The Polestar Podcast – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Episode Highlights 

• 2025 felt volatile — yet most major markets finished strongly positive.
• Canada’s TSX surged, powered by banks, energy, and precious metals.
• The 2025 April tariff sell-off: what felt alarming vs. what truly mattered.
• Why disciplined diversification outperformed emotional reactions.
• What the investment team is watching as 2026 begins.

About the Guest – Keith Allan

Keith Allan is a Portfolio Manager with Harness Investment Management. Harness has engaged in a strategic partnership with VELA Wealth and provides discretionary portfolio management for many of VELA’s clients. With more than 15 years of buy-side investment management experience, Keith brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to provide insight and guidance to clients regarding their investment portfolios. At Harness, Keith is responsible for developing and maintaining investment portfolios for VELA clients. To learn more, please visit Harness Investment Management team page.

About the Host – Kevin Parton

Kevin Parton, CFP professional, specializes in personal and business financial planning, tax reduction, and estate planning. Kevin is diligently concentrating on client education as a powerful strategy for building financial certainty. As no financial situation is the same, Kevin and his team monitor clients’ plans and implement personalized strategies to reduce their personal and corporate taxes, and protect their income, assets, and loved ones against the financial consequences of a serious illness, injury or death, ensuring clients maintain financial certainty and peace of mind. To read more, please visit the VELA team page.

Disclaimer

The information provided in the podcast transcript is designed for general informational purposes only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual or on any specific security or investment product.  

Episode Highlights  

• Strong YTD for equities: Clients who stayed invested captured the 2025 bull market.
• Valuations are high, but room remains: Tech/AI leadership and retail flows can still support gains.
• The market and the economy don’t move in lockstep: Softer labour data and mixed inflation don’t directly dictate stock moves.
• Rates are uncertain: One cut behind us; future cuts are data-dependent—plan, don’t predict.
• Gold’s big run: Keep it as a diversifier; consider trimming profits rather than overweighting it.
• ...and more.

About the Guest – Keith Allan

Keith Allan is a Portfolio Manager with Harness Investment Management. Harness has engaged in a strategic partnership with VELA Wealth and provides discretionary portfolio management for many of VELA’s clients. With more than 15 years of buy-side investment management experience, Keith brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to provide insight and guidance to clients regarding their investment portfolios. At Harness, Keith is responsible for developing and maintaining investment portfolios for VELA clients. To learn more, please visit Harness Investment Management team page.

About the Host – Kevin Parton

Kevin Parton, CFP professional, specializes in personal and business financial planning, tax reduction, and estate planning. Kevin is diligently concentrating on client education as a powerful strategy for building financial certainty. As no financial situation is the same, Kevin and his team monitor clients’ plans and implement personalized strategies to reduce their personal and corporate taxes, and protect their income, assets, and loved ones against the financial consequences of a serious illness, injury or death, ensuring clients maintain financial certainty and peace of mind. To read more, please visit the VELA team page.

Disclaimer

The information provided in the podcast transcript is designed for general informational purposes only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual or on any specific security or investment product.  

This episode highlights:

• Navigating market uncertainty
• Tariffs, trade & Canada’s economy
• Bullish opportunities in the U.S. market
• Strategies to protect your portfolio
• The importance of common sense over panic

About the Guest – Keith Allan

Keith Allan is a portfolio manager at Harness Investment Management. Harness has engaged in a strategic partnership with VELA Wealth and provides discretionary portfolio management for many of VELA’s clients. With more than 15 years of buy-side investment management experience, Keith brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to provide insight and guidance to clients regarding their investment portfolios. At Harness, Keith is responsible for developing and maintaining investment portfolios for VELA clients. To learn more, please visit the Harness Investment Management team page.

About the Host – Rob Wallis

Rob has been providing expert planning and strategic advice for nearly 20 years, and has been with VELA Wealth since 2016. Rob excels at working with entrepreneurial professionals and business owners to define their individual ecosystems and establish meaningful life and financial goals. A methodical and analytical thinker, Rob compassionately navigates clients through the complexities of a thorough financial planning process ensuring that they feel understood and supported throughout. To read more, please visit the VELA team page.

Disclaimer

The information provided in the podcast transcript is designed for general informational purposes only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual or on any specific security or investment product.  

Key highlights of this episode:

• How tech giants like NVIDIA and Microsoft drove explosive market growth in 2024.
• Debunking myths about speculative growth and highlighting the solid fundamentals behind last year’s success.
• What interest rates drop mean for your portfolio—and why cash might no longer be king.
• How the new political landscape could shape opportunities in U.S. and Canadian equities.
• Practical tips for balancing risk, seizing opportunities, and staying aligned with your financial goals.

About the Guest – Keith Allan

Keith Allan is a Portfolio Manager with Harness Investment Management. Harness has engaged in a strategic partnership with VELA Wealth and provides discretionary portfolio management for many of VELA’s clients. With more than 15 years of buy-side investment management experience, Keith brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to provide insight and guidance to clients regarding their investment portfolios. At Harness, Keith is responsible for developing and maintaining investment portfolios for VELA clients. To learn more, please visit Harness Investment Management team page.

About the Host – Kevin Parton

Kevin Parton, CFP professional, specializes in personal and business financial planning, tax reduction, and estate planning. Kevin is diligently concentrating on client education as a powerful strategy for building financial certainty. As no financial situation is the same, Kevin and his team monitor clients’ plans and implement personalized strategies to reduce their personal and corporate taxes, and protect their income, assets, and loved ones against the financial consequences of a serious illness, injury or death, ensuring clients maintain financial certainty and peace of mind. To read more, please visit the VELA team page.

About the Guest – Morgyn Chandler

Morgyn Chandler is the Managing Partner at Hammerco Lawyers and leads the firm's civil sexual assault group. She is a forceful advocate with a successful track record of winning exceptional results for her clients.

With over a decade of litigation experience, Morgyn has a reputation for successful resolution based on persuasive and astute legal strategies. She believes that establishing and maintaining open, honest, and ongoing communication with her clients is critical to ensuring the best possible outcome.

In addition to practicing in the areas of personal injury and estate litigation, Morgyn is the practice lead for Hammerco’s civil sexual assault group. She acts on behalf of survivors of sexual assault and is a powerful advocate for her clients against both individual and institutional defendants.Morgyn believes that survivors deserve to be heard, and respected, and deserve the opportunity to hold perpetrators accountable. 

Morgyn is a sought-after speaker in her field and has been named for her work in Personal Injury Litigation by Best Lawyers in Canada since 2020.

Learn more about Morgyn at Hammerco Lawyers LLP and get in touch with her on LinkedIn, Morgyn Chandler.

About the Host – Kevin Parton

Kevin Parton, CFP professional, specializes in personal and business financial planning, tax reduction, and estate planning. Kevin diligently concentrates on client education as a powerful strategy for building financial certainty. As no financial situation is the same, Kevin and his team monitor clients’ plans and implement personalized strategies to reduce their personal and corporate taxes, and protect their income, assets, and loved ones against the financial consequences of a serious illness, injury or death, ensuring clients maintain financial certainty and peace of mind. To read more, please visit the VELA team page.

Kevin Parton and Keith Allan cover the latest in financial markets with some compelling highlights:

• Q3 Market Trends: How did the typically quiet summer months shape up, and what might that mean for Q4?
• Interest Rate Shifts: With new cuts in Canada and the U.S., they discuss the potential impact on holiday spending and the broader economy.
• TD Bank's Record Fine: A major headline in finance—how will this affect TD’s reputation and future growth?
• Gold’s Unusual Surge: Gold's standout performance this year prompts a closer look at its role in portfolios.

About the Guest – Keith Allan

Keith Allan is a Portfolio Manager with Harness Investment Management. Harness has engaged in a strategic partnership with VELA Wealth and provides discretionary portfolio management for many of VELA’s clients. With more than 15 years of buy-side investment management experience, Keith brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to provide insight and guidance to clients regarding their investment portfolios. At Harness, Keith is responsible for developing and maintaining investment portfolios for VELA clients. To learn more, please visit Harness Investment Management team page.

About the Host – Kevin Parton

Kevin Parton, CFP professional, specializes in personal and business financial planning, tax reduction, and estate planning. Kevin is diligently concentrating on client education as a powerful strategy for building financial certainty. As no financial situation is the same, Kevin and his team monitor clients’ plans and implement personalized strategies to reduce their personal and corporate taxes, and protect their income, assets, and loved ones against the financial consequences of a serious illness, injury or death, ensuring clients maintain financial certainty and peace of mind. To read more, please visit the VELA team page.

Disclaimer

The information provided in the podcast transcript is designed for general informational purposes only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual or on any specific security or investment product.  

In this episode of the Polestar Podcast, we will talk about:

• Ricky Zhang's Journey: From passionate traveler to founding Prince of Travel, a leading platform for Canadians to maximize credit card rewards for luxurious travel.
• Practical Tips: Advice on optimizing credit cards and rewards programs to get the most value from travel spending.
• Unlocking Premium Travel: Ricky shares how to convert points into airline miles and hotel stays, making premium flights and accommodations affordable.

About the Guest - Ricky Zhang

Ricky Zhang first had the idea to start a travel blog in 2016, inspired by his growing passion for traveling the world using points and miles. After graduating and starting a corporate job with one of the Big 5 banks, Ricky felt unfulfilled, despite the stable position.

Encouraged by his then-girlfriend, now wife, he decided to pursue his passion. After months of searching, he finally landed on the name "Prince of Travel" and launched the blog. Today, Ricky has shared hundreds of stories, inspiring others to travel the world in style for less.

Prince of Travel is a team of expert travellers dedicated to educating, informing, and inspiring readers on maximizing the power of Miles & Points to travel the world at a fraction of the price.

About the Host – Rob Wallis

Rob has been providing expert planning and strategic advice for nearly 20 years, and has been with VELA Wealth since 2016. Rob excels at working with entrepreneurial professionals and business owners to define their individual ecosystems and establish meaningful life and financial goals. A methodical and analytical thinker, Rob compassionately navigates clients through the complexities of a thorough financial planning process ensuring that they feel understood and supported throughout. To read more, please visit the VELA team page.

Podcast Highlights:

• Discover Skipper Otto's values on sustainability and the importance of preserving Indigenous finishing practices.
• Explore how Skipper Otto has reimagined the "farm-to-table" experience to connect customers to the stories of fishing families.
• Listen to Sonia discuss the role of a system-oriented approach in enabling sustainable practices and how it was essential to becoming a B-Corp Certified corporation.
• Familiarize yourself with Sonia's perspectives on entrepreneurship and business ownership, emphasizing the significance of incremental progress to prevent feelings of overwhelm and ultimately achieve greater success.

About the Guest – Sonia Strobel

Sonia is a visionary leader and entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Co-founder of Skipper Otto Community Supported Fishery, an innovative solution for home cooks to source premium, wild seafood directly from independent, Canadian fishing families. Under her leadership Skipper Otto has grown both in size and scale, helping to transform the way Canadians eat local seafood.

Sonia is also a sought-after speaker on sustainable fisheries and local food systems. She relentlessly advocates for the rights of independent small-scale, community-based fishers and seeks to protect their way of life in Canada. Her ability to synthesize and communicate about complex issues in the fishing industry enables her to consistently engage Canadians to advocate for meaningful change. Sonia’s leadership continues to earn her many accolades including winner of Coralus (formerly SheEO) in 2015; Veuve Cliquot Business Woman Award 2018 Canadian finalist; winner of the Forum’s 2019 Pitch Finale; Inc Magazine's list of the top 100 female entrepreneurs of 2020; and finalist in the BC Food and Beverage Women Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2023 and frequent invitations to speak at the House of Commons and major decision making tables.

About the Host – Kevin Parton

Kevin Parton, CFP professional, specializes in personal and business financial planning, tax reduction, and estate planning. Kevin diligently concentrates on client education as a powerful strategy for building financial certainty. As no financial situation is the same, Kevin and his team monitor clients’ plans and implement personalized strategies to reduce their personal and corporate taxes, and protect their income, assets, and loved ones against the financial consequences of a serious illness, injury or death, ensuring clients maintain financial certainty and peace of mind. To read more, please visit the VELA team page.

Podcast Highlights:

• Discover the begining of the Flavelle family's ownership of Purdys Chocolatier in 1963, initiated by Charles Flavelle and Eric Wilson.
• Karen shares her journey into business, influenced by her father's success from a young age, leading her to pursue her passion for business and marketing.
• Learn about Karen’s determination to become a part of the family business despite initial challenges and rejections and how her passion propelled her to becoming the powerhouse of Purdys.
• Learn about the enduring values of quality, sustainability, and philanthropy at Purdys.

About the Guest – Karen Flavelle

Many different experiences have provided the toolbox for Karen to successfully lead Purdys, the largest Chocolatier in Canada, a BCom from Queen's, living in Japan and Asia for 2 years, speaking fluent French, being trained in classic packaged goods marketing at General Mills, developing innovative new products at Product Development Partnership in the UK, and growing a popular chain of 140 restaurants: Swiss Chalet. 

Karen's personal mission is to help people connect, to strengthen existing relationships and build new ones. At almost 117 years old, Purdys Chocolatier is a delicate balance between tradition and innovation, giving customers their favorites while exciting them with new ideas and new chocolates. In addition, Purdys contributes to many, local Canadian organizations focusing on helping children and their families. 

About the Host – Jason Boudreau

Jason has built VELA Wealth into an established life and estate planning firm, guiding families as they make meaningful choices at the intersection of life and wealth. Jason’s areas of expertise include intergenerational wealth transfer and estate planning with a focus on advanced insurance-based solutions that incorporate philanthropy and legacy planning. Leveraging these specialties, Jason brings a fresh perspective and outside-the-box thinking to the strategic planning process. To read more, please visit the VELA team page.

Podcast Highlights:

·       Listen to Andrew Ladd, a former NHL player and current performance coach, talk about his journey from childhood to the NHL. 

·       Discover how his competitive nature and ambition to win played a crucial part in his NHL success and continue to be one of the pillars that drives him forward to success today.

·       Learn about his personal experience with injury and mental health struggles and how he overcame them while simultaneously making a difference for others in the sport.

·       Andrew shares the impact the 1616 program has on young athletes and the impact it’s had on hundreds of teams.

·       Discover how to overcome adversity, discomfort, and challenges with helpful performance advice.

About the Guest – Andrew Ladd

Andrew Ladd is a coach at Novus Global, bringing a wealth of experience and a genuine passion for unlocking the full potential of athletes both on and off the ice. As a retired professional hockey player and two-time Stanley Cup champion, his career serves as a testament to his deep understanding of the game and the resilience required for success.

Beyond his achievements in the hockey world, Andrew, alongside his wife Brandy, co-founded the Ladd Foundation and 1616, a holistic mental, physical, and social well-being experience tailored for youth hockey teams. This innovative initiative aims to foster healthy development among young athletes, emphasizing not only their skills on the ice but also their mental and social growth.

Andrew's journey from a successful playing career to coaching and philanthropy showcases his multifaceted approach to life. His leadership extends beyond the rink, leaving a lasting legacy in the world of hockey and making a positive impact on the lives of athletes through his coaching, foundation, and community initiatives.

About the Host – Kevin Parton

Kevin Parton, CFP professional, specializes in personal and business financial planning, tax reduction, and estate planning. Kevin diligently concentrates on client education as a powerful strategy for building financial certainty. As no financial situation is the same, Kevin and his team monitor clients’ plans and implement personalized strategies to reduce their personal and corporate taxes, and protect their income, assets, and loved ones against the financial consequences of a serious illness, injury or death, ensuring clients maintain financial certainty and peace of mind. To read more, please visit the VELA team page.