A Squamish financial advisor has been named one of Canada’s 42 women of influence.
Janet Bride, associate investment advisor at HollisWealth, a division of Scotia Capital Inc. was included in the list of 42 women in Wealth Professional magazine’s Women of Influence report, released March 3.
Premier of Alberta Rachel Notley also made the list, in addition to other financial industry leaders.
“It really is a great honour,” Bride said of making the list when she spoke to The Squamish Chief from her office Friday. “I felt very grateful to be included.”
Bride’s upbringing foreshadowed a career in finance.
“I grew up in a family of entrepreneurs,” she said, adding she learned the value of money at an early age.
At nine years old, she worked at her uncle’s Italian restaurant running the coat check, and later, she folded towels or swept the floors at her mom’s hair salon.
“My mom was a big inspiration for me. She taught me to be independent and hard-working,” Bride said.
After she graduated from university, Bride realized she wanted to be a financial planner.
“I knew I was good with numbers and enjoyed finance, but more importantly I truly wanted to help people. What is better than helping people follow their dreams with a financial plan?” she asked.
Women are somewhat rare in the world of finance. About 12 per cent of advisors are female, according to recent PriceMetrix data.
“It’s still skewed – there are still more men in the industry, for sure,” Bride said. “But I think there are more women willing to come in and get involved, and I think a lot more women are going to enter the industry in the near future.”
The average planner is around 58 years old, she added. “Some people will be retiring in the next few years, and I think there are a lot of opportunities for women to partner with, learn from and mentor their peers.”
Bride recently became a partner with senior investment advisor David Sweeney at HollisWealth.
“I would love to encourage women to come into financial planning as a possible career opportunity if they are interested in finances and working with people,” Bride said. “I find it allows for a good work-life balance, especially living here in Squamish, but it involves continuous learning and hard work.”
Bride said she welcomes any women interested in her field to contact her to ask questions or find out more about the industry. “My door is always open,” she said.
They’re also welcome to ask about financial planning in general. According to a report, roughly 87 per cent female consumers would like to hire an advisor, but only 17 per cent actually do.
In addition to financial planning, Bride has a passion for travel. To date, she said, she has visited more than 40 countries.
