Like most kids growing up, my introduction to personal finance came from watching my parents with their finances. 

Let's be honest, the "money talk" was often a taboo topic... which in reality just made me more curious about this "thing" that could cause so much happiness, tension and relief. 

Over time, my curiosity about how money impacted peoples emotions and my desire to help my parents with their own retirement plan began to take shape.

Fast forward a few years and I find myself working towards my finance degree at the University of Saskatchewan.  It was around 2009 when my parents really started to ask me for some retirement planning advice and I will admit, I was still a little green.

I remember the first time I went to one of their bank meetings to give them a second opinion.   The first thing that struck me was the advisors focus on selling my parents "the best mutual fund," as if that was the answer to all of their retirement planning woes.

This just didn't sit right with me.

When I thought back to being around my parents and listening to them talk about their finances, not once do I recall them discussing how good their mutual fund was.  Not even close.  They had real concerns that just weren't being answered.

When will we be able to retire?
Are there ways we can pay less tax?
Should we be doing anything differently?

It was after this meeting with my parents bank advisor that I knew I was headed in the right direction.

Fast forward a decade.

I have had the privilege of helping my parents and hundreds of people just like them answer their retirement concerns and help create a sustainable retirement income for life.