Who We Are and Why We Started

A straight path to understanding money that actually makes sense

Back in 2018, we got tired of watching friends make the same investing mistakes over and over. The advice out there was either too complicated or just plain wrong. So we built something different.

How We Got Here

Seven years of learning what works and what doesn't when teaching people about money

Early 2018

Started with a Simple Question

Three former bank employees sat in a coffee shop in Toronto wondering why investing education felt so inaccessible. We'd all seen clients struggle with terminology that seemed designed to confuse rather than clarify. That conversation turned into our first workshop series.

2020

Pandemic Changed Everything

When the world moved online, we noticed something interesting. People suddenly had time to think about their finances. We shifted our entire approach to digital education and saw participation jump by 400%. Turns out, learning from home works better for most folks.

2023

Expanded to Self-Directed Learning

Not everyone wants live sessions. We built a comprehensive library of resources that people could explore at their own pace. The feedback was immediate and honest, which helped us refine our content to focus on what actually helps rather than what sounds impressive.

Looking at 2026

Building What Comes Next

We're developing programs for autumn 2025 that bring together everything we've learned. The goal isn't to create more content but to make better connections between what people need to know and how they prefer to learn it.

Questions People Actually Ask

We organized these by when they usually come up in the learning process

1

Before You Start

  • Do I need prior finance knowledge? Not really. We assume you know nothing.
  • How much time does this take? Depends on you. Some finish in weeks, others take months.
  • What if I have weird work hours? Everything's available anytime.
  • Is this only for Canadians? We focus on Canadian markets, but principles apply elsewhere.
2

During Your Learning

  • Can I ask questions? Yes, through email and scheduled office hours.
  • What if something doesn't make sense? Go back. Repeat sections. No shame in that.
  • Do I have to follow everything in order? Suggested, but not required.
  • How do I know if I'm getting it? We include checkpoints that show you where you stand.
3

After Completing Programs

  • Do I get ongoing support? Six months of email access included.
  • Can I come back to materials later? Yes, indefinitely.
  • What's next after basics? Intermediate programs launching in 2026.
  • Will this guarantee results? No. It gives you tools. You decide how to use them.
Financial planning workspace with charts and analysis tools

What Drives Our Approach

We don't promise you'll get rich. That would be dishonest. What we do promise is clarity about how investing actually works, without the jargon that usually comes with it.

Every lesson we create starts with a real question someone asked us. If we can't explain something in plain language, we don't include it. This means our content library is smaller than competitors, but what's there actually helps.

No guarantees about returns or success rates, because nobody can honestly make those
Clear explanations first, technical terminology only when necessary
Real examples from Canadian markets that you can verify yourself
Honest about risks, limitations, and what we don't know

The People Behind This

We're a small team. No executives or board members. Just people who've worked in finance and wanted to explain it better.

Portrait of Linnea Thorvald, Program Director

Linnea Thorvald

Program Director

Spent twelve years at investment firms before realizing she was better at teaching than trading. Builds all our curriculum and answers most of your questions.

Portrait of Astrid Kowalczyk, Content Lead

Astrid Kowalczyk

Content Lead

Former financial journalist who got frustrated writing about markets in ways nobody understood. Now translates complex concepts into something actually readable.

Get in Touch