Turning the Page

EP50 - Building Resilience through Adversity with Peace by Chocolate Founder Tareq Hadhad

Schedule a complimentary virtual coffee with me and let’s talk about how I can help you grow your business! https://aspect.ipcc.ca/turning-the-page-podcast#grabcoffeewithchris 

 

We have challenges we face in life. Having the right mindset helps you overcome the challenges. 

 

My guest today has had unbelievable obstacles in his family’s life. Their successful business was destroyed by bombs. They were displaced from the country of their birth. They moved to Canada, a country they had never been to before, to start a new life.

 

By combining entrepreneurship and the principles that matter most to them, they’ve not only built a successful business, but a business that gives back to the community and the world everyday. 

 

Meet Tareq Hadhad, the founder and CEO of Peace by Chocolate. 

 

In 2012, the Hadhad’s home and factory that housed the family chocolate-making business were destroyed which forced them to seek safety in other countries. A former medical student at Damascus University and long-time peacekeeping advocate, Tareq joined medical relief efforts after arriving in Lebanon. A new life began when Tareq and his family were welcomed to Canada on a community-based sponsorship. 

 

Passionate about peace and entrepreneurship, his family relaunched the family business to recreate the chocolates they once exported across the Middle East and their story has turned into an international inspiring phenomenon.

 

Author Jon Tattrie wrote a book about the Hadhad’s story which has become a bestseller. A feature film, Peace by Chocolate, also based on the family’s story, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and launched in Cineplex theaters across 

 

Tareq speaks on the compelling story of his family, the positive impact of newcomers, and the spirit of resiliency, entrepreneurship and giving back.

 

Tareq and I talk about:

• His story - from 
• How your journey in entrepreneurship is part of a much larger story that’s bigger than you!
• Understanding the value of people in your business - from clients to employees
• Your ROK (Return on Kindness) is more important than your ROI
• The importance of your values in leadership. 

 

What adversities have you gone through in your business? We all have a story and I’d love to hear yours! Let’s have a virtual coffee and talk about it. 

 

Schedule a virtual coffee with me at https://aspect.ipcc.ca/turning-the-page-podcast#grabcoffeewithchris 

 

Follow the podcast on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/turningthepage_podcast 

 

If you’ve found this episode useful, or know of someone who could gain from it, I’d appreciate it if you would share it with them. Or subscribe and follow Turning the Page on Apple, Spotify or whatever podcast app you use!  

Cheers,

Chris

EP49 - There’s More than One Way to Prepare for the Succession of Your Business with John Novachis

Do you have questions about your succession plan? If so, let’s chat! Schedule a virtual coffee with me at https://aspect.ipcc.ca/turning-the-page-podcast#grabcoffeewithchris 

 

Entrepreneurs often come up against one of their biggest challenges when it’s time to exit their business. Undoubtedly, there’s lots to think about: clients, staff, and themselves. I’ve sold my business numerous times and had the same anxieties and sleepless nights every time.

 

Each time, I had questions: How do I maximize the value of my business? How do I determine who my successor should be? How will I know my clients will be looked after? What happens to the loyal team that helped me build my business? How do I extend the legacy I have built?

 

If you’re at this stage of your entrepreneurial journey, this episode is for you. 

 

John Novachis, the Executive Vice President of Corporate Growth and Development at IPC spends his days working with independent financial advisors, to help them navigate this crucial part of entrepreneurial journey. With over 25 years in the business, John has helped many Advisors prepare for and succeed their business well. This includes supporting them in overcoming challenges, identifying the right succession strategy, and maximizing the value they can extract from their business.  

 

John and I talk about:

• His own journey and how he helped develop IPC Pinnacle, IPC’s corporate branch model, which is a succession option for independent advisors in Canada.
• The other strategies for succession Advisors have in today’s business environment.
• The biggest concerns and opportunities Advisors face with succession planning.

 

I’ve been through the succession planning process myself. If you need someone to have a conversation with and talk about your current plan, I’d love to personally chat with you about yours over a virtual coffee!

 

Schedule a virtual coffee with me at https://aspect.ipcc.ca/turning-the-page-podcast#grabcoffeewithchris 

 

Follow the podcast on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/turningthepage_podcast 

 

If you’ve found this episode useful, or know of someone who could gain from it, I’d appreciate it if you would share it with them. Or subscribe and follow Turning the Page on Apple, Spotify or whatever podcast app you use!  

Cheers,

Chris

EP48 - Learning About the Office of the Investor with CIRO’s Karen McGuinness

Although all of us wished we lived in a world where everyone played fair, we know there’s no such place.  In every industry, there are regulators to keep the consumer safe, especially in the financial industry.

 

I have said this before: We are in the business of trust. People trust that the advice we give them is in their best interest.

 

Regulators are there to make sure that we are following a consistent methodology and have the notes and paperwork to prove it. This is not an enviable role to play. Believe it or not, entrepreneurs sometimes don’t like their integrity being questioned or to show their work. This can cause undue friction because after all they are only doing their job. 

 

At our recent National Fall Summit in Halifax for advisors, we had the pleasure of hosting a fireside chat with today’s guest. And as I sat in the audience, I realized that the regulators never really get to tell their side of the story and their perspective.

 

That changes now.

 

On this episode, I chat with Karen McGuinness who runs the new ‘Office of the Investor’ at the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO). She was previously president & CEO of the Mutual Fund Dealers Association (MFDA), and has held positions at the Enforcement branch at the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC).  She is quite the authority on regulations, the (Self-Regulatory Organizations) SROs and what exactly regulators are looking for out there. 

 

What do you and your team do stay compliant? How do you work to build and show trust with your clients? I’d love to hear what you do over a virtual coffee!

 

Schedule a virtual coffee with me at https://aspect.ipcc.ca/turning-the-page-podcast#grabcoffeewithchris   

 

Follow the podcast on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/turningthepage_podcast/ 

 

If you loved this episode, I’d appreciate it if you would follow Turning the Page on Apple, Spotify or whatever podcast app you use!  If you found the information helpful, be sure to share it with another financial advisor who could use these words of wisdom!

 

Chris

EP47 - Turn Strategy into Action with Keita Demming

It’s a new year! The next 12 months are a blank canvas that we can turn into something amazing for our business and in life. They call it a New Year’s resolution, so of course there will be a lot of talk about goals, visions, and plans for what we want to accomplish in the new year. And by the end of Q1, so often we feel as if we didn’t take as much action on what we want to accomplish. Have you experienced that? 

 

But how do we effectively turn strategy into action? How can we do this well and drive growth for our business, our clients, and our lives? How do we make those big plans happen? 

 

Our guest today is an expert on that and has literally written the book on it - Keita Demming!

 

As an Author, Trusted Advisor and Thought Leader in design, strategy, and innovation, Keita strongly believes that the more we learn from others, the more likely we are to find our journey a little easier. His clients describe him as helping people become better businesspeople and better people in business. 

 

His book, Strategy to Action is described as “a practical methodology that will turn your biggest ideas into real offerings in your business and life.” He is an award-winning educator and coach who is working to transform companies into places and spaces that are idea-driven and people-centred. As a high school dropout turned PhD, he now uses education and coaching as a tool to help clients thrive professionally and personally. 

 

Learn more about Keita and pick up his book, “Strategy to Action: Run Your Business Without It Running You,” at https://keitademming.com/

 

What do you want to accomplish in the new year? How are you going to take your strategy and turn it into action?  I’d love to hear your stories and chat over a virtual coffee!

 

Schedule a virtual coffee with me at https://aspect.ipcc.ca/turning-the-page-podcast#grabcoffeewithchris  

 

Follow the podcast on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/turningthepage_podcast/ 

 

If you loved this episode, I’d appreciate it if you would follow Turning the Page on Apple, Spotify or whatever podcast app you use!  If you found the information helpful, be sure to share it with another financial advisor who could use these words of wisdom!

 

Chris

 

EP46 - A Look Back at 2023 and Three Things to Do in the New Year to Succeed

What a year 2023 was! I’ve decided to call it “the year of overcoming obstacles.”

 

There is an old proverb that says “may you live in interesting times.” Times are sure interesting right now and for us, that can be a good thing!

 

In this end of the year wrap up, I’m taking a look back at the challenges we had to face in 2023, how challenging times can be a GOOD thing for advisors and I’ll share the three things you need to do in the new year to succeed.

 

What do you want to accomplish in the new year? How are you going to take the lessons you learned in 2023 and use them to fuel your 2024?  I’d love to hear your stories and chat over a virtual coffee!

 

Schedule a virtual coffee with me at https://aspect.ipcc.ca/turning-the-page-podcast#grabcoffeewithchris  

 

Follow the podcast on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/turningthepage_podcast/ 

 

If you loved this episode, I’d appreciate it if you would follow Turning the Page on Apple, Spotify or whatever podcast app you use!  If you found the information helpful, be sure to share it with another financial advisor who could use these words of wisdom!

 

Chris

EP45 - Growing Your Business by Growing Your Community with Renée Rebelo

All great businesses create a community. They create a sense of belonging to something with people who have similar things in common.  This is very true in the wealth management business, too. Great advisors create a community with their clients, share ideas and give them a sense of belonging.  

 

There is no better example of this than Renée Rebelo.

 

During the pandemic, Renée went live on Facebook everyday for 30 days during lockdown. From that, she built a community of followers, gained clients and received a book deal! She shares how she has also built a community around mixing her two passions: travel and financial planning. 

 

Renée F. Rebelo is an award-winning industry leader and recognized as one of the top 50 professionals in her field. As a Financial Motivational Speaker and Leading Financial Strategist, Renée’s passion is to assist people, execute strategies and develop solutions that directly support their financial visions. When Renée’s dad died suddenly at the young age of 42, she watched as her family lost everything and learned the hard way why proper financial planning is so important.  This led her into the financial management industry 20 plus years ago.  Now as a busy independent mom of two young adults, Renée manages two separate businesses and strives to educate, motivate, and empower people to achieve financial success.

 

She’s a Certified Financial Planner, Certified Divorce Financial Analyst® Professional and Wealth Advisor, Renée has helped hundreds of people to organize their financial life and live their financial freedom, giving people peace of mind!

 

What do you do to build community with your clients? Have you learned how to leverage social media to stay connected with them? I’d love to hear your stories and chat over a virtual coffee!

 

Schedule a virtual coffee with me at https://aspect.ipcc.ca/turning-the-page-podcast#grabcoffeewithchris  

 

Follow the podcast on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/turningthepage_podcast/ 

 

If you loved this episode, I’d appreciate it if you would follow Turning the Page on Apple, Spotify or whatever podcast app you use!  If you found the information helpful, be sure to share it with another financial advisor who could use these words of wisdom!

 

Chris

 

EP44 - What Are You Worried About? Talking Hot Button Topics with Simon Bowers

Doom and gloom! Everywhere you look in the news, there’s a reason to worry. Yes, there’s some serious things going on in parts of the world that can affect everyone. But how much of what we read about is really doom and gloom?

 

Today, we’re talking about the hot button topics in the economy that you and your clients could be talking about - and whether it’s something you, or they, should be worried about. 

 

Joining me to talk about the hot topics is a previous guest who deals with high net worth clients every single day, Simon Bowers. 

 

Simon joined IPC in 2022 after a 20 year stint at a Investment Counseling firm where he was both Head of Retail Trading and a Vice-President & Portfolio Manager.  Simon’s portfolio management responsibilities included both a High Net Worth SMA for client accounts as well as the firm’s largest fixed income fund.   Before then he worked at an independent brokerage firm in trading & trade support and at one of Canada’s largest insurers supporting their demutualization. 

 

Simon holds the Chartered Investment Manager (CIM) designation and is a Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute (FSCI).  He holds the Certified International Wealth Manager (CIWM) from the Association of International Wealth Management, as well as the Responsible Investment Advisor Certification (RIAC) from RI Canada, and the Certified Executor’s Advisor credential from CICEA. 

 

What are you talking about with your clients? How are you handling these important topics and conversations with them? I’d love to hear your stories and chat over a virtual coffee! You can schedule a time with me at https://aspect.ipcc.ca/turning-the-page-podcast#grabcoffeewithchris 

 

If you loved this episode, I’d appreciate it if you would follow Turning the Page on Apple, Spotify or whatever podcast app you use!  If you found the information helpful, be sure to share it with another financial advisor who could use these words of wisdom!

 

Chris

EP43 - How to Talk About Grief in Business and Life with Dina Bell-Laroche

When we start a business, there’s so much we must learn. Everything from creating the long-term vision to the day-to-day tasks needed to keep things running to how to interact with clients.

 

Yet one thing is still certain: we’re human. Life happens. A client, a coworker, even a partner could pass away. A  tragedy can happen that throws a whole plan off and changes our life or the lives of our clients forever. I personally have had it happen to me on many occasions.

 

We might be trained on how to handle the business and financial side, but how do we handle the human side?  How do we do professional work while dealing with our grief? How do we allow ourselves to be human?

 

Let’s talk about grief in our profession.

 

Here to share some insight into this important topic is Dina Bell-Laroche, who recently wrote a very special book that offers some much-needed understanding and guidance to those struggling with the loss of a colleague, client or trusted advisor.

 

Dina’s life changed dramatically in 2001 after the death of her youngest sister Tracy. Since then, her journey through grief has inspired her to advocate for greater grief and loss literacy.  As a death educator, accredited professional coach, keynote speaker, and published author, Dina’s commitment to help the bereaved re-imagine a new relationship with loss is unwavering. She activates this through workshops, speaking engagements, Grief Cafés, her blogs, and her new book Grief Unleashed: Moving from the hole in our hearts to whole-hearted.

 

Throughout her extensive journey, she has discovered many gems that she is inspired to share with others including building classrooms in Nicaragua, and more recently in Northern Ontario on Treaty 3, in honour of her deceased sister. Her knowledge runs deep. Her teachings are wise. Her practical way of demystifying a taboo topic will leave you feeling more resourced and less isolated. Her hope is to foster greater grief and loss literacy and inspire people to become more compassionate and present to life’s blessings. 

 

Learn more about Dina and her work at https://www.griefunleashed.ca/ 

 

Have you had to deal with a loss in your business? How do you talk to your clients when they suffer a major tragedy in their lives? I’d love to hear your stories and chat over a virtual coffee! You can schedule a time with me at https://aspect.ipcc.ca/turning-the-page-podcast#grabcoffeewithchris 

 

If you loved this episode, I’d appreciate it if you would follow Turning the Page on Apple, Spotify or whatever podcast app you use!  If you found the information helpful, be sure to share it with another financial advisor who could use these words of wisdom!

 

Chris