In this episode of Fintech Impact, Jason Pereira interviews Mark Friedenthal, Founder and CEO of Tolerisk, about the innovative risk profiling platform his company offers to financial advisors. Mark explains how Tolerisk differentiates itself by integrating financial data into client risk profiles, providing a more holistic understanding of both risk tolerance and capacity. He discusses the company's origins and challenges, highlighting the improvements Tolerisk has made over traditional methodologies like Monte Carlo simulations. The conversation underscores the importance of proper client profiling in risk assessment and the significant role Tolerisk plays in bridging investment management with financial planning.

In this Fintech Impact episode, Jason Pereira interviews Miles Paschini, CEO of FV Bank, an innovative Fintech startup. The discussion revolves around FV Bank's mission to bridge traditional banking with cutting edge financial technologies like blockchain and Fintech solutions. Miles reflects on his journey in the payments industry and highlights FV Bank's efforts to cater to Fintech and blockchain companies by offering compliant and tech-forward banking services. The episode dives into the challenges of building a bank of the future and explores emerging trends like the growing importance of stable coins and real-time money movement.

Jason Pereira interviews Helen Yang, Founder and CEO of Andes Risk, a financial technology company offering a next-generation risk assessment platform for financial advisors. The conversation highlights how the company employs behavioral finance to enhance investment strategies and provide personalized financial advice. Jason Pereira delves into the origins and implementation of Andes Risk, uncovering how it integrates into existing workflows to assess risk tolerance and behavioral biases. Helen emphasizes the importance of blending technology with psychological insights to improve investor outcomes and touches on the ongoing development in this space.

In this episode of Fintech Impact, Jason Pereira interviews Jeff Marsden, Chief Product Officer at PureFacts, a leader in revenue management for financial advisory and investment management firms. They explore the complexities of revenue management, including regulatory challenges, individualized advisor fee structures, and data integration from multiple sources. The discussion also touches on the company’s strategic acquisitions, the integration of AI to enhance data quality and operational efficiency, and future industry trends like outcome based models in wealth management.

In this episode, Jason Pereira interviews Sindhu Joseph, CEO, and Co-founder of CogniCor, an AI platform designed to transform the financial advisory industry. They discuss how CogniCor's AI co-pilot assists financial advisors by enhancing their productivity and enabling personalized client interactions. Sindhu shares the inspiration and technology behind CogniCor, emphasizing the platform's potential to democratize access to wealth. They also touch on AI's evolution beyond general AI and delve into CogniCor's multi-faceted capabilities that streamline advisors' workflows. The episode concludes with Sindhu's reflections on industry fragmentation and the company's mission to bridge wealth disparities.

In this episode Jason Pereira talks with Kevin Knull, President of TaxStatus, about the innovations TaxStatus is bringing to the field through its seamless data integration with the IRS. Kevin discusses how the company sources taxpayer data, with the consent of the taxpayer, to help clients make well informed financial decisions. He highlights the broader applications and benefits including financial advising, loan origination, and identity verification. The episode also covers the importance of identity security and Kevin's vision for enhancing the quality of financial advice using comprehensive insights derived from IRS data.

In this episode, Jason Pereira interviews Chanddeep Madaan, the CEO and founder of Aya Care, a health spending account provider in Canada. The discussion focuses on Aya Care’s mission to remove financial barriers for accessing health and wellness services. Madan explains how Aya Care uses technology to streamline the process, reducing the hassle of reimbursement, and enabling employees to utilize health spending accounts easily. They also explore the economic impact of traditional insurance versus the flexibility offered by Aya Care’s solution.

In this episode, Jason Pereira interviews Ben Borodach, co-founder and CEO of April, a FinTech company focused on integrating tax calculations into financial apps to help users make smarter financial decisions. Ben discusses his entrepreneurial journey, challenges faced when building April, and the importance of simplifying tax processes for consumers. The conversation delves into how April's technology leverages data to create a more efficient and seamless tax filing experience. It also touches on the potential for positive disruption in the financial industry by embedding tax-related services in financial apps.

In this episode of Fintech Impact, host Jason Pereira interviews Yelena Shkolnik, Partner at Jump Capital, a venture capital firm specializing in fintechs at the Series A level. The conversation explores the firm's approach to investments, particularly how they evaluate companies transitioning from startup to a more established phase, focusing on consistent, repeatable revenue streams and team dynamics. They discuss the transition from founder-led sales to institutionalized processes and provide insights into market trends, product validation, and scaling strategies, all within the fintech sector.

In this episode of Fintech Impact, Jason Pereira interviews John Connell, CEO and Co-founder of Focal, an AI-driven meeting notation software. They discuss Focal's mission to enhance client relationship management for financial advisors, emphasizing proactive AI solutions beyond simple note-taking. John shares insights on Focal’s development journey, the role of AI agents, and the niche they are carving in the wealth management and tech landscape. They also explore the importance of regulatory compliance and the challenges and opportunities faced in integrating AI into financial advisory workflows.

In this episode of Financial Planning for Canadian Business Owners, host Jason welcomes John Pelley, Co-founder and CEO of Colibri Financial Services Agents. John explains how Colibri offers fractional treasury manager services, diving into the intricacies of optimizing banking fees, loan structures, and merchant services for small businesses. They discuss why typical banking relationships are suboptimal and how Colibri provides a tailored review to unlock potential savings. John shares insights on how often businesses should revisit their financial structures and provides advice for small businesses on working effectively with banks. Tune in to understand the importance of competitive banking and the benefits of outsourcing treasury services.

In this episode of 'Financial Planning for Canadian Business Owners,' Jason welcomes Aaron Hector, President of the Institute of Advanced Financial Planners (IAFP). They discuss the Institute's role as the governing body for the Registered Financial Planner (RFP) designation, its stringent qualification process, and the ongoing support provided to its members. The conversation also highlights the importance of working with highly qualified financial planners, the benefits of the RFP designation, and the IAFP's commitment to introducing a fiduciary standard to elevate the profession in Canada. They provide practical advice for selecting a financial planner and emphasize the significance of specialized knowledge in serving clients' specific needs.

In this episode of Financial Planning for Canadian Business Owners, Jason hosts Tasha Batstone, President and CEO of FP Canada, to discuss the importance of finding credible financial planners. They delve into FP Canada's role as a certifying body, the significance of the CFP standard, the process to attain CFP certification, and the introduction of the QAFP designation for clients with less complex financial planning needs. The episode also emphasizes the robust enforcement mechanisms FP Canada employs to ensure public protection and trust in financial planning professionals.

In this episode, host Jason Pereira welcomes Julia Chung, Chairperson of the Financial Planning Association of Canada (FPAC), to discuss the importance of professionalizing financial planning. They explore the establishment of FPAC, the different levels of membership, and the significance of the fiduciary standard. FPAC's commitment to continuous education, a unified vision, and creating a supportive community for financial planners is also highlighted. Julia emphasizes the value of finding advisors who genuinely seek to improve clients' financial lives and the collaborative nature of FPAC in providing top-tier financial advice.

A few weeks ago, I published a critique of Questrade’s marketing and brand promise. As the post gained traction, several people publicly commented both in support and opposition to the article, and many more reached out privately.

More and more Financial Advisors are having to act as their own Chief Technology Officers. In order to help facilitate advisors’ efforts, I have complied a market survey of technology products that can help advisors to enable their practice.

There’s one company in Canada that financial advisors almost universally hate: Questrade. It’s no mystery as to why; after all, Questrade has – for years – focused its marketing efforts on ads attacking the advisory industry, questioning our value and above all else, our cost.

In recent years, podcasting has grown from its humble hobbyist origins to become a big, global business. It’s estimated that there are currently over 1 million active podcasts, featuring 30 million podcast episodes available in over 100 languages. Stats tell us that more than one in five Americans currently listen to podcasts weekly, and the numbers are only going in one direction: up.