In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Rudy Pineda—Chartered Life Underwriter, Certified Health Specialist, and Director of Advanced Sales at PPI—shares his journey from Guatemala to Canada, and the life-changing events that shaped his purpose in the insurance industry. Rudy opens up about navigating a contested inheritance, the emotional toll of caregiving, and the financial realities of funding life-saving cancer treatment. Together with host Reh Bhanji, Rudy explores how insurance can bridge the gap between life’s unpredictable turns and long-term financial well-being—and why holistic risk planning is more essential than ever.

Great leadership isn’t born—it’s coached.

In this episode of Discovery Series: Unplugged, Ted Girard, Senior Director of DFSIN Ontario Central, shares lessons learned from years of coaching—both on the field and in the financial services industry. Drawing inspiration from his early baseball coaching days, Ted discusses how strategy, execution, and mindset shape high-performing advisor teams.

Whether you’re building your book of business or leading others, Ted’s insights into growth, leadership, and change management offer a practical blueprint for success.

Tune in for:

• How coaching principles apply to advisor development

• Growth strategies that drive lasting success

• Leading change through execution and teamwork

• Building resilient, high-impact teams

How do we accelerate action when life throws us loss, grief, and the unexpected? In this special live episode of the Discovery Series: Unplugged, financial security advisor and volunteer firefighter Paula Andreychuk shares her powerful personal story—one that begins in professional sports, turns through tragic loss, and lands in a place of purpose.

Recorded at the Advocis Toronto International Women’s Day event, this conversation covers:

• A life insurance claim that didn’t pay—and why

• How grief shaped Paula’s mission to protect others

• Turning trauma into advocacy through peer counselling and firefighting

• Lessons for advisors navigating conversations around life, loss, and legacy

With honesty, resilience, and a dash of grit, Paula reminds us what it means to serve with empathy—and to move through life with intention.

Her symbol? An arrow. Because no matter how far she’s pulled back, she always fires forward.

How can advisors power up their business owner conversations and unlock new insurance and pension opportunities? In this high-energy episode, Leo Deblois, Pension Analyst and Business Development Advisor at SFL Wealth Management, joins us to break down how Executive Pension Plans (EPPs) can simplify retirement planning, create major tax efficiencies, and open the door to powerful cross-selling opportunities in the corporate market.

Drawing from his background as a competitive hockey goalie, Leo shares how advisors can make “high percentage plays” with EPPs, demystify pension planning, and drive success for both their business owner clients and their own practices.

Whether you’re looking to sharpen your game or find new pathways into corporate insurance cases, this conversation is packed with practical insights you won’t want to miss!

With headlines swirling about rising global tariffs and economic uncertainty, what does it really mean for Canadian businesses—and the advisors who support them?

In this episode of the Discovery Series: Unplugged, Randall Bartlett, Senior Director of Canadian Economics at Desjardins, breaks down the latest developments in international trade and what they signal for the Canadian economy.

We unpack:

• The impact of U.S.-Canada trade tensions
• How tariffs ripple through small businesses and households
• What advisors can do to help clients prepare for volatility

Whether you’re guiding business owners or planning with incorporated professionals, this episode brings clarity to a complex economic landscape.

A Recession is Likely as Trade War Impacts Loom
Tit for Tat: What Do Retaliatory Tariffs Mean for Canadian Imports, Growth and Inflation?

What do fly fishing and insurance have in common? For Nicolas Richard, President & CEO of Desjardins Global Asset Management, both are about patience, precision, and seeing the full picture. In this episode, he explains why the investment engine behind insurance products—like Participating Whole Life—is just one part of a much bigger conversation. From demystifying the role of dividends to helping advisors bridge the gap between performance and protection, Nicolas shares insights every financial services professional should hear.

What does nuclear engineering, politics, and fashion have todo with the world of insurance? In this episode, Jeffrey Yang—Business Development Director at Advice Canada and host of Penny For Your Thoughts—joins us to share his unconventional journey from failed advisor to industry leader.

Jeffrey opens up about early struggles in the business, themistakes that nearly derailed his career, and the powerful mindset shift that brought him back on track. From tying bow ties to tying in life lessons, he breaks down what it means to lead with purpose, build authentic connections, and turn storytelling into your strongest sales tool.

This episode is a reminder that success isn’t linear—andsometimes, it all starts with finding the courage to stand out.

At just 13 years old, Simmi Paul lost her father to a sudden heart attack—an experience that changed everything. With no life insurance, her family faced not only emotional loss, but financial hardship. That moment became the foundation of her purpose.

Now a successful Desjardins Agency Owner in Brampton, Ontario, Simmi shares her powerful journey from family caregiver to legacy builder. In this heartfelt episode, she opens up about how her early life experiences shaped her values, her leadership style, and her unwavering belief in the power of life insurance.

In this episode, Simmi shares:

✔ What it means to lead with empathy, especially in cultural communities

✔ The emotional impact of being uninsured—and how it fuels her mission

✔ Her approach to Participating Life Insurance as an investment conversation

✔ Lessons from real-life claims, including critical illness and return of premium

✔ How she built a new team from scratch and made 2024 her best year yet

Simmi’s story is a masterclass in resilience, authenticity, and advisor leadership—a must-listen for anyone who believes that personal experiences can shape powerful careers.