When it comes to navigating the corporate lattice or bringing results in 1:1 sales conversations, I’ve learned a thing or two. At this point in my career, I want to forge my own path and impart that wisdom to others to help them achieve their goals - and I want to do it in a way that addresses the shortcomings I’ve experienced with other consultants and coaches I’ve worked with throughout my career.
I’ve managed a P&L in 10s of millions, led technology implementations with a $15 million annual budget, and led a national sales team with $6 billion yearly targets. I have a proven track record of driving growth and engagement through creativity, digital innovation and first-to-market product launches in the wealth management, insurance and group retirement services segments. I have front-line experience on full commission and functional responsibility for nearly every moving part of a financial institution. As a result, I've gained insight across a broad cross-section of the industry. I’ve experienced the magic that can happen when small teams focus on a shared goal and the unintended shortcomings of large matrix organizations.
When I’m not working on SagePath's business and helping our clients grow theirs, I’m usually at the cottage playing on my tractor, doing projects or renovations.
Since 2011, I’ve been working with financial advisors to establish the identity of their practices, build impactful brand narratives, enable sales and make greater connections with clients and prospects.
Nothing gets me more jazzed professionally than when I’ve helped an advisor practice experience increased brand awareness, higher customer satisfaction and retention and faster business growth. While I enjoyed my time leading large teams in large companies overseeing marketing and distribution communications, I'm all too familiar with the shortcomings of “head office” when it comes to supporting advisors' unique businesses.
I love working with our clients to develop solutions that work and offer choice and flexibility that are as unique as their businesses.
When I’m not playing business-marketing-professional-guy, I’m usually out in the garage welding something, woodworking or squeezing every ounce of performance out of my 57’ Chevy pickup truck “tetanus”.
Helping financial advisors delight their clients is my passion.
I've led teams of 4 to 425 employees in client service, policy change, claims, communications, advertising and marketing within insurance and wealth management. My expertise includes designing engaging client experiences, processes and metrics, as well as creating communication programs across client and product lifecycles. I'm also skilled in crisis communications, and presentation development and delivery.
I love delving into what makes each advisor firm unique. Each client touch point is an opportunity to deepen and expand the relationship. Increasing the frequency and impact of those interactions – while saving advisors time – is hugely rewarding.
When I'm not mind-melding with advisors, I can usually be found in hockey rinks across Ontario or de-jungling my gardens.
They say a picture is worth 1000 words, I believe this couldn’t be truer for every element of a business's brand and marketing collateral as it creates an emotional response before anyone reads the first word. For over 25 years I’ve been leading creative teams to enable the largest financial services brands in the country to maximize ROI, brand awareness and building connections with customers. My focus is a solid strategy and compelling, impactful creative. I’ve also spent lots of time helping small businesses in my community craft impactful stories through custom photography and video creation that helps their brand stand out in a crowd and supports their strategic goals.
When I’m not managing the development of visual and media collateral, I’m can be found outside playing with my drone, taking pictures of natural landscapes or kiteboarding.
I come to the table with over 10 years of experience in the financial services industry in communications and digital platform administration. Prior to that I worked for a large tech organization as a project coordinator.
What really gets me excited is working together with advisors, firms and enterprises to build meaningful digital experiences for their clients and prospects that showcase the power of their brands and their unique offerings. My goal is to work with clients to ensure their needs are met with precision and care.
When I’m not working with clients to deliver amazing digital experiences, I’m usually found playing board games with friends, playing my classical guitar, and spending time with my wife and corgi Finn.
I'm happiest when I’m in an engaging environment where ideas are shared, things get done, results are achieved and people grow personally and professionally. In my almost four decades as an IT professional the world of business technology has dramatically changed. I've cheerfully changed with these shifts to stay ahead of challenges and maximize opportunities for the companies and teams I've led. At this phase in my career, I’m looking forward to helping many businesses evolve their technology offering and operations and achieve their business goals.
Starting from the lowest rung as an IT practitioner, I've experienced, supported and guided many transformations with technology as an enabler and a driver of operational effectiveness and synergistic efficiency (i.e. material cost savings). During my own transformation, I have honed and expanded my skills through many interactions, formal IT-business education and a commitment to learning. This has given me renewed and sharpened perspectives to make crucial decisions and lead teams of highly skilled IT experts in Data, Software Engineering and Systems Development, Risk & Compliance management, IT Operations, as well as Planning, Budgeting and Measurement for continuous improvement.
From being a team lead to IT Manager, Director to AVP, and finally an executive as Vice President of Digital Technology at one of Canada's largest and most respected insurance companies, my journey has given me the opportunity to transform and enable business results. With a strong sense of purpose and camaraderie, the teams I've selected and grown, augmented by local and global partnerships, have risen to meet challenges and driven results that exceed business expectations in the ever-changing competitive business environment. My forte has traditionally been implementing Information Technology geared towards the financial sector – group & individual insurance, wealth management, benefits and pensions – but the practical approaches I take can easily transfer to any business model, sector or organization. I'm proud to have established the first Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) team and introduce a cohort of Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Process Specialists. This while providing day-to-day leadership & guidance to the then nascent team of Data Scientists at my former employer.
As I’m passionate about helping others grow, I’ve also been focused on sharing the knowledge I’ve gained over my career through formal teaching as an Adjunct Faculty at two universities and informally via coaching and mentoring.
Outside of work I'm a sports & aviation enthusiast and small-scale but passionate philanthropist through being a member and officer of the Kiwanis Club of Forest City – London.
When we work with clients, we bring a passion for creating value in a way that’s tangible and measurable. The same things we focused on during our time at some of Canada’s oldest and most respected financial institutions.
If you’ve hit a wall in your career progression, a project or business growth, we’ve been there and it’s normal.
SagePath Consulting is literally the marriage of wisdom (sage) and guidance (path) and we’re here to help you navigate the wall you’re facing. Climb over it, dig under it or smash through it, let’s do this!
I love to create compelling content that helps advisors connect with their clients. With a career rooted in marketing and communications, including seven years in the financial services industry, I bring both strategic expertise and hands-on experience to every project I work on.
From developing brand narratives and crisis communication strategies to shooting videos and writing the perfect Instagram caption, I’m equally comfortable with the big picture and the small details.
But what I love most? Working with businesses to find out what makes them tick and using those unique characteristics to help them tell their stories in a way that allows them to truly connect and add value for their clients.
When I’m not helping advisors or enterprises tell their stories, you can find me planning my next backcountry camping adventure with my husband or experimenting with new dessert recipes to share with our family and friends.