Episodes

  • From philosophy to finance: Jay Smith’s unconventional path to becoming a top advisor
    Mar 18 2026

    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.


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

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    26 mins
  • Why switching to advice-only was the best career move Lori Curtiss ever made
    Mar 11 2026

    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.


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

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    23 mins
  • What the loss of her family’s wealth during the Iranian revolution taught Tina Tehranchian about diversification
    Mar 4 2026

    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.


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

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    22 mins
  • Why Darren Coleman thinks longevity and caregiving are the next big trends in wealth planning
    Feb 25 2026

    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.


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

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    29 mins
  • How Shiraz Ahmed went from cold-calling prospects to launching his own wealth management firm
    Feb 18 2026

    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.


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

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    23 mins
  • Why Lin Sok thinks more advisors should be working independently
    Feb 11 2026

    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.


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

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    28 mins
  • Coming soon: Season three of Behind the Advice
    Feb 5 2026

    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.


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

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    1 min
  • How Julia Chung went from being a single teenage mother to a financial advisor
    Jul 23 2025
    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.
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    28 mins