With a desire to chase their dreams and turn their innovative ideas into reality, many women are daring to dive into the deep waters of the entrepreneurial world. Since women have started following their instincts, they have been driving innovation in almost every domain and have given us many eminent leaders. One such leader is Kristin Ramlal; a Life Securities Specialist with Canada Life Securities Ltd. Kristin is a passionate leader who, with her simplistic leadership, has forced the tide to turn in her favor. She is an excellent example of resilience and impacts every person around her with her positive approach. An excellent example of sheer mental strength and a never-say-die attitude, Kristin is indeed a leader who inspires everyone to be an architect of their future. In 2018, she was awarded the Young Advisor Award by the Knowledge Bureau, and in 2021 she was recognized by Wealth Professional Canada as a 5-Star Leading Woman in Wealth. She has also been spotlighted in the media by The Winnipeg Free Press, Investment Executive, and Wealth Professional Canada.
In a recent interview with Aspioneer, Kristin shared her personal views and opinion on the business world and her vision for the future.
Driven by passion, driven to win
Kristin Ramlal: “I work as a Securities Specialist with Canada Life Securities Ltd. Canada Life is a leading insurance, wealth management, and benefits provider focused on improving the financial, physical, and mental well-being of Canadians. For more than 170 years, individuals, families, and business owners across Canada have trusted Canada Life to provide sound guidance and deliver on the promises they’ve made. As a passionate wealth professional, I consider myself fortunate to have discovered Ikigai (a Japanese word for the reason of being). I am driven by seeing my clients achieve financial peace of mind and find new money purpose.By staying true to my values and beliefs and sharing them with strategic partners, clients, colleagues, and centers of influence in practice, I have been able to build a positive reputation for myself in the financial services industry. This has contributed to my growth and enabled me to continue to share my story and have a positive impact on this industry. I feel truly fortunate to have found a rewarding and fulfilling career, while also sharing my passion in my free time throughout my outside business activities. “
“Over the years, the industry has shifted from a sales model to an advice-driven model. Because of this shift, successful financial professionals must be able to articulate the value of their advice to enhance their unique value proposition while running a consistent practice to best meet their clients’ needs.”
Growing by learning
Kristin Ramlal: “In 2007, I completed a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons.) Degree in Actuarial Mathematics & Finance at the University of Manitoba and became licensed by The Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC). Since then, I have taken over 20 several courses through the Canadian Securities Institute, earning a Certificate in Retirement Strategy, a Advanced Investment Advice, Technical Analysis, and the Personal Financial Planning (PFP), and Chartered Investment Manager (CIM) designations and became a Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute (FCSI) in 2016. I have also taken the opportunity to broaden my holistic wealth advisory skills and participated in several industry-leading training programmes where I have been also certified as a Wealth Advisor and, most recently, a Real Wealth Manager (RWM™), which has deepened my understanding of the broader needs and issues high-net-worth families face, to enhance wealth sustainability utilizing a holistic and collaborative multi-stakeholder approach to wealth management. Additionally, having worked for nearly 20 years in the financial services industry, I’ve gained experience across a variety of financial services organizations and functions. These include: Canadian and U.S. personal banking; retail and institutional investment account management and supervision; portfolio analysis; security research and trading; and holistic wealth advisory, including: financial, retirement, tax, retirement income, philanthropy, and estate planning.”
A life with a purpose
Kristin Ramlal: “My volunteering outside of work is very important to me. I’m currently the Chair of the Society of Real Wealth Managers, an international network of financial professionals who collaborate under the Real Wealth Management ™ framework to enable financial peace of mind. I’m also the Membership Chair for the Winnipeg Women in Leadership Employee Resource Group at Canada Life, which helps support the professional and personal development of women at Canada Life.”
Following the trend
Kristin Ramlal: “Over the years, the industry has shifted from a sales model to an advice-driven model. Because of this shift, successful financial professionals must be able to articulate the value of their advice to enhance their unique value proposition while running a consistent practice to best meet their clients’ needs. The financial industry has historically been siloed, often leaving the end client with the responsibility to communicate and orchestrate their holistic wealth plan in conjunction with all of their strategic financial professionals (accountant, financial planner, family lawyer, portfolio manager, mortgage broker, ect). The Real Wealth Management ™ framework, is a practice management framework that has been designed to help clients accumulate, grow, preserve, and transition sustainable wealth and aims to take the burden off the end client. Essentially, a The Real Wealth Manager (RWM™) serves as the financial quarterback for the chief family influencer (end client and important stakeholders in their life) client by leading a team of strategic financial professionals (as needed) under a single holistic wealth management plan.
Women’s leadership is the need of the hour
Kristin Ramlal: “Historically, the financial services industry has been predominately male-dominated. The industry is currently experiencing the greatest wealth transfer of all time, and women are positioned to capture a significant share of the money in motion and become the sole and primary family financial decision-makers. Women traditionally have different needs, preferences, and behaviours when it comes to managing their money. They tend to have lower levels of financial literacy and financial confidence, a lower risk tolerance, and are more likely to work with an advisor, and have a desire for compatible financial confidant. The industry will need to continue to evolve their business and client-service models accordingly to acquire, retain, and serve women as long-term clients; women are essentially the future clients of the financial services industry given that it is projected that over 80% of women will eventually be the sole and primary financial decisions maker in their lifetimes. Today, women entering the financial services industry are bringing a new and fresh perspective to providing financial advice and servicing their clients. They are educating clients on the importance of sufficiency and abundance, value-focused goals-based planning, and the importance of wealth sustainability, after taxes, fees, and inflation, instead of focusing on selling products and stock picking.”
An actionable advice
Kristin Ramlal: “My advice to all the women is to believe in their potential. There is a growing need for passionate female professionals within the industry, and the welcoming of autonomous hybrid work arrangements has given women a greater opportunity to succeed within this industry and find and maintain a true work-life balance.”
