My vision for this community is to create a dojo of Finances & Fun! I do not use the phrase dojo lightly. For me as a kid, my karate dojo was so much more than just a place to learn karate and enjoy a sport that had a more positive environment than some others I had tried. It quickly became a place where I met and became friends with so many people from all backgrounds and ages. Many of these friends have become my "karate family". I thought I was only going to learn martial art skills, I had no idea of how deeply it would impact my life. The amazing mentors, friends and inspirational life skills I have been blessed to have learned have shaped me over the last 38 years. It has influenced my beliefs and core values about how to treat people, how I should never stop working to improve myself, and have humility knowing everyone has something of value to offer. Achieving the rank of Sensei (Black Belt) not only means a person can complete the physical aspects of the training but the MORE important was your character. The evaluation was not just one day/event you have to show your dedication to always give your best effort, respect others, and show positive leadership. Even before the grading you have a duty to help others and to passing on your knowledge. As very important component, I have had so much fun, competing, travelling and training I am happily addicted. The karate dojo has given me a second home as well as so many opportunities a small town/farm girl probably wouldn't have had. When I decided to change careers in 2012 to financial services it was due to one major factor. My sister had asked an advisor the best way to help my 6 year old niece who was born with rare and serious mental and physical challenges the best way to make sure she was taken care of regarding finances. My sister was NOT told about a FREE program that the Canadian Government has to help individuals like my niece, by giving them up to $90,000 into a special investing account for their future. Instead my sister was told to spend money setting up a trust, the money they spend would have been matched at a rate of 300% due to their families income at the time. Big sister learnt about this program which incidently had been available since my niece was born, and I was absolutely disgusted that a "financial professional", not only didn't know about this program in my opinion he effectively took advantage of my disabled niece and stole money by charging fees for their seriously flawed advice, but also for the lawyer fees. Protective big sis/auntie was less than impressed to say the least.

I am always working on learning about something. To that end, I am part of another skool group to learn how to best grow and market this community and what I am creating. The first assignment was to create this intro. I figured since it is created anyway, I would share it here and give you all a glimpse of my video skills, not so strong hehe, but maybe more importantly? more about me besides money stuff. One interesting thing I learned about myself doing this tiny assignment is that I am definitely so much more confident and comfortable presenting and speaking on webinars or live than if it is being recorded. To me that seems backwards, anyone agree?? I have over developed "perfectionist habits" so I have set a goal to do the best video I can with a maximum of 3 tries, then I have to share it. In this case I added in sharing it to this group too for added "bonus points". Do any of you have little games or rules you set for yourself, doesn't have to be money related. That help you work through challenging or new things?

https://www.loom.com/share/fb5d61953a25466e99207d0881cf7e46

Little insight into my life attitude, find a way, if there isn't a clear one. Make one. :) Not easy and don't always stick to it, but tomorrow is always there to try again

I have been in the financial services world since 2012. I personally got a financial coach when I was 18 and happened to be home to visit my parents who were getting THEIR finances cleaned up in their 40's. They were getting taught about how the Investing/savings world works by a friend of theirs who worked for my "practice company". I clearly remember being taught about an awesome tip called "Dollar Cost Averaging" and started saving for myself as I had just started my career at a safe government job. That savings of $50/month is all I did until I had my first child 6 years later. 6.5 years later (waaaay too long without being contacted BTW). I got a call from my new representative (old one had quit, there is often high turn over in this industry and people are sometimes abandoned. EEK I definitely never want my clients to feel that way. By then I had gotten basically most of the products I shouldn't have (school of life/hardknocks) but they helped me sort out my situation and created a plan for me going forward which I used and updated every 2/3 years (because I may PLAN for the car to last 10 years but sometimes the universe has other plans 😀). Fast forward to 2011, I went to a new training class, a basic version of what I teach here and in my business. It happened to be about what I call (Alphabet soup) difference between different account labels... RRSP, TFSA and most importantly to me RDSP (Registered Disability Savings Plan). American equipments IRAs, Roth accounts etc. The reason this was so important to me is that my niece was born VERY premature and with many physical and mental disabilities. I was set up as guardian for her in my sisters will and she had mentioned they had set aside money for her. I literally called from the parking lot to see if it was this program that GIVES qualifying Canadians with disabilities up to $90,000 for an investment to help them with saving for thier future. Even though my sister had asked the PERFECT question (what should we do to protect our disabled daughter's financial future?) AND the RDSP program had been around for 6 years they WERE NOT TOLD about it! They had spend lawyer $$ on setting up a trust fund on their "advisor's" recommendation.