tracey@bissettfinancialfitness.com

Are you prepared for a financially fit holiday season? Since Halloween, we have been bombarded with holiday decorations, advertisements, and sales to prod us into the holiday spending spirit. What does this mean for you, and what actions can we take?   On today’s episode, I share with you some key economic realities for Canadians and provide tips to help you prepare and maintain your financial fitness during this giving season. I’ll also explain what influences people’s spending decisions and

Deborah Williams has 20 years of experience in the Capital Markets and Financial Services industry with a focus on retirement planning, real estate and commercial lending, and trading derivatives. She is a financial services expert and a Professor at The Business School at Centennial College where she also coaches the Financial Planning Case Competition teams. Recently, her team won the Canadian Institute of Financial Planning Regional and National Championships. She has an MBA in Finance and Marketing from the University

Many people struggle to deal with financial planning and debt, leading to high levels of stress and anxiety. Struggling with your finances can affect all parts of your life, and it can be hard to reach your life goals when you are dealing with such a burden.  If financial planning or debt is affecting you, then you are not alone. Canadians have more debt than ever before, and half of all Canadians couldn’t meet their financial obligations if their paycheck

Doug Hoyes is the co-founder of Hoyes, Michalos & Associates Inc., a personal insolvency firm that helps consumers in need of debt relief. He is a passionate advocate for ensuring that people find the right solutions to their debt problems. Doug has a BA from the University of Toronto and is a Chartered Professional Accountant and Licensed Insolvency Trustee. He is the author of Straight Talk on Your Money: The Biggest Financial Myths and Mistakes…and How to Avoid Them, hosts the popular Debt Free in 30 weekly

Almost everyone will need to make use of credit at some point in their lives, whether it’s by applying for a loan, credit card or a line of credit. There are many things that lenders take into account when you apply for credit, and the assessment of these will result in either a positive or negative lending decision.   Today, I am sharing insights into how a bank decides whether or not to give you a credit card, loan, or

Brittany Pickrem is the owner of a boutique design agency where she helps businesses and entrepreneurs build and boost their brand with smart, sophisticated design services that will help them get noticed while breaking free from the visual clutter. She has worked with personal brands, non-profit organizations, and large corporations such as People Bright Consulting Inc., the IWK Foundation, Bissett Financial Fitness Inc. and Helping Nature Heal. With over 11 years of brand design experience, she understands the power of a great brand and

Robert Gignac is the best-selling author of Rich is a State of Mind and an in-demand speaker at client events and financial industry seminars. He has delivered light-hearted yet powerful financial planning presentations and keynotes on stages such as the Ontario Association of School Business Officials, Sun Life Financial, and Say It With Power Presentations. He is passionate about helping his audience and clients understand the connection between personal responsibility and financial planning. Through his entertaining and informative speaking style, his goal

Everyone loves a gift card. When bought as a gift or delivered as a prize, gift cards make us happy. Sadly, 25% of gift cards are never used and 32% of those are simply lost. Some might say gift cards are impersonal, but for others, they are a go-to gift. For those who do love gift cards, they’re a fun way to allow someone to treat themselves.  Today, I’m sharing my top 3 tips for buying and receiving gift and prepaid cards.

Jennifer Reynolds is the President and CEO of the Toronto Financial Services Alliance (TFSA), a Toronto-based public-private partnership dedicated to promoting the area’s financial services sector and positioning it as a prominent leader in the industry worldwide. She is the current Director on the Boards of two organizations: the Canada Development Investment Corporation and the Women’s College Hospital Foundation. She has extensive experience in investment banking, venture capital, and global risk management and has received multiple awards and recognition including being

Education is critical for ensuring your financial fitness and creating a future of financial freedom. Beyond seeking advice and listening to other people’s stories on the strategies they use to make investment decisions, one of the best strategies to understand new concepts and ideas is to experiment and try new things yourself.   On today’s episode, I share how my discussion with Alan Wunsche on Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies inspired me to learn more about digital wallets and how to

Shannon Lee Simmons is a Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Investment Manager, and the founder of the New School of Finance, a fee-only financial planning firm for Canadian residents and small businesses to receive unbiased financial planning advice. She is the author of the national bestselling book Worry-Free Money: The guilt-free approach to managing your money and your life, and a regular contributor for multiple publications such as Globe and Mail, CBC’s On the Money, and Metro Morning. Additionally, she has

For many millionaires-in-the-making, getting an advance on your pay cheque may sound like a dream come true. The idea and concept of getting a payday loan may seem great on the surface – and may even help you pay for unexpected bills and expenses that come up between pay cheques – but they can often lead to long-term financial trouble.   Like any loan, payday loans need to be paid back, and many young millionaires-in-the-making may not realize the negative

Kamara Toffolo is a job search strategist, LinkedIn consultant, and resume writer who is passionate about helping high-achieving professionals around the world transition and advance their careers to the next level. She is a featured and contributing author for many publications including Business Insider, Forbes Magazine, and Inc. Magazine and has presented keynote speeches and seminars at several professional conferences, universities, corporate training, and workshops. Before working in the career development field, she has 12 years of experience in the

Monica Da Ponte is the founder of Strive, a social company that seeks to change the way we see and define financial literacy to advance our individual and collective resiliency. Her company is currently piloting a peer-to-peer based program with St. Mikes Hospital in Toronto to curate financial journeys and demonstrate the ingredients of financial success. Additionally, she holds Bachelor and Masters degrees in Business Administration from the Schulich School of Business. Monica joins me today to discuss how she

Alan Wunsche is the CEO and Chief Token Officer of TokenFunder. TokenFunder is a regulatory-compliant blockchain venture funding platform with Ontario’s first regulated Initial Token Offering.  Alan is also the Chair and Co-Founder of Blockchain Canada, a Canadian federal not-for-profit corporation with a mission to connect Canadian Blockchain Innovators and to help Canada be a leader in blockchain technology. Alan is recognized as a finance technologist focused on new blockchain business models and its disruptive impacts on global wealth distribution

Kelley Keehn is a financial educator and the Consumer Advocate for the Financial Planning Standards Council whose mission is to make Canadians feel good about money. She has written nine bestselling books with Protecting You and Your Money; A Guide to Avoiding Identity Theft and Fraud and A Canadians Guide to Money-Smart Living as the latest additions to her published work. Being a media personality and speaker, Kelley served on the National Steering Committee on Financial Literacy and has been

Jeremiah Brown is a Canadian sport system expert, keynote speaker, and the author of The 4 Year Olympian: From First Stroke to Olympic Medallist . He is the National Manager of Game Plan at the Canadian Olympic Committee, an athlete wellness and transition program that supports 3,000 Olympic, Paralympic, and national team athletes in over 54 sports. Additionally, he is a 2012 Silver Medalist as a member of the Canadian men’s eight rowing team and one of the few Olympic

Spring is in the air – and that means wedding season is quickly approaching. While weddings are a joyful celebration of two people sharing nuptials and promising to love each other forever, attending a wedding can often leave you feeling surprised by the financial expense. Being a guest at a wedding can often be more expensive than you think! This cost is magnified if you are invited to several weddings in a year. On today’s episode, I discuss the true

With over 20 years of experience working with young adults, Janet MacDonald continues to work with high school students and their parents through her company, MyCampusGPS, where she guides them through the important decisions that will significantly impact their post-secondary life. She also helps university students prepare for professional school and equips them with the necessary skills to make them employable. Due to her passion for helping youth, she has received a nomination for an RBC Women of Influence Entrepreneur

Leanne Myles is currently among the Top 20 brokers with Premiere Mortgage Centre and was one of the finalists at the 2017 Canadian Mortgage Awards for Best Alternative Lending Mortgage Broker of the Year.  Leanne is not only passionate about helping her clients but also in giving back to her community as she raises funds to pay for mortgages of sick people who are undergoing treatment. Leanne joins me today to share what a mortgage broker does and how they

Leanna Haakons is the founder of Black Hawk Financial, a firm specializing in helping clients increase brand awareness and revenue through marketing, communications, and educational services. She is a financial marketing and communications expert with over a decade of experience consulting numerous funds, private and public companies worldwide. Additionally, she is the author of the bestselling financial literacy book, Young, Fun, & Financially Free: Live the Good Life Now and Build a Kick-Ass Future, which was released in December 2017.

Every March, the Canadian government holds Fraud Prevention Month. It is a public awareness campaign that educates people about fraud and encourages them to recognize, reject and report it. The Competition Bureau works with other organizations such as the Canadian Anti-Fraud Center and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in fighting against deceit, whether online or offline. In this episode, I’m sharing some signs of frauds and scams and some ways fraudsters can trick you. I’m also sharing some reminders on

Hilda Gan is an HR specialist, mentor, entrepreneur, and the Founder and Chief People Officer of People Bright Consulting where she combines her knowledge of human resources with business acumen and experience as a business owner. Prior to establishing this new venture, Hilda and her husband built an award-winning transportation engineering consulting company that grew from a staff of two people to 125 working in seven offices across Canada. It gained numerous awards including Top 10 in the 50 Best

As the President and CEO of the Canadian Bankers Association (CBA), Neil Parmenter plays a primary role in the development of Canada’s public policy concerning financial services that contributes to a sound, successful banking system that benefits Canadians and Canada’s economy. Prior to working with CBA, he was the Senior Vice President and the Chief Communications Officer at TD Bank Group where he led and advised senior management regarding issues in communications, government relations, and public affairs. With 25 years

  In her commitment to helping entrepreneurs grow their business, Sharon Connolly leads a team as the Vice President of Financing and Consulting at Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC). With her financing experience of more than 20 years, Sharon serves as the regional sponsor for BDC’s Women Initiative Program where she provides financing and consulting services to women-owned businesses and women entrepreneurs. Sharon joins me today to share a number of business financing tips and the basics that every

I started my RRSP (Registered Retirement Savings Plan) at the age of 18 with a contribution of $25 per month – $300 a year! My parents were insistent that my budget, even while I was a student, include this long-term savings component so that my savings would benefit from compound interest. You may remember we talked about compound interest in prior episodes and it means the addition of interest to the principal of a deposit ? interest on interest. This

Gordon Stein is the Senior Vice President of Global Sales at Pronto Forms, a leading workflow automation company. Prior to his current role, he headed the Enterprise, Education & Technical Consulting teams and lead the Apple IBM Partnership for Apple Canada.  He has served on the Dean’s Advisory Council of the Engineering Faculty of Western University and is a former Governor of the Crescent School as well as the Western University Alumni Association. Gordon is the author of Cashflow Cookbook,

Super Bowl 52 is just around the corner. I’m excited about this episode as it includes so many of my favorite things money, music, and excellent hustlers — all of which are part of Super Bowl’s entertainment. This year, Justin Timberlake adds to the Super Bowl excitement as he dazzles the viewers during the halftime live performance. On today’s episode, I talk about the financials of the Super Bowl’s musical talents, specifically those of Justin Timberlake and Lady Gaga. I

Amanda Martinez is a Canadian singer and songwriter whose music exultingly blends her unique Mexican and South African roots with Latin soul. Her third and latest CD “Mañana” was helmed by GRAMMY-winning producer Javier Limón. Amanda’s previous solo albums have earned her three Latin Jazz Artist of the Year nominations at Canada’s National Jazz Awards and a win for Best World Music at the Toronto Independent Music Awards. Martinez has headlined at the legendary Blue Note jazz club in New

Ellen Wright is an experienced veterinary technician with eight years of experience in the field. Throughout her career, she has worked with countless animals and breeds. While she left her career as a veterinary technician to follow her dream of becoming a registered nurse, she still pursues her love and passion for animals, specifically cats and dogs, by offering pet sitting services. Ellen joins me today to share how you can plan to make sure you’re ready for the cost

Kristen Nolan is a high-performance health expert, international speaker, and bestselling author who helps busy professionals increase their energy and metabolism so they have the confidence to be seen, and have the stamina to have a huge impact in their careers and personal lives.  She believes that financial and professional success is 100% dependent on how energized, motivated and confident one feels and has made it her life’s mission to help driven men and women achieve success by using simple,

2018 will soon be upon us and as we look to the new year, it’s a great time for us to reflect on 2017 and our hopes for 2018. We need to be aware of how and why we spent our money the way we did this year.   “As we move forward on our collective financial fitness journey it is important to remember to take action!  Even small changes can have a big impact ? you don’t need to

Rachel Brownlow Lund is the founder of Me 2 Lead, a coaching organization that empowers ambitious millennial women to become well connected influencers and create incredible lives of impact. A passionate communicator and leadership coach, Rachel helps young women overcome feelings of ‘compare and despair’ and ‘I’m not there yet’ to become career-savvy change-makers who work, play and lead in their zone of genius. Over the years she has helped dozens of millennial women and men establish lucrative career advancement opportunities,

Are you prepared for a financially fit holiday season? Since Halloween, we have been bombarded with holiday decorations, advertisements, and sales to prod us into the holiday spending spirit. What does this mean for you, and what actions can we take?   On today’s episode, I share with you some key economic realities for Canadians and provide tips to help you prepare and maintain your financial fitness during this giving season. I’ll also explain what influences people’s spending decisions and

Welcome to the Young Money podcast – the advice show for young millionaires-in-the-making. I’m your host, Tracey Bissett, the President and Chief Financial Fitness Trainer at Bissett Financial Fitness Inc. I’m passionate about helping people – especially young adults and young entrepreneurs – learn more about their finances to be successful in their financial lives. In this episode, I’m sharing my story and how I got started in the finance industry. I’ll also explain what you can expect from this

Welcome back to the Young Money podcast the advice show for young millionaires-in-the-making. In this episode, I’m speaking with seven young money masters, ranging in ages from as young as 7 to as old as 16, and from various parts of Canada. These youth and young adults share their honest opinions and insightful answers to several key money-related questions. We discuss where money comes from, what an income means to them, how they use their money or allowance, and much

It’s hard to be a post-secondary student in today’s economic society. The grades you need to get into post-secondary schools are high and the cost of tuition gets more expensive with each passing year. Although there are often grants, scholarships, and other financial programs available, many post-secondary students use credit cards and student loans to put themselves through school. In fact, 9 out of 10 post-secondary students carry at least one credit card to help make ends meet. On today’s

Do you want to be a millionaire? This single word is loaded with multiple meanings – and those meanings are different from one person to the next. Many people have strong negative feelings and emotions about becoming a millionaire while others believe it could bring them the life of their dreams. On today’s episode, I’m going to share the plain and simple truth of what a millionaire is, how to calculate your net worth, and the difference between a millionaire

Laura Beauparlant is the owner and Creative Director of Lab Creative, a branding and design firm based in Toronto dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and small business owners align authenticity with their brand design to ensure business success. She is an award-winning public speaker that delivers inspiration and passion-filled presentations on branding and design and loves the chemistry she creates with the people she connects with. She strongly believes that the most important part of developing relationships is communication.   Laura

Knowing and understanding your credit score is critical to being financially fit. Your credit score is a determining factor for many things in your life – from buying a new car and opening a credit card account to purchasing a new home and even getting a job. Many young adults today don’t understand what their credit score means or how the financial decisions they make impact it. On today’s episode, I’m going to explain what your credit score is and

Jackie Porter is a leading expert in women and finance, a powerful voice in women financial empowerment, and a Certified Financial Planner and Advisor for busy professionals, entrepreneurs, and their families. She has nearly 20 years of experience in the financial planning industry and was recently named a finalist for the Wealth Professional Women of Influence Award for 2017. She is also the co-author of Single by Choice or Chance – a smart woman’s guide to living longer and better.

Alexandra Cote is a real estate entrepreneur, Property Coach, and Sales Representative at Sandra Rinomato Property and Brokerage where she is dedicated to helping clients reach their real estate goals. She currently serves as the President of the Downtown Toronto Condo Board, is an active member of the Government Relations in Affordable Housing Committees, volunteers for the Toronto Real Estate Board, and has served as a member of the Young Professionals Network Committee. She has received numerous awards and recognition

Are you selling more than ever before, but finding that you have no money in your bank account to pay your business expenses? Are you overdrawing on your bank account or line of credit? Perhaps you’re struggling to pay your suppliers in a timely manner which is resulting in delayed shipments. Maybe you’re receiving calls or letters in the mail regarding overdue bills. On today’s episode, I’m sharing the three biggest financial mistakes that many small businesses make when growing