Chris’ STORY
How does an opera singer end up
as a financial planner?
I’m Chris. And after 10 years of singing on opera stages I’ve found my way into financial coaching and planning.
How did that happen?
Well… the first time I walked in to a bank and made an appointment with one of the fancy people in an office… I was terrified.
I knew very little about money. In fact, I was fresh off of my financial rock bottom: a situation involving ignored calls from the tax people and a bunch of debt.
So when I wanted to get serious about my money I went to the ‘experts’. The very nice woman I spoke with attempted to convince me to use the funds in my tax account (the money I had set aside for the CRA… so as to avoid more tax debt) to buy mutual funds.
She didn’t understand the financial life of an opera singer.
She didn’t understand why I needed a tax account or why I had to put aside a chunk of my money to cover basic upcoming costs… because I had no work lined up for a few months.
I didn’t fit in to her world, and I felt it.
I built this practise for those of us who feel like financial misfits
Over the years I’ve come a long way. I’m no longer that terrified money person. I’ve fallen in love with the idea of financial stability and what it can mean for the creative community.
And so, I wanted to create a place for people to go and get financial help.. where they’d be understood.
A practise for people who don’t have traditional lives, or who feel alienated by the language of finance.
For more information on how I work and what it might cost click here.
Opera AND finance??
It’s an odd combination, but to me it’s the same job… taking something that many people find boring and making it come alive with relevance.
It’s what I’ve, hopefully, done for over a decade on the stage, and it’s what I aim to do with my clients.
I want to learn about you – who you are, and what kind of life you want to build…. then I want to connect the right financial tools to that life, and make them relevant … maybe even convince you how those tools can make everything in your life so much easier.
What are your qualifications?
Multiple arts degrees might not convince you of my financial credibility.
I am a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP) which is the most recognized financial planning designation in the world.
That means I’ve studied topics like cashflow – debt – retirement – insurance – investments and estate planning.
I’m constantly working on new courses, and recently got a certification in Cross Border planning (with an emphasis on U.S./Canada planning issues) .
Do you work with non-canadians?
Some of the work that I do is specifically for Canadians. That’s where my training is, and I really can’t help you with things like tax issues in the USA or Australia.
But if you want to work on money fundamentals – things like building a budget, finding more money for debt, or managing variable income – those things I can help you with.
Please send me an email if you’re interested in that kind of work no matter where you live!
I promised I’ll be the first one to tell you if I’m not the right fit.
What if I can't afford to work with you?
My mission here is to make sure that everyone who needs financial help can get it.
If you are really looking for some face-to-face help, but don’t have the money right now, I encourage you to sign up for my monthly OFFICE HOURS.
I do 3-4 hours of free money coachings every month, and although we will not be able to go into as much depth there as we would in a planning or coaching scenario, I can still help guide you to the next step.
If you’re interested working with me more intensely, why not apply for PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN FINANCIAL PLANNING. A program where low-income earners can apply for full or partial subsidies on financial planning.