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Janea Dieno

Brightrock Financial

Community Champion | Saskatoon, SK

More than a business, a family

As a young girl, Janea Dieno often listened to her father and uncle ‘talk stocks’ over wine at the kitchen table and she hung onto every word. At the time, she had no idea that exciting world would become such a prominent part of her future. Janea went on to a successful career in sales and marketing, but eventually was ready for change. When her uncle suggested she give the financial industry a try, she took the leap.

Janea started out at her uncle’s Managing General Agency (MGA) where she made cold calls to sell insurance and quickly knew she had found her calling. She grew a book of business and eventually became a Certified Financial Planner.

In 2015, Financial Horizons Group acquired her uncle’s MGA and turned her small family business into a bigger ‘family’ business. “Financial Horizons Group has been great,” Janea says, “they help smaller businesses evolve into being more corporate minded. They’re established, credible, and backed by fantastic experience.”

Janea believes one of her greatest assets is helping clients develop a good relationship with cash flow. She starts every plan by educating her clients about spending so they can understand their current situation and set goals for the future.

Janea’s home community of Saskatoon is rich in natural resources and many of her clients are affected by being dependent on pipelines and railway systems. She makes a point of always coming to the table educated and with a genuine interest in the challenges her clients are facing. “I develop trust by being genuine, authentic and relatable. Anything I recommend to my clients I have considered for my own portfolio – I believe in what I’m doing and make sure I communicate that.”

When she isn’t relating to clients through business, Janea is often connecting with them in the community. She’s been involved with READ Saskatoon for 15 years and is passionate about supporting adult literacy. “It is hard to believe that one in three adults struggle with literacy on a daily basis. Imagine the barriers it places in front of employment, managing their finances, and helping their children with schoolwork. I am proud to be a part of the change READ Saskatoon provides to our province and city.”

Trevor Watters

Watters Financial

Community Champion | Winchester, ON

Building connections through deep community roots

Connecting with clients at a community level has been a key driver in the success of Watters Financial. In his small farming township of Winchester, Ontario, Trevor Watters takes every opportunity to get involved. “There’s a flavour of life here that I really relish, I try to give back as much as I can,” he says. Watters participates in annual community events like Rib Fest and Bike Night, and even teamed up with his staff to bake and hand-out 300 cupcakes on Cupcake Day. He is an avid supporter of the Ottawa Valley Aid for Chernobyl Children (OVACC) and hosts a child from Belarus in his home each summer.

Trevor prides himself on having regular face-to-face contact with each of his clients in order to get to know them on a personal level and build trust. He’s seen technology bring incredible changes in terms of clients accessing financial information online and continues to take an education-first approach. When it comes to helping clients understand what’s reliable and reasonable, Watters says, “education is key.”

Recognizing that many people get nervous when it comes to finances, he focuses on clients’ goals, what’s worked in the past, and where they want to be in the future.
Trevor appreciates that Financial Horizons Group keeps a pulse on the industry and offers regular training to support current trends. “Working with Financial Horizons Group, I get access to a larger range of wholesalers, companies, specialized products, and tax and legal experts, which is all a huge benefit to my clients,” he says.

He believes that at some point in life, everyone needs someone like him—a voice of experience with a holistic understanding of the financial landscape—and that investing in ongoing training and always making time for a client’s call, yields the greatest return.

What’s next for Watters? He recently announced that his son Lucas has joined the business to focus on insurance. “Financial Horizons Group has been providing Lucas with excellent training and I’m so proud to be sharing this with him.” The community has already come to know and love Trevor’s French Bulldog, Wolfgang—whose presence in the office quickly earned him the role of company mascot—and now with Lucas joining the team, they’ll have another great reason to drop in and say hello.

Natasha Brazeau

Coughlin & Associates Ltd.

Community Champion | Ottawa, ON / Gatineau, QC

Success through the value of convenience

Mentors can have a great impact on your career path and your life, and that’s just what happened with Natasha Brazeau. A dear friend once gave her this empowering advice, “Surround yourself with successful people so you can continuously learn from others and improve in every aspect of your life, both professionally and personally.” These words have stayed with her through the years. Today she lives that advice by seeking out professional development opportunities and is always on the lookout for the opportunity to learn from her peers.

Natasha’s passion towards mentorship extends to her local community. She stays active in women’s business groups and takes opportunities to mentor women whenever possible. It’s often those who have been positively impacted by others who are able and willing to give back.

In her business, Natasha’s focus is to truly understand the financial needs of her clients. “I take pride in being able to offer the best solution to address my clients’ needs – helping them achieve their financial goals for themselves, their families,” she says.

Every client is different. Different goals, different willingness to take risks in the marketplace. As such, a one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn’t work. Natasha’s commitment to knowing her clients helps to tailor a customized approach for each of them, at each stage in their life. She remarks, “the most important skill for any financial advisor—whether they specialize in wealth management, insurance or are holistic planners—is to listen to your clients. Ask them questions. Get to know them. Truly hear what they are saying.”

“Since, working with Coughlin & Associates, People Corporation and Financial Horizons Group, I have found partners that allow me to offer the best options to my clients, access to tools and expertise. They help me to support the unique needs of my clients. There’s nothing more important.”

As Natasha looks to the future, she sees an ever changing landscape. Years ago, Natasha had adapted and optimized the use of technology and alternative solutions. Now, clients realize the value of convenience and look to purchase in a similar fashion to Amazon or eBay. Speed and convenience are essential – the use of technology and alternative solutions, both open more doors and create additional business opportunities. One thing will always be paramount, one thing will never change: advisors need to listen to their clients.