Client Experiences
A common question I’m asked is: “What have your returns been?”
The truth is, your results depend on your goals, risk tolerance, and circumstances. That’s why I share real client experiences — so you can see what it may look like to work with me.
Each story begins with a quick summary you can scan, followed by an expandable section with details for those who want to dig deeper.
Every client is unique. Levels of financial and psychological risk tolerances differ, as do personal situations. Many advisors stop the conversation here, arguing that without an apples-to-apples comparison, return percentages are meaningless.
But, if I were in your position, I’d want more clarity. So here is how I answer the spirit of that question:
1. I outline three broad portfolio categories so you can see which feels most like you.
2. I provide actual client case studies (names changed for privacy) covering one of the most challenging market periods in recent memory.
Important note:
Some advisors focus on protecting savings during downturns, but at the cost of missing much of the subsequent recovery. This is not adding value.
Others emphasize exceptional growth, but take on so much risk that clients experience devastating losses when markets fall. This is not adding value either.
A talented advisor helps to mitigate risks while capturing market returns. A gifted advisor may help clients reduce downside portfolio swings while outperforming on the upside. My goal is to match market returns with less volatility through active management. The results of my clients speak for themselves.
Risk Categories
Safety is Paramount (low risk)
Clients here are focused on preserving wealth above all else. Before working with me, many held GICs until they realized how much purchasing power was being lost to inflation. Typically, these portfolios are 100% low or low-medium risk.
Balanced Growth (medium risk)
Where roughly 75% of my clients fall. The goal is steady capital growth — strong enough to meet future goals, stable enough to reduce worry. Portfolios here usually hold more than 50% medium-risk investments, with less than 15% invested in high risk. Usually some funds are set aside to access with no fear of loss in any environment.
Growth Orientated (higher risk)
Clients in this group are willing to accept short-term volatility for the potential of higher long-term returns. Often this looks like 100% of a TFSA or another growth-focused account in higher-risk assets, while overall portfolios remain diversified. Typically, this group has invested more than 15% into higher risk assets. (It is very unusual for me to place all client assets in high-risk strategies.)
*Past performance is not indicative of future results. No returns are guaranteed, and all client experiences will vary.
The following examples are based on actual client results (with names changed for privacy) from January 1, 2022 through October 29, 2025. I use this period because anything shorter than three years isn’t meaningful, and it captures both severe drawdowns and favorable compounding. The maximum stress point was the market low on September 19, 2022 — which allows us to measure how risk mitigation strategies worked in real time. Over the full period, the results distinguish between strategies that only protected downside (at the expense of growth) and those that both protected and captured upside. (Spoiler alert: in all cases, there was both better downside protection and additional upside.)
Disclaimer: The case studies mentioned are based on actual scenarios but names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals. These case studies are provided for illustrative purposes only, to provide examples of my process and methodology. The results portrayed are not representative of all my clients' experiences.
Balanced Growth Portfolio
Teaser:
John & Sarah wanted balance — enough downside protection to feel secure, but still room for meaningful growth. By repositioning in early 2022 and actively managing through volatility, their portfolio avoided deeper losses and achieved double-digit average returns through one of the toughest markets in recent memory.
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In January 2022, after several strong years in the markets, I recommended repositioning toward capital protection. Together we moved about 60% of their portfolio into lower-risk funds, mindful of avoiding unnecessary tax consequences.
Drawdown impact: From Jan–Sept 2022, their portfolio declined about 10%. Without changes, the estimated drawdown would have been closer to 18% — nearly double the pain.
Portfolio mix by October 2025: 21% high-risk (due to significant growth of original investments), 41% medium-risk, 32% low-to-medium, 6% low risk.
Performance: 18.5% annualized over 3 years; 14% over 5 years. Their TFSAs compounded at 34% over 3 years and 25% over 5 years — maximizing tax-free growth.
This case shows how a balanced, medium-risk strategy can smooth volatility and still deliver meaningful long-term results.
Disclaimer: Results shown are actual client data but are not indicative of future returns. Markets change constantly. These examples are provided for historical comparison only.
Growth-Oriented
Teaser:
David, a physician in his 40s, carved out a portion of his wealth for higher-risk strategies. Guided by my active approach, he captured strong gains from volatility - far better than simply buying and holding a high risk fund through the downturns.
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David had no plans to touch this account for decades, making him comfortable with higher volatility. A number of moves have been made to purchase high growth assets and then lock in gains to wait for the next opportunity. Here is one such example:
Initial positioning: 50% high-interest savings (low risk), 20% Bitcoin (BTC), 30% Ethereum (ETH) (very high risk)
Risk management: Exited high risk position four months after first entering locking in ~40% gains on BTC and ~48% on ETH. BTC was sold for about $64,000 and ETH about $4,650
Re-entered 21 months later, re-entered at BTC ~$26,000 and ETH ~$1,680
Results by Sept 2025: Still holding...BTC $110,000+ (4x re-entry), ETH $4,300 (2.5x re-entry)
Performance:
David's account compounded at ~38% annually over 3 years. Funded in August 2022, the account has doubled in value as of October 2025. Current allocation: 57% high risk, 43% medium risk.
Context for Comparison:
High-risk funds can deliver strong results — but often with steep declines. For example, Fidelity Global Innovators averaged 38% over the last three years but finished 2022 down 30%. David, by contrast, has averaged 38% but in 2022 he was up 1.9% meaning he accomplished this with much less heartache.
Bottom Line:
My active management has provided high compounding returns while reducing total losses over this evaluation period.
Disclaimer: Results shown are actual client data but are not indicative of normal results or future returns. Markets change constantly. These examples are provided for historical comparison only.
Safety is Paramount Portfolio
Meet Aaron
Teaser:
Aaron was nearing retirement and his priority was clear: don’t lose money. By focusing on capital preservation, his portfolio weathered one of the worst bond markets with limited losses — while still outpacing inflation.
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When I first met Aaron in early 2018, he was just a year or two away from retirement. His mantra was simple: “I don’t want to lose any money.” He felt he wouldn’t have time to wait out a major market decline as he has in the past.
We completed a risk profile questionnaire, which suggested a balanced 50/50 split between bonds and equities. But after discussing the potential volatility of that mix, Aaron preferred a more conservative approach. We agreed on an allocation with 80% in safer income funds and 20% in equities. This way, the bulk of his money was sheltered, while a small portion could still capture some growth.
Later, I didn’t like the look of most bonds so we made a decision to move much of his assets towards a tactile bond fund which held about 60% in cash. This structure proved its value during the sharp 2022 market downturn, when bond markets suffered one of their worst years on record — with some fixed-income funds down as much as 20%. Aaron's portfolio, by contrast, was down just 4.6% at the low point in September 2022 — one quarter or one half the losses of many traditional “low-risk” strategies.
Aaron has never held high-risk investments. He's embraced a disciplined, protection focused approach, yet he still has achieved strong results. As of October 2025, his portfolio has averaged 13.5% annually over the past three years, and 7.4% annually over the past five years.
For clients like Aaron, this case shows that prioritizing downside protection doesn’t mean falling behind inflation — it means safeguarding peace of mind while still building steady long-term results.
Disclaimer: Results shown are actual client data but are not indicative of future returns. Markets change constantly. These examples are provided for historical comparison only.
Contact Me
Ready to see how proactive, risk-aware strategies can protect and grow your wealth? Whether your focus is safety, balance, or growth, I’ll help you navigate uncertainty with clarity and confidence.
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