What we produced remotely for our client

The one word I would use to describe the company culture at WealthSmart is growth-minded, is collaboration, authenticity, is family.

Wow, so to, to tell the story of the business, it has to go back quite quite a number of years. Straight out of university in 1985, I joined a major life insurance company as a commission-paid agent. And that was a horrifying experience because I am a natural educator. So, what I reacted against was trying to coerce people into buying something that they didn't feel comfortable with. And it never worked well for me. So, I left and went independent in the late '80s. And Zena and I, of course, were married in 1987. And we were pretty soon expecting Peter. And right off the bat there, the motivation was there to establish something of substance for our family, to provide for our family, but also to provide a phenomenally good service to our clients. And so, you know, as our family grew, of course, I became convinced that the future of our business lay in personal financial planning. And so initially, Xena was working as a registered nurse. She was providing the earnings for our family, really. Our business was quite small. And I I started taking a lot of courses, the Chartered Life Underwriter course, the Certified Financial Planner course, Chartered Financial Consultant course, started obtaining all the required licensing that would be required to help our clients appropriately. And then in 1994, we purchased a seminar educational system and started running public seminars through the Richmond Public Library. And through those public seminars, which tapped into my inclinations towards teaching, we were able to meet a lot of people who really valued the educational approach that we brought to financial planning. And that was really the boost that our business required. And ever since that time, that's what we've done. We have focused strongly on helping people to understand all the concepts, understand all of the different moving parts that go into a successful financial plan. And the The way the family fit into that is the business was really an extension of our family. We had our office in our home at that time. And Zena would entertain our clients and she'd also take care of administrative matters for our clients' benefit. And that has stuck through to the very present. Zena takes care of client care. And our boys grew up having conversations about how money fits into the picture. And we'd have financial planning conversations around the dinner table. So it became part of their DNA. And currently Matthew is working with us as an associate advisor and really as a partner in this business. And Daniel is helping us on our social media and our podcast production and different things like that. While also at the same time working full-time as IT support at a university of British Columbia?

Especially the family component, it makes it more complicated. And we were lucky enough to put a system in place for handling problems and issues in the office. So we tend to, we meet every week, but there's a section of our meeting where we talk about issues. And it's nice because we've come to the understanding that in order for issues to be resolved, we have to tell the truth first. But out of that, there's also the agreement in the background that, hey, we're not looking to tear anybody down. We're looking to support each other. But it all starts with telling the truth first. So In that regard, we've developed that relationship of honesty and non-judgment. And I think it also helps that we're family too, because we want to see each other succeed. But unfortunately, there are some issues that are difficult to address. So I have found that, that agreement upfront to be honest and hey, we're trying to we're trying to resolve an issue was very critical for that.

Who do I think the most organized is, or who does Richard think is most organized? The most organized as a group, we all have our different unique perspectives. Okay. And so I'm organized on the administration side and getting everything together, but it also depends depends upon what is going, what everything is flowing for the clients. So for me, I'm organizing on the admin side. Matthew is organized on his task side, and Richard's organized on his side. So I have no idea, and I'm glad that I don't have to be their organization for them. And Daniel's organized on his end. So collectively, we're super organized. So like we're the quadruple threat, if you want to call that. Hmm.

So the biggest lesson I've learned growing up in a family-run business, I would have to say that the work never truly stops. Whether you're sitting at the dinner table after hours or chilling in front of the fireplace, the work never stops. So you have to be really intentional in Cutting off the work and just leaving it at work as opposed to continuously letting work take over your life.

The number one value of our company without a doubt is gratitude. We've been given so much in how we were raised. We've been given so much from each other and so much from this world that the only natural response if we're addressing our environment in truth, is that we must be grateful. And it's from there that all the other values spring. Living in joy, in generosity, everything springs from having an attitude of gratitude. That's the number one value.

So I started working in the family business when I grew up. Graduated from university. I originally— I'll kind of walk through my university journey because that kind of determined it. So I went to university and I had plans to go into commerce, but I ended up exploring some courses and deciding what I wanted to go into. And that led me to psychology and to economics. And then as I continued in my university education, I was just so, I was so interested by psychology that that became my major. And that became what I ultimately had the biggest passion for. There were, there were thoughts of going into counseling as a career, but then with working, with working with mom and dad or with Richard and Zena, one thing that I always loved was my dad's approach to dealing with clients. It was always about the client's goals, client's interest, helping the clients move forward in their financial future. And I, I loved that role because it, it kind of took on, it took on like a counseling, coaching, financial advisor type role. And I'm like, wow, so I don't even need to really go into counseling. I'm just kidding. So that's, that's when I That's what really drew me further into the business was there's that exploration time of being amazed by psychology and coming back to the business and seeing how psychology actually fit into our business quite well. I knew how difficult family businesses could be. And it is still not the easiest thing to be involved with, but there's, for me, there's no greater joy than building something together, especially working on the legacy of the people who came before us and my parents who put so much work into this business. It's great to see it continue to grow and continue to strive to help people towards their futures.

That's a really good question. The biggest disagreement while my three monkeys were growing up It all depends upon certain things and what's going on during the daytime. So it would be when Pete and Matt were younger, Matt would steal Peter's blanket or vice versa, and then all heck would, you know, would all hit the ceiling. And then when Daniel came along, it was, you know, trying to catch Daniel from escaping from his crib when he knocked out the slats in his crib and would have to go one way and we'll have to— Richard will have to go the second way. We'll have to catch this little monkey in the process of escaping his room from nap time. So collectively, all three boys, it's really hard to come up with an answer because I really can't. The biggest thing since we've had Storm, I think, our puppy of 6 and a half years, is who's gonna take her out for the next walk? That would probably be the biggest one for us, for me right now to remember, right? It's like, no, I took her for a walk, it's your turn, right? And I'm not going out there, right? But that would probably be the biggest issue that I can remember.

So my favorite story from trips together as a family, that's a tough one. There's so many trips I can think of, all, all the hours on the road. Um, I think the most clear that I can remember, and that is arguably my favorite, is when we went on a trip to the Rockies. Um, I think we're in Banff. Um, And I was terrified of water slides, and the hotel we were at had water slides. Um, so I had to be blackmailed to go on a water slide, basically. Um, they, they said, if, if you don't like the water slide, you can get a toy in Calgary. I'm like, okay, sweet, I want a new Transformer. Um, but I went on the water slide and I really enjoyed it, um, so I never got that toy.

Wow.

The obvious one, beyond a shadow of a doubt, is when all three of these young men were born, right? Because the moment I held each one of them in my arms, everything changed. Everything changed. So that's the obvious one. But in addition to that, and I think everybody would probably say the same thing, but a unique moment, I think, for me was that When these guys were very young, actually almost when they were born, I pledged with Zine, I said, "You know, one day before these guys graduate university, we're gonna go backpacking through Europe together." And I got to do that with all three of them. And seeing all of them take that experience in in their own unique way was amazing. Peter, our eldest, as a classical studies major, listening to him tour us through Pompeii and ancient Rome and other places was amazing. With Matt, going through the experience with Matt of observing people, you know, and how people interact and how people behave in different places around the world. And then walking through the experience with Daniel in sharing the photographic moments and especially in Berlin going through the Museum of Cinema. Like, these were proud moments in that experience.

I think the one quality of my father that I have always admired was his attention to positive thought. Back in university, university wasn't the easiest for me. I was, in all accounts, I was depressed. But it was at that time that my dad started introducing me to concepts like strategic coach and positive thinking and really reshaping how I viewed the world, especially around gratitude. To the point where there was a point in time where actually until this day, there was a practice I started back then, which was a gratitude journal, which is basically starting each morning with what I'm grateful for. And that has continued to today. And I would I would assume that that has had a big impact in the person that I have become today. It's been that proactive choosing of gratitude, proactive choosing to fuel myself with positive thinking and to go from there.

That's easy. That's easy peasy. All three of them, all three of the boys have a lot of me in them and a lot of Richard in them. But if I was to pick one who is exactly or close to me with my temperament and my hot-headedness and my sometimes too quick to say something would be Matthew. Okay, Matt also has the dimples to share. And the one that is most like Richard is methodical and thoughtful and smart, wise beyond his years, that would be Daniel. So, but all three of them have a little bit of each one of us in them. But these two are, are definitely little replicas of ours, of us.

I'm trying to decide if I want to get in trouble for this one or not. What family member do I think is the funniest and why? Oh, that's tough because Dad has really good dad jokes and I'm a big fan of them. Mom has her moments of glory also. Matt and I share an extremely similar sense of humor, um, and the absolute immaturity of it. But I think the funniest family member would have to be Storm, um, because she's very derpy, uh, but she can also be smart sometimes. Yet she's so smart that she just does really stupid stuff to get our attention, and it ends up being really funny. So I'm gonna have to say Storm. Is the funniest family member?

Don't do it. I'm just joking. You know, starting a family business is really hard. You have to go down the road and communicate to everybody involved that if you decide not to go down this road, there is no shame in that. You have to want this. You know, there's a big price to be paid. And if you want to pay that price of success in other ways that don't fit in with this family business, that's a road you must go down. It's specific to the work that we do in this industry. It's a unique industry. And there are skills that are suited towards other industries and other fields of work as well. And if somebody is just not in a position to want this business, then— and this applies to any business— then you have to feel free to go somewhere else. And the parents in a family business have to be open enough to say, Pursue your passion wherever that must lie because it may not be in this business.

My favorite project that I have done while working with the family has to be the podcast. It came as an idea when I forgot what we were doing, but Dad and I were having one of our usual conversations and we came to the conclusion that we have these conversations all the time. It would be great if we could record them. So out of that kind of started the idea for the podcast. And I think my favorite thing about the podcast is really that focus on helping people to understand their finances and bringing it down from a level where it's full of jargon and complications to hopefully a level where it's understandable and it's It's supporting people in their, in their personal finance journey to make progress.

This is easy. She loves everybody. She really does. She thinks everybody is her best friend and she is the best team member for WealthSmart because nonjudgmental and she wags her tail and she loves everybody. But she particularly loves Daniel and Matthew and Peter, 'cause when she doesn't see them as often, she pretends that she goes absolutely stir crazy when she sees the boys. So, but if I had to pick one, it would be Matthew. Sorry, Dan, 'cause you irritate her so much.

So who besides myself is the most efficient with technology? Well, efficient is a very interesting word because there's efficiency and then there's ability. Um, I have a— I'm sorry, I have a couple different answers for this. One, I would say dad, because any questions he asks, he just asks me. So he doesn't have to do any research and I just give him the answer right away. So in that regard, I would say Dad is the most efficient with technology. But there's also the usage of technology and being efficient with that. So knowing, knowing the jargon, knowing the shortcuts, knowing what to ask, what to search for, things like that. And in that regard, I would say Matt is the most efficient with technology.

What I enjoy most about working with my family is that there is, there is no temptation to hide.

Trust. I think it's nice to not have to worry about the hidden agendas.

How we strive to make each one of us better than the day before.

This is my family. If I'm gonna tell the truth to my clients, I better be square with my family.

It's with gratitude that we all share each other's joys in what we've accomplished for the day for our clients and for us as a team to find success.

Speaking truth with my family and working in the business and speaking truth with clients is the ultimate ultimate accountability for me.