Sergio Eduardo de Ilzarbe

About me

I was born/grew up in: Buenos Aires, Argentina 

I now live in: Toronto, Ontario

I completed my training/education at: I have an undergraduate degree in the study of economics from the University of Buenos Aries and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the Weatherhead School of Management, Cleveland, OH, USA.

What I do at work

I work with small companies to help them grow their business and succeed in the marketplace. Many of these companies have great ideas and products. They may lack the skills or knowledge to expand their market. I help them develop a strategy to grow their business.  They may not have staff to take care of the day-to-day needs of operating a business. For these businesses I provide support for their finance and accounting needs. This can include setting up payroll processes that make sure their employees get paid on time and properly. It also includes helping them address issues related to government taxes.

My career path is

I always wanted to work in finance. After high school, I went to university and completed a degree in economics. I worked with several companies as a business and financial analyst. I also gained experience in financial modelling and working with clients. I always enjoyed the challenges and problem solving involved in the financial side of making a business succeed. I didn’t start out with the goal of becoming a financial consultant. But as my career evolved, I came to realize that this was a great role for me.

I am motivated by

I enjoy having new challenges every day. I enjoy developing new relationships and like helping my clients succeed in their goals.

How I affect peoples’ lives

Seeing a client's company grow and achieve goals is my best payday! 

Outside of work I

I love tennis and reading novels.

My advice to others

Technical mastery is a must. In other words, you must have skills and knowledge to bring to the role. What will make or break the consultant career is your ability to build relationships. This will help you understand their needs without having them spell it out for you.