Rona Birenbaum has been a natural saver from day one. Raised in a middle‑class household, she learned to scrutinize every purchase – a habit that took decades to loosen.

After starting her career working as a multi‑branch manager at a credit union, Rona found sales targets and quotas clashed with the individualized financial planning that clients actually needed. In 2000, she took a major leap, going independent to launch Caring for Clients, a financial planning‑first advisory practice.

In this episode, Rona talks with Brenda about her decades‑long struggle with “saver’s guilt,” how she helps retirees feel secure about spending their hard‑earned money and why she thinks Mary Poppins would be a great financial advisor.

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We often think of financial planning as a game of math. But for Zainab Williams, the real work doesn't start with numbers; it starts with understanding the person sitting across from her. Zainab is a certified financial planner and dedicated money coach who operates on an advice-only model.

She and Brenda discuss why she views financial planning as a form of behavioural therapy, why she’s worried about the speed at which AI is affecting personal finance choices, and how establishing personal guardrails around money can give people the freedom to live fully today while still securing tomorrow.

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After supporting his wife through three midwife-assisted pregnancies, Aravind Sithamparapillai realized that Ontario's midwives were navigating complex tax choices and unique career longevity hurdles with very little support. Today, Aravind is a financial planner at Ironwood Wealth Management Group, where he specializes in advising midwives and women in health care.

He speaks with Brenda about his cross-continental family history, what he learned from female mentors in the industry and how he navigates deeply vulnerable conversations around financial planning.

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