Our career in finance began in 1994; we have worked for one of Canada’s largest retail banks as well as Canada’s largest financial planning company and have guided clients through the “Tech Reck” of 2000, the Great Financial Crash of 2008-2009 and most recently the COVID shut down of 2020-2021.
Few industries have become as commoditized as financial services. Commoditized financial products and services no longer (possibly never did) meet the needs of Canadians. Antiquated buy and hold investment strategies with pre-set asset allocations that are held regardless of what is happening within the economy and the markets, because they are “long term”. Throughout our 25 plus year career we have constantly pushed to implement a better way. With dramatic changes in every aspect of how we help clients, from our wealth strategies to our investment process.
Families demand advice untainted by conflicts of interest. To achieve this, we broke away from the traditional Wall St/Bay St business model. While the investment industry refers to risk in terms of volatility, the risk of permanent loss is what matters most to investors. We believe that risk management should be embedded in all parts of the investment process. The goal of risk management is to grow your capital while protecting it from major market drawdowns. Client’s investment plans have a finite time span for both accumulation and distribution of assets, the time lost in “getting back to even” following a major market correction is our primary concern. Our entire investing process is designed to mitigate those losses during periods of significant market declines. And right now, there's a compelling case that investors need a rigorous risk management process more than ever before.
We are client advocates who offer advice based on a fiduciary relationship with two goals in mind; first, protect and second, to grow our client’s wealth. Together we take a uniquely integrated approach to some of today’s most complex financial challenges. With our strategies we look to reduce the emotional anxiety our clients face in trying to maintain, grow and ultimately pass on their wealth.
The objective is simple – to ensure that our clients are armed with the knowledge and understanding of the risks and consequences prior to making any financial decision. Where most investors go wrong is that their decisions are based stories that drive an emotional response. Once emotions take hold it’s like trying to stop an 8000 pound elephant. Knowledge and understanding based on data act as the harness to control the elephant from ever running amok.
In conjunction with Assante Wealth Management, we have created a community of wealth management professionals who together put unprecedented control, power, knowledge and opportunity directly on our family’s side of the table.
Our continuous search of a better way has led our client relationships to be based on:
Transparency– Quite simply our clients no longer operate in the dark. One of our guiding principles is to ensure our clients do not receive any surprises. The only way to do this is to give full access to information that will answer who, what, where, when, why and of course how much.
Along with greater transparency comes greater accountability.
Understanding– When we combine access to information with education the result is understanding and trust. It is vital that our clients understand the inner workings of not only their financial plan, but also their investment plan. Our clients know the potential risks and consequences of all decisions.
Control– Ultimately our clients want to be in control of their financial future. Having full transparency to information combined with education will generate a level of understanding that will give control where it belongs…the client.