Creating a Resource for My Generation

I created Staying Safe in a Changing World for my generation, the Baby Boomers who grew up in a very different world and have lived through extraordinary changes in technology, communication and everyday life.

We learned to do things differently. We built businesses, raised families, created communities and worked hard to build the lives we have today.

Now we're navigating a world that can sometimes feel very different from the one we grew up in

And then it became personal.

I experienced being financially compromised myself. I experienced every emotion someone who has gone through this feels - vulnerability, fear, confusion, shock, and no idea how to move forward.

That experience made me stop and think about how vulnerable any of us can feel when something unexpected happens, and how important it is to have people we trust and a simple plan to follow.

It became the catalyst for creating Staying Safe in a Changing World.

I wanted to create something simple, practical and respectful, a resource I would feel comfortable putting into the hands of my own family, friends and peers.

Something that doesn't create fear.

Something that starts a conversation.

Something that helps us create a plan with the people we trust.

Because staying safe isn't about being suspicious of everyone. It's about knowing who we can turn to when something doesn't feel right.

A Life Lived Through Extraordinary Change

I’m not an expert looking in from the outside. I’m living in this changing world too.

I’m a proud, born-and-raised Calgarian. My parents came to Canada from Germany as immigrants and built a life and a business here while raising our family. They taught me the value of hard work, perseverance, community and taking care of the people around us.

They were entrepreneurs, and I grew up watching them build something of their own.

That spirit stayed with me.

Entrepreneurship, Family and Community

I've spent more than 40 years as an entrepreneur, creating businesses, building relationships and finding practical solutions to everyday challenges.

For me, entrepreneurship has always been about more than building a business. It has been about seeing an opportunity, finding a way forward, creating something meaningful and contributing to the community around me.

Those values have continued through my family as well. I've had the privilege of watching my children build their own lives and contribute to the Calgary community in their own ways.

Different paths, but a common thread — building, leading, serving others and being part of the community we call home.

Those same values shaped the way I approached Staying Safe in a Changing World

Why I Created This Resource

My desire to create Staying Safe in a Changing World came from my own experience of being financially compromised.

It made me think differently about financial safety, trust and the importance of having people around you who can help you pause, ask questions and make decisions when something doesn't feel right.

More than anything, it made me want to create a safer future for my own family.

But as I thought about it more, I realized this shouldn't be something only my family could use.

My Entrepreneurial Mindset kicked in.

I decided to create a resource that families, close friends and communities could use together, something that could bring people into the conversation before something happens, rather than trying to figure everything out afterward.

I have spent the last two years bringing that idea to life.

That became the heart of Staying Safe in a Changing World.

My hope is that it helps people create their own circle of trust, have the conversation, make a simple plan and feel a little safer navigating this changing world together.

EXPLORE THE 60 MINUTE PRESENTATION

Bringing the Conversation to Communities

I believe conversations about financial safety belong in the places where people already come together — community groups, seniors' communities, organizations, neighbourhoods and other gatherings.

The goal isn't to create fear or overwhelm people with information.

It's to create a comfortable space where people can talk openly, think about who they trust, and consider what they would do if something unexpected happens.

Through the 60-minute Family Financial Safety Conversation, I share the ideas behind the resource and invite people to begin creating their own simple plan.

Because when we talk about financial safety before we need it, we give ourselves and the people we trust something valuable: a plan for what to do when it matters.