My investment philosophy is based on the following ten guiding principles – which you can hold me accountable to...
1. Your money is more than just dollars and cents
I recognize and respect the hard work and long hours you’ve invested over the years and will do everything in my power to preserve and grow the wealth you have accumulated – specifically ensuring that you don’t outlive your money while putting it to work.
2. It all starts with you
Rather than trying to fit you into a “bucket” solution, I acknowledge that your financial situation is unique to your individual circumstances. Your future investment success starts with how well I listen – something I pride myself on. Several important factors are considered in the creation of your personalized strategy – such as your personal investment goals, how long you have to invest and your attitude towards risk. Based on this, I will recommend guidelines for making investment decisions – including security selection and asset mix criteria. Over time, your plan will evolve to keep pace with your changing needs and will be adjusted to reflect current market conditions. After all, having a plan is the first step to getting somewhere.
3. Financial fluency
I believe in education. You can choose to be as involved as you want, however having a transparent understanding of your options, your plan, where we are today and where we are heading is vital to your financial health. Financial literacy ought to be taught in school, yet it isn’t. If you have any questions along the way – I encourage you to ask. I invite you to attend the various educational seminars I host throughout the year.
4. I've got your back
Coming from a diverse RBC background, I’ve been exposed to many roles – due to personal and professional reasons, this is my chosen profession.
Professionally - I’ve seen first hand why we are Canada’s leading wealth management firm. We have some of the most brilliant minds from around the world working on your behalf to make sense of an increasingly complex investment world. I am proud to be your gateway to all of the expertise your legacy deserves and am confident in my ability go beyond just ‘money management’.
Personally – I’ve unfortunately seen how poor investment advice and wealth management can affect a family. What my grandparents went through is something my clients will never go through. That is a genuine promise.
5. This is a long-term relationship
We’re in it for the long haul, so liking and trusting one another is vital to our relationship. We will not proceed unless there is a fit between our personalities, your expectations and what I can realistically do for you.
Those who appreciate ongoing professional advice acknowledge that there is no such thing as a basic, one-time fix. We know for sure that capital markets change, and so will your life circumstances – this means that we have to trust one another and regularly address what the future holds. I am committed to working with you and your family over the years and generations to help meet the objectives and goals we’ve mapped out within your plan – because without a plan, we won’t know where we are heading.
6. A disciplined approach pays off in more ways than one
Your written financial plan and investment policy statement will be the foundation to our success. My approach consists of listening to and understanding your financial goals, formulating a plan that reflects those objectives and then actually sticking to it. This approach helps us to establish feasible and measurable goals that we can achieve over a realistic time frame.
Not only does having a plan get us to your end goals, but it can give you the confidence to act in your own long-term best interests, rather than simply reacting to a volatile short-term environment driven by emotion and media. It has been proven that when left to our own emotional devices and without a plan, one will buy high and sell low.
7. Diversification trumps risk
Systemic risk is defined as “risk inherent to the entire market”. It is a risk that cannot be avoided and so there truly is no such thing as a “riskless” investment. Even your cash is exposed to the very real and inevitable risk of purchasing power (aka inflation). Since no one (no one!) can predict the future of any investment with absolute certainty, portfolio management strategies need to be employed rather than stock selection. In other words, the selection of individual securities is secondary to the way we will allocate your investments. Diversification and asset allocation have proven to be the most effective way to mitigate the many different risks to which your financial assets will be exposed. Your asset allocation is determined based on your investor profile – one of the most important discovery conversations we will have.
8. Wealth Management is more than just investments
To help you meet your various goals, my team and I take a comprehensive approach that extends beyond investing to encompass lifestyle protection, retirement planning, intergenerational wealth transfer and legacy creation.
With the expert support of our industry-leading RBC Wealth Management Services team, we can help you address your specific financial, tax, retirement and legacy planning concerns. Furthermore, we know from experience that the best results are achieved working in partnership with the professionals you have employed in other areas related to the management of your wealth. This includes legal, accounting, private banking, personal banking and commercial business banking professionals. If you have an existing relationship with professionals in these areas, I will encourage that we work together to ensure we’re all on the same page. If you require a referral, I am happy to offer you access to our extensive network of trusted professionals.
9. Re-occurring regular reviews
As your needs and markets evolve, periodic reviews will ensure that your plan is still relevant and on track. An effective investment strategy includes a regimen for regular review; whether it be annual or quarterly, an agreed upon process for review and established guidelines for change are fundamental components of my approach to managing your money. Consistent communication will be at the cornerstone of our relationship.
10. Your Friends & Family
It’s important to me that those who are close to you are also looked after. If at any point you feel that your family or friends aren’t on track, I am more than happy to spend some time with them to ensure that all of their bases are covered. This is a no obligation favor to you as my valued client – which you can ask for at any time.
