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Unlocking $3M in Capital and Saving $400K in Taxes: A Land Developer's Success Story

  • Selah Trust
  • Aug 1
  • 4 min read

Updated: Sep 8


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Summary

A mid-sized, family-operated land development and homebuilding company in Alberta faced financial, operational, and leadership challenges that were restricting their growth potential. By engaging Selah Trust’s fractional CFO services, the company unlocked over $3 million in capital, achieved approximately $400,000 in tax savings, strengthened internal operations, and de-risked their corporate structure—all within a six-month engagement at a modest investment of $46,000.


Background

The client, a privately-owned land development and homebuilding business, generates annual revenues exceeding $20 million and employs approximately 15 to 20 full-time staff, excluding contractors. Although they had built a strong reputation and customer base, they lacked the financial infrastructure, reporting systems, and leadership guidance necessary to scale efficiently while also mitigating critical risks.


The Challenge

When Selah Trust was brought on, the company was grappling with limited financial visibility and operational inefficiencies. Leadership lacked a clear understanding of how much capital was available or how to access additional funding effectively. Their internal reporting and accounting systems were outdated, regulatory filings were behind schedule, and opportunities for tax optimization were being missed.


Moreover, the organization faced operational risks from poor file management, siloed data systems, and the absence of standardized processes. Their financial department was understaffed, overworked, and lacked the leadership needed to address growing compliance and governance requirements. Overhead costs were inflated due to inefficient benefit structures and service contracts. Without intervention, the business was exposed to serious risks that could impede future growth and profitability.


The Solution

Selah Trust implemented a comprehensive, phased implementation to address both financial and operational challenges. Immediate attention was directed at improving financial forecasting, which enabled more accurate projections of cashflow against sales and construction timelines.


  • Improving Financial Visibility and Cashflow Forecasting

    Selah established a thorough month-end review process while ensuring all key backups and processes were integrated. We created accurate, forward-looking cashflow projections and financial reporting which was tied to sales and construction timelines. Hidden capital sources were uncovered by analyzing internal assets, borrowing capabilities, and creative funding options—including mortgage adjustments, sister company distributions, and leveraging insurance policies. A deep financial review also surfaced a previously missed $130,000 GST tax credit, which was recovered to further improve liquidity.


  • Strategic Tax Optimization and Corporate Risk Reduction

    By realigning both corporate and personal tax strategies, Selah Trust identified approximately $400,000 in tax savings. The team restructured ownership compensation to prioritize dividends over salary, executed write-offs for underutilized assets and expenses, and initiated the proposal of a corporate amalgamation to leverage major loss carryforwards while reducing liability exposure. Through proactive risk management, personal guarantees were removed, asset protections were strengthened, and insurance coverage was updated to safeguard owners’ interests.

     

    In addition to tax and structural optimizations, Selah Trust addressed critical corporate compliance risks. Gaps in governance, including outdated minute books and delayed CRA regulatory filings, were remedied. Insurance structures and personal legal guarantees were also revised to significantly reduce ownership liability, ensuring the company’s foundation was fully aligned with best practices for risk management and future growth.


  • Modernizing Systems and Enhancing Operational Efficiency

    Outdated software tools were upgraded with the implementation of Fathom for financial reporting and enhanced use of Jonas for construction accounting. Selah Trust also introduced a structured monthly reporting schedule, connecting internal systems to streamline workflows, improve data accuracy, and reduce departmental silos. Regular interdepartmental meetings were established to foster transparency, improve cross-functional collaboration, and increase organizational efficiency.

     

  • Improving Organizational Capability and Reducing Costs

    Recognizing organizational gaps, Selah Trust recruited a qualified accounting professional who could drive departmental improvements and improve workflow capacities. A professional development framework was introduced to upskill the team and foster accountability. Ongoing mentorship and operational support were provided to ensure that new systems and expectations were not only implemented but fully embedded in day-to-day operations.


    Through a comprehensive review of employee benefits, Selah Trust worked with the client to replace underused traditional benefit plans with a Health Spending Account (HSA) solution. This change reduced annual benefit costs by approximately $15,000 while simultaneously improving employee satisfaction and value perception.


Execution and Challenges

The implementation engagement was executed over six months in a phased approach: immediate financial triage, mid-term operational integration, and long-term leadership development. The core of the challenges we found were not unlike the challenges that many other organizations face. There were many subject matter experts that were disconnected through their unique siloes. This created a lack of visibility across the organization and confusion on where pertinent information could be found. With limited bandwidth for key team members within the financial department, and a lack of financial leadership, this presented unknown complications (most simply, we don’t know what we don’t know), led to hindered execution and missed deadlines. We overcame these challenges throughout the implementation through bringing financial leadership to the table, hiring and onboarding key roles to diversify the workload, and creating cross functional meetings to increase visibility and alignment.


Results

The results were transformative. Over $3 million in capital was unlocked, significantly increasing the client’s operational runway. Tax strategies implemented during the engagement led to approximately $400,000 in savings. Operational efficiencies were dramatically improved, employee satisfaction increased, and critical compliance risks were resolved.

The financial department emerged stronger, more accountable, and more capable of supporting the company’s continued growth.

Are you ready?

If your organization is ready to unlock growth, improve financial clarity, and operate with greater confidence, connect with Selah Trust to schedule a complimentary consultation.


About Selah Trust

Selah Trust specializes in providing strategic, high-impact fractional CFO services to growing businesses across Canada. Our approach blends deep financial expertise, operational leadership, and hands-on execution to deliver measurable results quickly. We don't just advise—we partner with your leadership team to unlock capital, improve operational resilience, reduce risks, and drive sustainable growth. With a focus on pragmatic solutions and tailored strategies, Selah Trust empowers businesses to achieve clarity, confidence, and greater financial success.




 
 
 

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