Behind the Advice

After years of long hours in finance, William Chan realized his career was costing him precious time with his family. When the pandemic gave him a chance to rethink his priorities, he made a bold move: leaving corporate finance to become an independent financial planner.

He and Brenda discuss what led him to take that leap, how he talks to his children about money and how artificial intelligence is changing the way financial planners work with clients.

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On his first day at an investment firm, Ryan Bushell expected career advice from his then-boss. Instead, he got a lesson about fancy and ordinary office chairs that still shapes how he manages money.

Today, Ryan is chief executive officer and portfolio manager at New Haven Asset Management in Toronto, where he continues to put his distinctive investing philosophy into practice. He and Brenda discuss the mentor who changed his approach to wealth management, the challenges of starting over in his thirties and why he steers clear of investing in technology stocks.

Millie Gormely grew up on a dairy farm outside Thunder Bay, Ont., where money could be unpredictable and hard work was simply part of life. As a kid, she learned that if she wanted something, she had to earn it. That philosophy carried on into adulthood. It took juggling multiple jobs, and eventually multiple surgeries, before Millie realized she needed to slow things down.

Today, Millie is a financial planner who focuses her practice on independent women. She and Brenda discuss the intense work schedule that landed her in the hospital, why some lifelong savers struggle to...

After losing his entire RRSP investment on a hot stock tip, Harp Sandhu learned that building wealth doesn’t have to be exciting.

Today, Harp is a senior wealth advisor and portfolio manager with Sandhu Wealth at Raymond James Ltd. in Victoria. He helps his clients navigate the financial complexities of moving between Canada and the U.S. Harp is also seeing more Canadians return home after years south of the border and is facing new questions about their money, taxes and investments.

Harp and Brenda talk about the investing mistake that shaped his approach, wh...

What happens when you’re forced to navigate an estate before you’ve had much experience managing your own finances? For Kimberly Wood, becoming the executor of her mother’s estate at 23 was a life-changing education and the start of her career in wealth management. Today, Kim is a wealth advisor with Johnstone Wealth Management Group at National Bank in Toronto, where she focuses on investments, estate and financial planning. 

She and Brenda discuss a financial choice that cost her a longtime friendship, why being the smartest person in the room can sometimes work against you, and the fin...

Brenda Bouw returns to host a new season of Behind the Advice, The Globe and Mail podcast about financial advice—and the people who give it. This season, advisors across Canada discuss how they steer clients through volatile markets, rising costs and shifting economic rules, and share the moments that shaped how they do the job. New episodes begin September 23.

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Rona Birenbaum has been a natural saver from day one. Raised in a middle‑class household, she learned to scrutinize every purchase – a habit that took decades to loosen. 

After starting her career working as a multi‑branch manager at a credit union, Rona found sales targets and quotas clashed with the individualized financial planning that clients actually needed. In 2000, she took a major leap, going independent to launch Caring for Clients, a financial planning‑first advisory practice.  

In this episode, Rona talks with Brenda about her decades‑long struggle with “saver’s guilt,” how she helps retirees...

We often think of financial planning as a game of math. But for Zainab Williams, the real work doesn't start with numbers; it starts with understanding the person sitting across from her. Zainab is a certified financial planner and dedicated money coach who operates on an advice-only model.

She and Brenda discuss why she views financial planning as a form of behavioural therapy, why she’s worried about the speed at which AI is affecting personal finance choices, and how establishing personal guardrails around money can give people the freedom to live fully today while still securing to...

After supporting his wife through three midwife-assisted pregnancies, Aravind Sithamparapillai realized that Ontario's midwives were navigating complex tax choices and unique career longevity hurdles with very little support. Today, Aravind is a financial planner at Ironwood Wealth Management Group, where he specializes in advising midwives and women in health care.

He speaks with Brenda about his cross-continental family history, what he learned from female mentors in the industry and how he navigates deeply vulnerable conversations around financial planning. 

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After years of climbing the ranks at some of Canada’s largest financial institutions, Shay Steacy felt that the traditional wealth management model often ignored the very people who needed advice the most. Today, she is an independent advice-only financial planner championing a philosophy of “financial independence, live early.” 

Shay speaks with Brenda Bouw about the babysitter who taught her an early lesson in budgeting, the feeling of being a salesperson at a big bank, and why she has the word “balance” tattooed on her arm.

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Herman Chan’s path to becoming a financial planner was anything but linear. He started out with a journalism degree and a dream of being a sports writer, before a stint in retail management convinced him it was time for a career change.

After 15 years of supporting other advisors at major firms such as RBC and London Life (now Canada Life), Herman took the leap into independent advice. We talked about his "frugal-boomer" upbringing in Port Coquitlam, B.C., why he thinks every good advisor needs to be a bit like Batman, and the “Platinum Rule” that guides...

Imagine being fifteen years old, sitting in a private school classroom, and being told you have to leave because the tuition hasn't been paid. For Elke Rubach, that moment was the beginning of a crash course in what happens when a family assumes someone else is “handling the money.”

Elke’s journey from that uncertainty led her across the globe, from practising law in Mexico City to the London School of Economics, and eventually to the high-stakes world of banking compliance in Canada. 

Today, Elke runs a holistic family advisory firm where she uses her legal b...

Money choices are rarely simple. They come wrapped up in fear, ambition, regret and our own life experiences. On season four of Behind the Advice, we’re going deeper into the world of the adviser. Not just the polished presentations and growth charts, but the late‑night client calls, awkward confessions, and the moments when plans collide with things like illness, divorce, job loss or sudden opportunity. In each episode, we talk candidly with advisors about how they found their way into the industry, the lessons carved out over decades of markets and mistakes, and the personal histories that quie...

This week, Brenda speaks with Jay Smith, senior portfolio manager at CIBC Wood Gundy. Jay talks about his early career as an academic, how a PHD in philosophy prepared him for the world of finance, and how he talked his way into a job at Merrill Lynch in the 1970s. He also shares some lessons he’s learned over his five decades in the investment industry and how those experiences have shaped the investment strategy he uses today.

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This week, Brenda speaks with Lori Curtiss, a certified financial planner and the founder of A Money Maker Mindset, based in Calgary. The two talk about Lori’s childhood in a small farming community in Alberta, the financial challenges of becoming a single mother at 18, and how she learned to be less controlling with her own money later in life. Lori also discusses why choosing to become an advice-only financial advisor was the best move of her career and how she built a thriving practice despite a strong dislike of networking.

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This week, Brenda speaks with Tina Tehranchian, a senior wealth advisor at CI Assante Wealth Management in Toronto. The two discuss Tina’s childhood in Iran, how losing her family’s wealth during the Iranian Revolution changed her perspective on money, and her experience immigrating to Canada during a recession. They also discuss Tina’s path into the financial services industry and her recent appointment to the Order of Canada.

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This week, Brenda speaks with Darren Coleman, senior financial advisor and portfolio manager with Portage Cross Border Wealth Management at Raymond James. The two discuss Darren's entry into the financial services industry at a very young age, how caregiving and longevity are reshaping the business, and why he believes understanding human behaviour is just as essential for an advisor as understanding the numbers.

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In this episode of Behind the Advice, Brenda Bouw speaks with Shiraz Ahmed, founder and CEO of Sartorial Wealth in Mississauga. Shiraz spent more than two decades in the financial services industry, most recently as an advisor at Raymond James, before starting his own firm in 2025. They discuss Shiraz’s earliest days in the industry as a cold caller, the regulatory challenges of being a cross-border advisor and why he felt the time was right to leave his longtime firm and go out on his own.

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In the first episode of season 3, Brenda Bouw interviews Lin Sok, an independent financial advisor from Montreal. Lin talks about how her experience growing up with immigrant parents and selling mixtapes in high school sparked her entrepreneurial spirit. They also cover how open banking could give consumers and advisors more control, Lin’s views on crypto in a portfolio, and practical ways to build a finance career beyond traditional banks.

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Brenda Bouw is back hosting season three of Behind the Advice, a podcast from The Globe and Mail that takes you behind the scenes with the people who help Canadians make some of their biggest life decisions. Whether you’re a financial advisor looking for new ideas, an investor curious about the person across the table, or just someone interested in the human side of money, Behind the Advice will have something for you. Season 3 launches February 11th.

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At the age of 19, Julia Chung experienced two life-changing events within just a few days: she lost her mother to cancer and gave birth to her son. This combination of loss and new life thrust Julia into adulthood, testing her resilience and requiring a rapid education in financial literacy. Today, Julia is the founder and CEO of Spring Planning in the Vancouver area and serves as the Board Chair of the Financial Planning Association of Canada. She speaks with Brenda about growing up with hippie parents, her initial reluctance to accept a leadership role at FPAC, and why we're seeing...

Bo Banner has been chasing the thrill of competition from an early age. He spent a significant period of his youth competing in amateur skateboarding tournaments before shifting his focus to football. After four successful years on a scholarship at Central Washington University, he landed a pro contract with the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League. But a few years later, he decided to hang up his cleats and focus on a new career as a wealth advisor. Today, Bo works as an independent financial advisor in Whistler, BC. He and Brenda discuss his path to the CFL, the...

When it came to choosing a career, Samantha Sykes explored several different paths, from writing the LSAT with an intent to pursue law to spending three years at culinary school. But it was an impromptu conversation on a cruise ship that set her career as an advisor in motion. These days, Samantha is a Senior Investment Advisor and Financial Planner at Raymond James in Toronto. She and Brenda discuss a humbling mistake she made early in her career, her concerns about the rise of “finfluencers” and her advice for women of colour wanting to break into the advisory world. Hosted by S...

Maili Wong has always embraced a challenge. Whether that was pursuing a career in neurosurgery, or, after shifting her focus to finance, moving to New York City to work on the trading floor of a prestigious Wall Street investment bank. But working in a building connected to the World Trade Center on the morning of 9/11 had a profound effect on Maili, forcing her to reevaluate her career path and consider what truly mattered. In this episode, Maili and Brenda discuss her decision to leave her successful Wall Street career, the impact of AI on the wealth advisory industry—both positive an...

Growing up, economic stress was a daily reality for Robyn Thompson. Whether it was tagging along with her parents to Money Mart for a cash advance or seeing them rely on welfare to cover basic needs, these struggles instilled in her a strong work ethic and a sense of financial responsibility that she has carried throughout her career. Today, in addition to her role as a financial advisor, Robyn is a seasoned keynote speaker and media personality, dedicated to providing financial advice to a broader audience. Robyn shares her journey from waitress to wealth advisor, why she sold her business...

In the first episode of season two, Brenda speaks with John De Goey, a well-known advisor and author who isn't afraid to question industry norms. John's bold ideas and critical perspective have set him apart from most of his peers in the financial services world. With books like "The Professional Financial Advisor" and "Stand Up to the Financial Services Industry," he pushes for changes that better serve investors. John talks about his upbringing on a southwestern Ontario farm, explains why he thinks advisors paint an overly optimistic picture of the market, and outlines what red flags to look out for...

Money weaves its way through all our lives. It influences our choices, big and small, and charts the course of our future. And behind every piece of financial advice, there's a person with a unique story to tell. Host Brenda Bouw is back for season two of Behind The Advice, a Globe and Mail podcast about financial advice and the people who give it. From an advisor who kept their previous experience living in poverty a secret from colleagues and clients for years, to one who thinks the industry has become far too complacent, Behind The Advice gathers stories of...

Adrienne Power is an Olympic sprinter turned financial advisor from East Jeddore, N.S. Raised by a family that fostered a love of competition, Adrienne excelled at sports from a young age and starred for the Dalhousie University track and field team while she pursued her commerce degree. 

Following university, Adrienne focused on track and field full-time, representing Canada at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. She also competed at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, winning bronze medals in the 200 metres and 4 x 400 metres relay. After retiring from track at age 35, she returned to finance and now works a...

Ivan Arturo grew up in Bogata, Colombia. After moving to Toronto in the early 2000s to learn English and study business at York University, he worked briefly in telecommunications until a chance encounter on a sales call put him on an entirely new career track.

Today, Ivan is a certified financial planner with IAB & Associates Financial Solutions at Sun Life in Richmond Hill, Ontario. He talks about his journey to Canada twenty years ago, the most significant differences in how Canadians and Colombians think about money, and his efforts to promote financial literacy in Canada’s Hispanic co...

Kent Manderville is a former NHL hockey player who played over 700 career games for teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes and Philidelphia Flyers. But while some of his teammates enjoyed multi-million annual salaries, that certainly wasn’t Kent’s experience. Mostly a 4th line grinder, he strung together several short-term contracts with a salary closer to the league minimum. 

After hanging up his skates, Kent, who studied business while playing hockey at Cornell University, obtained his CFP and CFA designations. He now works as a wealth advisor in Ottawa, where his clients are current and retir...

Tiffany Harding moved out of her mother’s house as a teenager. By the time she was 16, she had her own bachelor apartment and was dividing her time between school and night shifts at a restaurant to support herself. Today, she’s a long-time financial advisor who’s worked for big and small financial firms such as Royal Bank, Manulife, and, currently, Richardson Wealth.

Tiffany speaks about her unconventional and financially precarious childhood, growing up in an environment of both abundance and scarcity, and how her challenging experiences helped her relate to clients today.

Xin Lou's foray into the world of finance was a bit different. A self-proclaimed computer enthusiast, Xin became interested in investing during the first crypto boom in 2013. Fascinated with the technology’s potential, he and his friends started their own company, building supplies for the crypto-mining community. But after years of crypto volatility, Xin decided to pursue a more traditional path to finance. Based in Surrey, British Columbia, he’s currently a Wealth Planner at Coast Capital, and he previously worked at TD Wealth and RBC. Xin discusses what it was like to be involved in crypto during its early year...

Jackie Porter is a Greater Toronto Area-based financial planner with more than 25 years of experience in the industry. Her practice focuses on cash flow management and tax planning strategies for businesses. She also co-authored Single by Choice or by Change, a book that helps single women prepare for their financial future. But Jackie’s career trajectory is anything but typical. Jackie shares the events that led to her becoming financially independent at a very young age, her long and roundabout route to becoming a financial planner, and why she now considers her personal struggles to be a professional superpower. Hosted by...

Behind The Advice is a new podcast about finanical advice and the people who give it. Episode 1 launches Sept 26.

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