Faces of VLACC: Silvia Heitling

Meet Silvia Heitling, a Brazilian entrepreneur and SLH Accounting Services founder. At VLACC, Silvia is a member of the Board of Directors acting as treasurer. With a background in economics from her home country and over seven years of experience in accounting in Canada, where she studied computerized accounting, the decision to contribute to our organization felt natural to her. Through this experience, Silvia hopes to connect her professional expertise with her Latin American heritage. 

While she adapted to life in a new country, becoming a mother of children born abroad gave her a newly found appreciation for her heritage. Silvia introduced Portuguese to her children through books and music to encourage them to feel connected to their Brazilian culture. Similarly, she has kept her cultural habits alive by drinking chimarrão —a traditional way of preparing yerba mate—  and cooking national dishes. As the key role of cultural promoter Silvia plays in her family, she acknowledges the significance of our organization within the community: “VLACC plays a vital role in bridging that gap, offering meaningful opportunities to celebrate and share our Latin American culture. It helps keep our traditions alive, strengthens our cultural identity, and brings people together in a diverse and vibrant community.”

Supporting small business owners—many newcomers or members of the Brazilian and Latin American community in Canada— is Silvia’s passion. Her goal is to help entrepreneurs better understand and manage their businesses’ financial and accounting aspects so they can grow with confidence and compliance. “Beyond just numbers, I see my work empowering others to succeed, plan for the future, and build a strong foundation for their dreams. It’s incredibly rewarding to contribute to the success stories of fellow entrepreneurs in our community” comments Silvia. 

Follow Silvia’s entrepreneurship journey on Instagram @slh_aservices or LinkedIn! 

Text edited by Mirella Livoti