Danielle M. Slavin & Brent L. Nichols of RBC Dominion Securities
Finding natural simplicity within the complexity of life
Building relationships with families by helping them achieve their goals is the foundation of what we do with clients.
Over the years, we have developed an investment management approach specifically tailored to individuals, families, and business owners who:
- have experienced a liquidity event or received a financial lump sum
- do not have a pension to rely on in retirement
- are looking for experienced discretionary asset mix management
- are seeking advice to find simplicity in managing complex financial affairs
- are actively saving for retirement
Whether it is the possible sale of the family business, transitioning wealth to the next generation or just general market uncertainty, we aspire to bring a calming, balanced perspective to challenges clients are facing in order to find natural simplicity amongst all the complexity life can bring.
It all starts with you
Our Investment Beliefs
One of our clients’ once said, “If you make me 50%, you won’t change my lifestyle, but if I lose 50%, it will”. The responsibility to earn and maintain this trust and integrity continues to be reflected in our investment philosophy and process today. We have three primary beliefs about investing for clients. These beliefs work together to provide a highly functioning investment strategy that clients have confidence in. We believe that volatility should be controlled, asset allocation is more important now than in the past 30 years due to low interest rates, and ultimately the investment solution must be tailored to each client as part of an overarching process rooted in objective advice for clients.
Our Investment Process
The first step in our process is to develop a financial plan that sets out your financial goals and circumstances, including your desired returns, estimated timelines, and risk tolerance. To do this, we start by getting to know you as we understand that no two families are alike and that each of us define happiness differently. After we develop a good understanding of your goals and objectives, we can turn our focus to your cash flow. By tracking cash going in and out, we can determine your spending rate and use it to calculate the minimum amount you’ll need in returns, while taking into account your draw rate, taxes, fees, and inflation. Next, we develop an Investment Policy Statement as the guiding principles for managing your portfolio. Using this foundation, we build a personalized mix of stocks, bonds, and cash, collaborating with investment strategists and research analysts such as our Portfolio Advisory Group. Finally, we consistently monitor and review your portfolio, adjusting to maintain alignment with your objectives in changing market conditions. To read our full process, please click here.
Professionals at your service
Leaning on experience and industry accreditations, our team of experts helps bring financial peace of mind to clients like you.
Our articles
We wrote these articles because we thought it was important to explain some of our philosophies and processes in more detail. We hope you find these helpful and informative - Danielle and Brent
Our Socially Responsible Investing Process
Socially responsible investing options that don't require a sacrifice in financial returns exist. In our case, we have chosen to make environmental protection and preservation our primary focus.
Sudden Financial Liquidity - What Now?
Unless you've won the lottery, the gain usually happens as a result of a life-changing event such as selling your business, receiving an inheritance or reaching a divorce settlement. Over the years, we've developed a four-step process we use to help people prudently manage financial sums stemming from sudden liquidity events.
Worried About Running Out of Money in Retirement?
Many investors worry about outliving their retirement savings. Over several years, we've helped clients plan for and enjoy successful retirements, even in challenging circumstances. Here, we've identified six strategies that have proven particularly useful for maintaining sufficient retirement funds.
10 Tips for Cutting Through Overload and Stress
Overload and stress are the hallmarks of today's modern world. We have seen how people suffer from both financial and general life stress, so in response, we've developed ten tips for managing stress: five for financial stress and five for life stress. These tips help strip away noise and distractions of everyday life to find the natural simplicity underneath.