Nathan now has access to real-time financial data, which means he can make confident decisions with support from the Bright Line team.
“I can jump on a call with {them}… and look at my corporate balance sheet or my month-over-month detailed revenue numbers or what I’m spending in office expenses.”
That data helps shape high-stakes choices:
“Right now, we’re getting ready to sign a new lease for our Bedford office and we’re looking at a substantial renovation… knowing that the numbers are good, that we can go down that route and continue to grow our business is incredibly powerful.”
A Team That Feels Like Partners
Bright Line’s approach to communication has made it easy for Nathan to stay involved without feeling bogged down. When questions come up, he can quickly reach out to the team, hop on a short call, and get the clarity he needs before heading into internal planning or partner meetings. The process is fast, efficient, and designed to support decision-making without slowing down his day.
And while many firms take a set-it-and-forget-it approach, Bright Line continues to refine reporting and adapt alongside Nathan’s evolving goals.
“It’s not a set it and forget it model… once [bookkeeping] is completed, it allows me to have very focused conversations with {Bright Line}.”
Working virtually also fits his schedule, and cuts out hours of wasted time.
“Being able to work with my accounting professionals in a virtual manner… that’s huge. For ‘get shit done’ meetings, virtual, all day, every day.”
Results
Bright Line’s partnership with Evangeline helped Nathan:
Cut accounting admin time from 16+ hours/month to just 2
Eliminate tax-season stress with early filings
Build customized KPIs for real-time strategic planning
Make informed decisions about long-term growth and expansion
Gain back valuable time for clients, team, and family
“I appreciate them. I trust them. They do good work, and they make me a better professional… I get more of my time back to spend with my wife and my dog, Fozzie. So, it’s a win-win-win.”
Final Thoughts
“Change is scary, especially when you're presented with change that's drastically different from a more traditional accounting model. But if you allow yourself as a business owner to exist more in that place of discomfort, that’s where the magic happens.
“{They’re} a young, scrappy startup, too. They share my sick delusion of the Pinky and the Brain: ‘Let’s take over the world.’ I find them to be valuable business partners.”
Working with Bright Line hasn’t just helped Nathan streamline his business; it’s given him trusted partners who match his ambition and push his business forward, one smart decision at a time.
