"Julie Viglasky has been our financial advisor for the past 10 years and has done a truly amazing job at keeping our conservative investments strong and steadily on the rise over that time period, even weathering periods of recessive economies.
Whenever we meet with her, we are impressed that she first asks about our current and upcoming financial needs. The financial strategies she discusses thereafter show that she is mindful of integrating those needs.
It is apparent that she prepares most conscientiously for meetings and presents us with well researched written financial recommendations with products that are carefully itemized. She thoroughly explains investment options and how they mesh with our personal goals & financial plans. It is obvious that clear communication is very important to Julie, as she always asks for our understanding and feedback about the presented options.
She is exceptionally knowledgeable, open, warm, and genuinely attentive and takes as much time as necessary to complete review of our portfolios. We never feel rushed and always enjoy our meetings with her. As well, her replies to any questions we send by email are prompt and informative.
We wholeheartedly recommend her outstanding expertise as a financial advisor to our friends and neighbors."
— G. & D. Pollinger, Toronto
"Hi Julie, Thanks for the great meeting today, we want to thank you for taking the time to ask questions in order to lay out our best investment options and explaining why certain choices are better suited to meet our goals. We especially appreciate that you are up-to-date and can educate us on tax legislation, to help us minimize tax and maximize after-tax returns in order to continue the strong and steady annual returns you have helped us achieve over the last 12 years. A special thanks for your attentive care and for helping me wend my way through the maze of retirement options and requirements."
— Sincerely, Marilyn Mazurek and David Danischewsky, Toronto
"Julie Viglasky has been our financial advisor since 2003 and has become a trusted friend and counselor to our family. Our banker recommended Julie and after our very first meeting we knew that she was the right person to work with us and help us meet our financial goals. Julie listened to our concerns and understood what was important to us. She recommended an investment strategy that has helped us grow our portfolio and achieve our retirement plans -- in fact I retired last year, just as scheduled! Julie is in frequent contact with us and provides ongoing advice as our needs and the markets change, and she has always guided us appropriately and we trust her recommendations. We are very happy and would gladly recommend Julie and her team."
— Mario and Merlina Reyes, Toronto
"Julie has an amazing ability to understand my specific financial concerns. She caters to not only to my rare and specific lifestyle, but to my ethical, environmental and personal life preferences. I feel totally safe in the hands of Julie Viglasky, and in knowing that she has structured my investments to benefit my present, as well as my future."
— Serena Ryder, singer/songwriter
"Ms. Viglasky has been wonderful to work with. She has a sophisticated and deep knowledge of the current world markets. Her advice is tailored to fit our financial views and needs and we never feel pressured to take on more risk that we are comfortable with. She has been upfront with us regarding the fee structure and deals with us personally. Prior to working with Julie we were with another company that kept delegating our business down to junior members of their office. That company also was not transparent in terms of fee structure. We enjoy our relationship with Julie and trust her advice completely."
— L & A, Beaches area, Toronto
"Julie Viglasky has been looking after our investments for many years, and was an instrumental partner in helping us plan for our retirement. Now that it's here, we are living the lifestyle that we planned for, and have complete peace of mind that Julie has our best interests at heart. We have seen our investments grow in a very safe and secure way and Julie always takes the time to discuss her recommendations with us, showing that she is aware of our changing needs, both present and future."
— Len and Thea Scarlett, retired
"I am a busy executive who has led a very busy career for many years. I have had little or no time to worry about, let alone plan, my substantial investment portfolio. I was introduced to Julie a few years back and, from the first meeting, it became obvious to me that Julie was a listener. She listened to my goals; she listened to my wife's concerns; she analyzed our lifestyle; she led us into a discussion of our near-term and long-term expectations; she became interested in our risk tolerance. While I consider myself to be someone quite educated in investment criteria and principles, I nevertheless found Julie to be inquisitive and to be someone who wished to ensure that we knew precisely the risks and rewards of different investment options. My wife and I felt very comfortable with Julie's meticulous preparation and with her demeanour—the demeanour of someone who cared, truly cared, for our financial well-being.
As a result, we retained the services of Julie and her Firm, and she then proceeded, with my full input, to draft an investment strategy that would, at once, accomplish the objectives of providing continuing yields, some growth, total diversification temporally, sector-wise and geographically. From time to time, we have tweaked the portfolio to take into account emerging market trends, but essentially the portfolio put in place a couple of years ago is still in place and is providing exactly the results we had anticipated and for which we had planned.
Julie is always receptive to the client's needs and is always at the ready to answer questions, to do research on topics of interest and to provide counselling on her recommendations. My wife and I are now in the custom of meeting with Julie every few weeks to discuss the portfolio and to make any changes that are deemed advisable based on changes of circumstances. Julie has been a delight to work with and, importantly, over time, she has become a good friend of the family.
An example of Julie's commitment to her clients, Julie, on her own time and without obtaining any additional compensation, volunteered to provide her insight and experience for the benefit of a complicated estate plan for my family. Her simple comment to me was: ‘I want to make sure that you are well looked after in every aspect of your financial plan'. She thereupon recommended another professional to complete the estate plan and actually accompanied me and my family at two lengthy meetings for that purpose. These are just the latest examples of her generosity and her willingness to help wherever needed.
I recommend Julie's services to whomever is in need of a true professional who cares for her clients and who is always prepared to think inside and outside the box to fulfil the client's objectives."
— Ken Cancellara, Ricketts, Harris LLP
"Thank you for your insight and advice, I am delighted with the way the portfolios you manage for my wife and I have been performing. Time flies. We met some 15 years ago when health concerns, coupled with high job stress made it difficult for me to manage my own investments. I simply did not have the time to evaluate my choices properly in a diving stock market. I had been considering early retirement, and after you asked questions concerning our lifestyle and future goals, you presented a solid plan which gave us the confidence and direction for how to proceed. We are now in our mid-seventies, and together we have successfully weathered the ups and downs that have been dealt out both by life, as well as the economy."
— Paul Leclerc, Mississauga
"Julie is a very bright, caring and trusted financial advisor. While I am a lawyer, my knowledge in financial investments is limited, but with Julie's help and ability to understand my specific financial concerns and priorities she helped to design a personalized investment strategy that was perfect for me, taking into account my risk-adverse nature. One of the most positive aspects of dealing with Julie is that she is always available, whether it be by phone, e-mail or in person to discuss my investments and any concerns I have. I have had no hesitation in referring my clients looking for financial investment advice to Julie, as I know that they will also benefit from her strategic approach, and she will always have their best interests in mind."
— Samantha Solomon, Tenenbaum & Solomon
"I have known Julie Viglasky for the three years since she created my RRSP portfolio and have nothing but praise for her knowledge of the markets, she always stays informed and current, her sure-footed advice and her lovely demeanor and good nature. It is a pleasure doing business with her as she has done an outstanding job of building and maintaining a growth program that should serve me well in my retirement. When I became a permanent resident of Canada in 2008 I was clueless as to how to start planning my financial future and as a freelance director in the entertainment industry, that portfolio takes on an added burden and meaning. She also created and manages my corporate portfolio, where if you factor out the current Apple slump (which I personally believe is temporary) has grown and performed beautifully.
I feel that she has taken a personal interest in my financial future and has developed a conservative yet effective personalized investment strategy addressing all my specific financial concerns and priorities. With a conservative focus on high quality investments, she continues to search for the most tax efficient alternatives for what we are looking to achieve, always structuring investments to accommodate periods of strong and weak cash flow, ensuring that funds are available when I may unexpectedly need them.
She answers all my emails and calls promptly and is always available for a face-to-face meeting to keep me updated and make sure our plans are still on track.
If that doesn't say it all, may I add that I find her to be the consummate financial advisor and money manager. I not only have total confidence in her talent but enjoy having her in my life."
— Robert Lieberman, Director
"During the time Julie Viglasky has been my financial advisor, she has helped me to focus intelligently and efficiently on retirement planning. Like many lawyers in private practice, I don't have a pension plan to fall back on (and these days, even those who do have a pension plan are learning that it's not always a guarantee of a secure retirement!). Julie took the time to learn about my objectives and risk tolerance, then built a plan which has resulted in my portfolio achieving strong and steady growth, so that I will be able to retire comfortably when I choose to do so.
Julie understands my specific financial concerns and priorities and designed a personalized investment strategy based on those concerns and priorities. She understands how important it is for my peace of mind to have a conservative focus on high-quality investments and to search for tax-efficient alternatives to help me achieve my investment goals.
Julie is wonderfully responsive. She is always available for a call or a face-to-face meeting to discuss any questions I have. Working with her is a pleasure and a privilege."
— Karen Bock, Davis LLP
"Being a Canadian full-time professional stand-up comedian, you might not think financial stability is part of my life's plan, but it is and I'm happy and fortunate to have Julie as part of that plan. I am amazed not only at Julie's thorough knowledge but her patience and generosity with her time. Any time I have a question (and there are a lot of those times) Julie makes herself available and makes sure my questions are answered. My belief in her ability caused me to have my wife come in and talk to Julie and she subsequently switched her investments to Julie's care as well.
Julie has taken the time to know my investment personality and knows how important long-term planning is for someone with uneven and uncertain cash flow, such as myself. I am confident she is making the most of every dollar invested and I plan to invest with her for years and years and years to come. No joke."
— Steve Patterson, award-winning stand-up comedian and Host of CBC Radio One's The Debaters
"Since we began working together in 2008, Julie has become a good friend and trusted adviser. She understands the unpredictable nature of an artist's career and gives me honest, straightforward advice about the choices that we need to make. I know that she is always there for me, and even when I am caught up in my own projects, I know that Julie is looking out for my best interests and I trust that my future is in good hands."
— Jully Black, singer/songwriter
"In the past several years of my working with Julie, she has been responsive to both my personal enquires as well as to market conditions, so as to advise me how to rebalance my portfolio to maintain my conservative focus and to strive to achieve my retirement objectives. I rely on her knowledge and abilities."
— S. Appel, Davis LLP
"Julie has a very good understanding of the volatile nature of the Arts & Entertainment industry. She knows that we have to balance our lifestyles to accommodate periods of fluctuating cash flow, and the difficulties that has on our ability to make long-term financial plans. Julie has designed a high-quality investment strategy that makes me feel confident that the decisions that we are making today will ensure a solid and stable financial future. I am very pleased with our relationship and feel very supported by Julie's ongoing financial advice and guidance."
— Linda Pope, Producer, Saving Hope and Rookie Blue
"Julie became my financial adviser after we met in 2008, and I've enjoyed working with her because she works with her heart and takes the time to understand what it is that I want my money to do for me. She is money-smart and down-to-earth, and takes the time to thoroughly explain all of the options and which ones are the best for me. A classy woman with a great energy!"
— Sandy Pandya, Owner of Pandyamonium Artist Management
"Thank you for your ongoing support and communication, Julie. I have always kept your e-mail "Helping women through difficult times" as a reminder to me that in my financial and life losses, I am not alone. I am so delighted to have you in my corner, and I shall always be grateful to you for stepping in to help me."
— Elizabeth Lillie, Niagara-On-The-Lake
"In 2008 we needed a financial planner and you did a really good job understanding what is important to us and helping us get our portfolio on the right track ... Again Julie, thank you. We would not hesitate to recommend your services to anyone needing a financial planner, and really appreciate what you have done for us in that area."
— Janet and Ian Blue, Q.C., Toronto
"Julie, after more than 12 years working together, we thank you again for your great service this year! You have done a great job for us, especially in avoiding the big losses that so many others experienced in recent years. Your professionalism and objective advice have made all the difference."
— John Cristofilos, Markham
"I was introduced to Julie when my financial advisor retired, and she has always been professional and very personable. Moreover, she is very knowledgeable and was able to help me arrange my investments to provide a steady income and growth, so that I haven't had to dip into the principal. She and her assistant follow-up reliably and punctually, and give me all the time and attention that I need. I would recommend her without reservation."
— Marion Jackson, Mississauga
"Before being recommended to Julie for a second opinion, I suspected that I was over-diversified with too many investments. She did an analysis of our investments and confirmed the problem. Since then, we have seen much improvement in both our portfolio returns and our peace of mind. Julie is a very dedicated professional, genuinely interested in her clients. She has even managed to convince my wife that that she needs to be involved in our retirement planning, which I was unable to accomplish!"
— Dr. and Mrs. Straw, Scarborough
"I am extremely pleased with Julie's professional and caring advice towards my financial planning. Her sincere and thorough suggestions and comments made it easy to grasp the over-all picture of my financial situation and, in turn, assisted me in making important decisions regarding other areas of my life. I have no hesitation to recommend her service to my friends and others."
— Ms. Violet Jew, Toronto
"Too often we forget to acknowledge the people who play such an important role in our lives, especially during difficult times such as the death of a loved one. Julie, you have been so much more than a financial advisor and we want to thank you most sincerely. I hope you can appreciate the peace of mind that your efforts have brought."
— Ms. Thelma Smith, Markham
I have only started working with Julie recently, as a result of a difficult personal situation. She has been empathetic, understanding, and an excellent listener. She takes the time to explain her advice and recommendations for me, knowing I that I need the time to think after our meetings. I appreciate her calm nature, and expertise in an area in which that I have minimal experience. I would recommend Julie to anyone looking for a financial advisor who will take the time to truly understand what's important to you, and who gives you the confidence that you are making the right financial decisions.
— K. Philip, Markham
Having worked with Julie at a previous firm, I was thrilled when she made the decision to join the Bay Street Branch of CIBC Wood Gundy. Julie is a true wealth management professional who is not only very knowledgeable about the technical aspects of managing wealth but also is a great people person and communicator. She cares about her clients and has earned their trust by understanding their situation and needs, having a plan to help them achieve their financial goals and executing their plan with great service.
—Thomas Kim, Toronto
