Bellwether Investment Management

We couldn’t be happier to have Janine Guenther, CFA, CMT as a member of the Bellwether team and one of Benefits and Pensions Monitor’s Elite Woman 2024 award winners. Her passion for delivering a consistently exceptional experience extends beyond her own clients. Throughout her career, Janine has volunteered both in the industry and in her community. Whether it's for the CFA Institute, on global and local levels, or for her kids, their school, and the sports that they play, the importance of giving back to lift us all up has been an overarching theme. A key component of any partnership is finding people who share your values, and Janine’s dedication to creating an environment where investors’ interests come first couldn’t be closer to our core belief—clients come first. But today we’d like to put Janine first for her achievements and congratulate her on the recognition she deserves. As a trailblazer reshaping industry standards for the next generation of women leaders, we look forward to working alongside her and making a real difference every day.

Consistency and reliability are two of the most valuable qualities across our industry at large, and as a process-driven organization, it's only fitting to have 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘴 as our final core value. Rather than follow the latest trends, we adhere to what's worked for decades now. Proven, repeatable processes not only encourage positive results, but they also foster trust—trust that you can know what to expect and have the track record to prove it. In the short term, markets are unpredictable. Any given sector, asset class, or investment style can rise to the top while others fall out of favour over the course of a year. It will likely happen again the following year. And the next one. Volatility isn't something you 𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘴 about; it's something you 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦 for. But focusing exclusively on the short term can be harmful, and with a longer outlook, you can stay the course and avoid losing sight of the end goal. Investment strategies are only as strong as the conviction and time behind them—we have plenty of both. #wealthmanagement #investmentmanagement #reliability #longtermoutlook #investmentstrategies

Today, our Communications Lead Edward Leslie-MacDonald interviewed a longstanding Family Wealth Advisor, Christopher Jardine, CFP, CIM, to better understand what Bellwether has done for him and his team. From the initial onboarding process to supporting new marketing initiatives, driving growth, fostering professional development, and consistent reliability, Chris details what he’s been able to accomplish with the firm and shares his views on why advisors may want to consider making the change. When advisors thrive, so do we—that’s the founding principle for successful partnerships. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eWa_DnFM

To better ensure a seamless transition for advisors and their clients, we've added to our bench strength. Welcome Nidhi Chhatbar, CFA, our Family Wealth Transition Specialist. As an accomplished CFA charterholder with five years of experience in the financial services industry, her drive to improve the industry as a whole starts with helping clients by supporting those who serve them.

With the first quarter of 2024 now behind us, we have an opportunity to reflect on the broader economic outlook, how it has impacted markets, and the path ahead. ● The pace at which investor sentiment can shift is staggering, but what's more interesting is the inverse. ⤷ Despite monetary policy relief being pushed out further than the consensus anticipated, global equities maintained their momentum. ⤷ Investors clearly welcomed this, but the premature celebration of a "soft landing" that has not yet been guaranteed suggests an air of complacency. ● Uncertainties remain, and strong economic indicators are quite the dilemma for central banks. ⤷ Job growth, rising real estate prices, and phenomenal portfolio returns have helped consumers spend and companies profit, but these inflationary pressures themselves could elongate higher interest rates and harm consumer confidence. ⤷ Even if we avoid a recession, the global economic outlook remains sluggish, and companies may find it difficult to meet their high earnings expectations. Expect disappointment if they fail to meet these lofty goals. ● While most fixed income investors suffered losses as bond markets undid 2023's strong finish, our clients enjoyed exceptional returns this quarter. ⤷ The Bellwether Fixed Income Composite increased by +4%, driven primarily by preferred shares, while the Canada FTSE Bond Universe Index fell by -1.2%. ⤷ Although we're pleased with strong returns, we're much more proud of the stability that our fixed income strategies have exhibited throughout several years of above-average bond volatility. Despite the complexity, the solution is straightforward: divergences can lead to problems, and these gaps present opportunities. What might these look like? Well, the Quarterly Insights below may be a good place to start searching. #economicoutlook #marketanalysis #investorsentiment #globalequities #financialstrategy

Why include 𝘐𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘈𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘜𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘺 as one of our core values? In a constantly evolving environment, proactivity awards you control, whereas reactivity robs you of it. As an organization, we're informed by the past, engaged with the present, and focused on the future, all to ask ourselves one simple question—how can we solve tomorrow's problems today? Instead of settling for what's "good enough" for now, we strive for constant improvement. Lateral, creative thinking allows us to view the industry in novel ways and consider problems before they arise—problems that some might not even address until they materialize. Preparation doesn't mean being ready for what 𝘪𝘴 going to happen; it's about having a plan for what 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 happen. To better serve our clients and partners, we're committed to considering as many scenarios and outcomes as possible and having a comprehensive strategy for each. And once any of them come to light, we're ready. The future is complex and always in flux, but simplifying the complex is what we do best. #innovation #improvement #creativethinking #futurefocused #strategicplanning

You've spent decades building the life you want, affording the comforts you enjoy, and creating something you can be proud of. Crafting a legacy shouldn't jeopardize that. And it doesn't have to. With 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘸𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 & 𝘓𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘤𝘺 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦, our team has the skills and resources to help you get the most out of life while still futureproofing your family for generations to come. We're not here to sell you a product, we're here to help you make the most of what you've already achieved. #legacyplanning #wealthmanagement #personalfinance

"We all know that firms can get too big to be responsive, but we needed a firm that was big enough to deliver the kind of service we need for our clients and yet small enough to listen and to adapt to changing and competitive times." —Alan Cameron Putting clients first has always been one of our core values, and to do that, we need to support the advisors serving them. The only way to accomplish what we've set out to do is to ask questions, listen to the answers, and create an environment where we can provide every resource they could ask for to thrive. "Before I moved to Bellwether in 2018, I was wearing a lot of different hats, doing the portfolio management as well as doing the financial planning. Moving to Bellwether has removed a portion of that portfolio management and allowed me to focus on what I'm strong at and what I like doing, which is the financial planning side of things." —Christopher Jardine, CFP, CIM When we listen to understand rather than just hear, we can make the right changes, not just the ones we 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 are right. With The Bellwether Life, we came to realize that the single most valuable asset any advisor can ask for is time—time to grow closer with existing clients, time to identify new leads, and most importantly, time for the advisors to take care of themselves. The Bellwether Life boils down to one central concept: life outside the office is equally as important as life inside of it, and we want to give our partners the opportunity to enjoy both. #financialadvisors #businessdevelopment #thebellwetherlife #testimonial #worklifebalance #time

Client portfolios have performed well throughout Q1 across our fixed income, global equity, and private alternative investment strategies: ● Equity markets continue to climb, largely thanks to a strong performance within the technology sector. ⤷ Despite lingering economic concerns, indices have widened out for broader participation in the rally.  ⤷ Although AI-related companies remain in the spotlight, the rise of other industries brings into question just how far these valuations can stretch as other opportunities materialize. ⤷ For the first time in quite awhile, the Canadian stock market has outshined its U.S. counterpart, serving as a reminder of diversification's value as both an insulator and growth opportunity. ● North American inflation is moderating, and consensus on interest rate outlooks has shifted once again. ⤷ Some believed interest rate reductions would already be underway, which has not been the case. Given the economy's surprising resilience, there may be fewer than expected this year in general. ⤷ Our fixed income strategy has handedly outperformed its bond market benchmark, with preferred shares leading the charge. ● Investor confidence is high and may be edging into complacency territory. ⤷ Most hold the belief that we've outmaneuvered a recession, interest rates are set to fall, and corporate profits will rebound substantially. ⤷ This hopeful outlook has a key wrinkle to address—whether we've avoided a recession or not isn't really the question, but rather how might companies live up to lofty earnings growth expectations in a sluggish global economy? Questions are ever-present in our industry, but asking the right ones is the best way to find answers. With prudence and objectivity, we can seek out new investment opportunities, manage risk appropriately, and, most importantly, better serve our clients' needs. #investmentoutlook #alternativeinvestments #inflation #interestrates #investorconfidence #riskmanagement #investmentopportunities

Why do we consider 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘌𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 as one of our core values? Because in our line of work, you can't operate without it; from clients to coworkers, from processes to partners, we have to trust in everything we do, everyone we do it with, and everyone we do it for. ● Clients We work every day to prove that our clients made the right decision to entrust us with their financial wellbeing. We don't listen just to hear; we take the time to actually understand their ambitions, worries, joys, and everything else that makes their situation unique. From there, we craft a financial plan to empower their futures and remind them that they can afford the life they want to live. ● Coworkers We've assembled a team of experts in their fields, knowing that each and every one of us brings something special to the table. We understand that by working towards a shared vision, holding ourselves accountable, and trusting one another's expertise, we can rise to the top as one. ● Processes Through provable, repeatable processes and investment strategies, we have a track record that clearly exhibits that trusting in what we do best is the clearest path to success. The key, however, is to not get too comfortable: progress is iterative, and we have faith in our ability to consistently improve—that faith has proven to be well placed. ● Partners Trust is undeniably the single most valuable aspect of any partnership. Once you start working with people who act with honesty, integrity, and best intent, it's impossible to do business any other way. Developing that level of trust allows everyone involved to build each other up, realize shared success, and rest easy at night knowing they can rely on their partners. #investmentmanagement #clienttrust #teamtrust