I recently started a small advertising production agency in Canada. We're 2 guys on set filming, one sales/brand guy (although we're all salesmen) and one $ilent partner. We occasionally hire help on set too.

Should I hire an accountant now or later? We have consistent work right now and might need 2 or 3 more people in the next year. Our silent partner isn't experienced either. He's 20 with a huge inheritance and trusts us to be professional which of course we are. I try to minimize expenses. I took one accounting course and I've seen what most agencies charge and it seems like an unnecessary expense this early. I have relative knowledge of corporate tax too so I'm not worried about major mistakes in that end yet.

Our current expenses are mostly equipment insurance, travel and on-set help (sub-contracted makeup, extras, etc.) I live far from Canada's major cities and since the majority of the action is there it's been constant back and forth. For the last 4 months we've been driving 8-16 hours a week, with one person staying there while the other works, rotating, finding somewhere to store equipment.. it gets old. I realize I need to move, so we're going to split on a small place there.

We're all in our early 20s. It's me, my best friend, his college classmate and one silent partner who funds our gear and expenses (except living.) We both quit our jobs to go into this full time. The third guy just finished grad school and is in a ton of debt but has the money to support himself and is fully dedicated as well. We'll be 3 living together in a small home in Montreal.

I'm confident that we'll grow our agency into a well established contender but at the same time I know that I haven't been in this environment yet and will make some mistakes.

I'm here asking for general advice, stories, tactics, strategies and things you wish you would have known earlier in life, if you'd be kind enough to disclose. Cheers.