What Financial Firms Won't Tell You About Their Process

We deconstruct your existing portfolio — in dollars, not percentages.

You provide a recent account statement (or we request one with your authorization), and we perform a full-spectrum cost analysis. Every MER. Every trailing commission. Every embedded advisory fee. Every deferred sales charge. Every trading expense ratio buried in fund documentation.

The result is a one-page report that converts every percentage into an annual dollar figure. Clients are routinely surprised: a "1.8% fee" on a $1.2M portfolio means $21,600 leaving their account every year — money that compounds against them for decades. Our case studies show real families who uncovered $28,000 to $94,800 in annual hidden costs through this exact exercise.

This report is complimentary and yours to keep, regardless of whether you proceed with Savard Qtrade. Many clients have used it as leverage to negotiate with their existing advisor.

Concerned there's a catch? There isn't. The Fee Autopsy is free because the numbers speak for themselves — and because informed clients make better decisions, whether they choose us or not.

Marc-Antoine and Priya design your direct investment mandate.

This is where theory becomes architecture. Based on your discovery call, Fee Autopsy findings, and any additional documentation you've provided (tax returns, corporate articles, existing estate plans), our team builds a comprehensive investment strategy tailored to your specific situation.

The strategy document covers: optimal account structure (RRSP, TFSA, corporate investment account, holding company, personal non-registered), asset placement across accounts for maximum tax efficiency, income targets and cash-flow timing, risk parameters mapped to your actual tolerance (not a five-question questionnaire), and a projected fee comparison showing the decade-long cost difference between your current arrangement and direct holding.

This strategy is presented face-to-face — either in our Mississauga office or via secure video — in a meeting you're welcome to bring your accountant, lawyer, or business partner to. We encourage it. The more eyes on the plan, the stronger it becomes.

Wondering what this looks like in practice? Our case studies walk through real strategy outcomes for owner-operators across multiple industries.

Three sessions. You learn exactly how direct investing works — before we place a single trade.

Most firms move money first and explain later (if they explain at all). We reverse that order. The Builder's Blueprint is our proprietary education program, refined over 16+ years of working with business owners who wanted to understand what they owned and why.

Session 1: Mechanics. How equities generate returns. How bonds function — coupon payments, maturity dates, yield-to-maturity vs. current yield. How dividends are taxed differently than interest. Why a 4% dividend yield is not the same as a 4% GIC rate.

Session 2: Costs & Compounding. How fees compound against you over 10, 20, and 30 years. Why a 1.5% annual fee difference can mean $400,000+ on a $1M portfolio over two decades. How to read your dashboard and interpret cost-basis data in real time.

Session 3: Your Portfolio. A walk-through of the specific securities we've selected for your mandate. Why each holding was chosen. What would trigger a sale. How rebalancing works. How to read your quarterly report.

Feel underqualified? That's the point of this step. Every client starts here — including those with MBAs and CFOs on staff. Understanding your own money isn't optional. It's the foundation.

Securities purchased in your name. Your dashboard goes live.

Once you've completed the Builder's Blueprint and formally approved your investment strategy, execution begins. Individual equities are selected using our proprietary Operator Alignment Score — a multi-factor framework that evaluates management quality, capital allocation discipline, balance sheet strength, and dividend sustainability. These aren't index trackers. They're individual businesses we've analyzed and believe in.

Bond ladders are built across defined maturities — typically staggered across 1 to 10 years — providing predictable income and reinvestment opportunities as each rung matures. Positions are established across your accounts with precise tax-location optimization: interest-bearing securities in registered accounts, Canadian dividend payers in taxable accounts, growth holdings where they'll compound most efficiently.

Your portfolio dashboard activates the same day. You see every holding, every cost basis, every market value — in real time. No black boxes. No "trust us" summaries. Full transparency from day one.

Curious about what direct-hold portfolios look like in practice? Our case studies show real portfolio structures and the outcomes they've delivered since 2009.

Quarterly reviews. Annual stress tests. Direct phone access — always.

This is where most advisory relationships plateau. Ours deepens. Every quarter, you receive a comprehensive portfolio review: performance attribution, income collected, tax-lot analysis, and any recommended adjustments. These aren't form letters — they're prepared by Marc-Antoine and Priya specifically for your accounts.

Annually, we conduct a full portfolio stress test against historical scenarios (2008 financial crisis, 2020 pandemic selloff, rising-rate environments) and model forward-looking risks relevant to your industry and business stage. We also perform succession check-ins — ensuring your beneficiary designations, corporate resolutions, and estate documents remain aligned with your evolving plans.

Day to day: tax-lot harvesting when opportunities arise, rebalancing when drift exceeds your mandate's thresholds, T+1 settlement monitoring on every trade, and same-day callbacks for any question — large or small. You reach Marc-Antoine and Priya directly. No call centres. No "your advisor will get back to you next week."

Our 94% client retention rate across 16+ years exists for one reason: the partnership keeps earning its place.

Locked into a long-term contract with your current firm? We help clients navigate exit provisions as part of onboarding. Ask us about transitions.