Behind the Advice

From philosophy to finance: Jay Smith’s unconventional path to becoming a top advisor

podcasts@globeandmail.com (The Globe and Mail) — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000

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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Why switching to advice-only was the best career move Lori Curtiss ever made

podcasts@globeandmail.com (The Globe and Mail) — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000

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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What the loss of her family’s wealth during the Iranian revolution taught Tina Tehranchian about diversification

podcasts@globeandmail.com (The Globe and Mail) — Wed, 4 Mar 2026 09:00:00 +0000

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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Why Darren Coleman thinks longevity and caregiving are the next big trends in wealth planning

podcasts@globeandmail.com (The Globe and Mail) — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 09:00:00 +0000

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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How Shiraz Ahmed went from cold-calling prospects to launching his own wealth management firm

podcasts@globeandmail.com (The Globe and Mail) — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 09:00:00 +0000

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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Why Lin Sok thinks more advisors should be working independently

podcasts@globeandmail.com (The Globe and Mail) — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 09:00:00 +0000

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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Coming soon: Season three of Behind the Advice

podcasts@globeandmail.com (The Globe and Mail) — Thu, 5 Feb 2026 09:00:00 +0000

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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How Julia Chung went from being a single teenage mother to a financial advisor

podcasts@globeandmail.com (The Globe and Mail) — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 08:00:00 +0000

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 more women in leadership positions within the financial services industry. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Why Bo Banner left the CFL for a career as an advisor

podcasts@globeandmail.com (The Globe and Mail) — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 08:00:00 +0000

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 circumstances that led him to leave football behind for a career in finance, and how being a pro athlete prepared him for life as an advisor. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Why Samantha Sykes thinks we should be worried about the rise of finfluencers

podcasts@globeandmail.com (The Globe and Mail) — Wed, 9 Jul 2025 08:00:00 +0000

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 Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Why Maili Wong left a high-profile job on Wall Street for a career as an advisor

podcasts@globeandmail.com (The Globe and Mail) — Wed, 2 Jul 2025 08:00:00 +0000

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 and negative—and the qualities she looks for when hiring the next generation of financial advisors. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From poverty to cancer, Robyn Thompson’s experiences have shaped her financial perspective

podcasts@globeandmail.com (The Globe and Mail) — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 08:00:00 +0000

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, Castlemark Wealth, and how her experience with cancer inspired her latest career transition. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

John De Goey is questioning long-held beliefs within the financial services industry

podcasts@globeandmail.com (The Globe and Mail) — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 08:00:00 +0000

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 when choosing your advisor. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Coming soon: Season two of Behind The Advice

podcasts@globeandmail.com (The Globe and Mail) — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 17:10:03 +0000

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 trial and triumph, and digs deep into the moments that shape how advisors think about money, their clients, and the industry at large. Season two launches June 18th. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How life as an Olympic sprinter prepared Adrienne Power for a career in financial planning

podcasts@globeandmail.com (The Globe and Mail) — Thu, 5 Dec 2024 09:00:00 +0000

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 as an advisor at Edward Jones in Bedford, N.S.

Adrienne talks about dreaming of the Olympics from a young age, a life-altering event in her teens that shaped her views around money, and the qualities that she carried over from professional athlete to financial advisor.

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How advisor Ivan Arturo turned a telecom sales job into a career in financial planning

podcasts@globeandmail.com (The Globe and Mail) — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 09:00:00 +0000

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 community.

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How Kent Manderville went from NHL journeyman to advising pro hockey players

podcasts@globeandmail.com (The Globe and Mail) — Thu, 7 Nov 2024 09:00:00 +0000

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 retired professional hockey players.

Kent talks about how he balanced sports and education in his early years, what he learned from being one of the lower-paid players in the league and the unique challenges of advising professional athletes.

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How growing up with a ‘scarcity mindset’ shaped Tiffany Harding’s advisor philosophy

podcasts@globeandmail.com (The Globe and Mail) — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0000

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.

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How Xin Lou went from crypto entrepreneur to wealth planner

podcasts@globeandmail.com (The Globe and Mail) — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 08:00:00 +0000

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 years, how his views on the sector have evolved over the past decade, and the impact that technology is currently having on the investment community. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How Jackie Porter’s childhood struggles influenced her money mindset

podcasts@globeandmail.com (The Globe and Mail) — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 08:00:00 +0000

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 Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Coming Soon: Behind The Advice

podcasts@globeandmail.com (The Globe and Mail) — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 19:02:20 +0000

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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