Discovery Series: Unplugged

Podcast Desjardins

Welcome to the Discovery Series: Unplugged podcast! Join Reh Bhanji and David Lee from Desjardins Insurance as they dive deep into the stories of real people, real advisors, and real-life experiences. From navigating the highs and lows of the financial industry, to finding success and fulfilment in unexpected places, this podcast is for advisors who want to be inspired, informed, and engaged. So, whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out, tune in and join the community!

  1. 6d ago

    Episode 128: Play the Long Game - Fred Pratt Jr. on Golf, Patterns, and the Planning Mindset

    Frederick Pratt Jr., CFP, CLU is a 2025 Wealth Professional Canada Top 40 Under 40 Rising Star, Certified Financial Planner at Desjardins Financial Security Independent Network in Ottawa, and one of the most engaging guests we've had on this podcast. He's also a golf champion with a gift for mathematical patterns that most people wouldn't believe until they see it live. In this episode, Fred draws a clear line between golf course management and financial planning, and the parallels are hard to ignore. Reading the terrain before swinging. Knowing which club to pull and when. Avoiding the double bogey moments that quietly add up over time. It all connects. Fred walks us through his TERP framework, a one-page Tax and Estate Retirement Plan designed to show clients every income source, every asset class, and every planning gap at a single glance. He explains why he calls life insurance an "estate enhancer" on that plan, and how that language shift changes client conversations entirely. He makes the case for participating whole life as a legitimate asset class, breaks down why a 5% tax-efficient return outperforms a 7% return when tax planning is missing from the picture, and challenges advisors to rethink what a complete financial plan actually looks like. And then there's the Magic of Prime. A pattern-recognition ability Fred discovered at 11 years old that lets him work through complex decimal calculations in real time, with no calculator. It started with fractions in grade five. It ended with 25-digit answers on demand.

    Episode 128: Play the Long Game - Fred Pratt Jr. on Golf, Patterns, and the Planning Mindset

  2. Jul 7

    Episode 127: The Human Algorithm - Romeo Vitagliano on Curiosity, Context, and the Soul of Underwriting

    Some people see a medical file. Others see a story. In this episode, Reh sits down with Romeo Vitagliano, Senior Vice President of Strategic Underwriting and Planning at HUB Financial, for a conversation about the human side of a business that runs on data, process, and precision. Romeo traces a 45-year journey that started with a knock on the door in 1950s Montreal, when the "insurance man" collecting premiums on his father's policy planted the first spark. From cold-call rejection as a young agent to his first day in underwriting on December 1, 1981, he walks us through the moments that shaped how he sees risk: a client in a wheelchair he wishes he'd sat down with, a cousin with epilepsy who got covered when someone asked the right questions, and the Charles A. Will philosophy that became his compass, does this make sense? Along the way he shares a marathon runner nearly declined for a slow heartbeat, an intergenerational case where the real win was trust rather than a placed policy, and a whirlwind history of underwriting from the plagues of 16th century Europe to today's world of longer lives and more complex cases. He closes with the four pillars of his Human Algorithm, Process, People, Product, and Purpose, and a longevity twist from his own family that reframes what any of us are really underwriting for. If today's conversation resonated, follow Discovery Series: Unplugged, share it with a fellow advisor, and stay curious and connected.

    Episode 127: The Human Algorithm - Romeo Vitagliano on Curiosity, Context, and the Soul of Underwriting

  3. Jun 30

    Episode 126: The Architect of Purpose - Celebrating the Legacy of Yves L. Giroux

    On the eve of Canada Day, we celebrate a career devoted to Canadians. After more than 35 years shaping the financial services industry, Yves L. Giroux sits down for his final interview before retirement. In this special episode marking five years of Discovery Series, hosts David Lee and Rehan Bhanji honour the leader who helped modernize the Desjardins Individual Life and Health Insurance division and built a national network rooted in one purpose: improving the quality of life for Canadians. Yves traces the full arc of his journey, from a young goalie in Cap Rouge to a summer spent planting 55,000 trees, where he learned that success is built on process, not luck. He shares the moment that shaped his mission: watching his father, an MIT-trained professor, take advice from a trusted insurance agent and seeing firsthand how advice changes lives. Along the way, Yves opens up about raising four kids while building a career across Canada and Europe, the leadership lessons that defined his teams (leadership belongs to everyone, and curiosity is your compass), and the proudest moment of his Desjardins career: stepping out of the way so young talent could build something better than he could alone. The conversation also takes on the question facing the entire industry. With nearly 40% of advisors aged 55 and over, is this a demand problem or an access to advice problem? Yves makes the case for scaling advice without losing its humanity, and for protecting more Canadian families along the way. And then there's the twist. After losing his father just 18 months into his retirement, Yves reframed what time and legacy really mean. His next chapter? Becoming a park ranger, returning to the forest where his story began. This is a tribute to a once-in-a-lifetime leader, and a reminder that this business was never about products. It's about people and the lives we improve along the way. Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. If this episode sparks the leader in you, follow Discovery Series Unplugged and share it with your network.

    Episode 126: The Architect of Purpose - Celebrating the Legacy of Yves L. Giroux

  4. Jun 16

    Episode 125: Noise vs. Signal - Reading the 2026 CUSMA Review for Your Clients

    Every morning brings a fresh headline about trade, tariffs, and where the economy is heading. For the business owners and families your clients protect, that noise turns into real questions: does this change the plan we built? In Episode 125, hosts Rehan Bhanji and David Lee sit down with Desjardins' Chief Economist Jimmy Jean, CFA, and Deputy Chief Economist Randall Bartlett, CFA, to cut through the panic around the 2026 CUSMA joint review. They unpack what the July 1st review date actually means (here's the short version: it's a checkpoint, not a cliff), the three paths the agreement could take from here, and why unpredictability itself has become the new baseline. Along the way: why having roughly three quarters of Canadian exports heading south is both a strength and a vulnerability, how squeezed household budgets are quietly reshaping the protection decisions families make, and where Canada's real economic leverage actually sits. Plus a round of Trade Trivia that proves your hockey stick has a passport. Whether you're guiding a business owner through cash flow uncertainty or helping a family rethink their coverage, this conversation gives you the language and the anchor points to lead with clarity. Access the full Desjardins CUSMA report here to keep these insights handy for your next discovery meeting. Access Jimmy & Randall's Op-Ed for the FutureEconomy.Ca here

    Episode 125: Noise vs. Signal - Reading the 2026 CUSMA Review for Your Clients

  5. Jun 9

    Episode 124: From the Philippines to Cancer Survivor - Katrina Naguiat-Madarang's Story of Legacy and Resilience

    What happens when the very product you've been recommending to clients your entire career ends up being the thing that saves your family? For Kat Naguiat-Madarang, that question is personal. In this episode, Kat takes us on a journey that spans three generations. From her grandfather, who founded one of the first insurance agencies in the Philippines in the 1950s, to her mother, who rebuilt her career from scratch after immigrating to Canada, to Kat herself, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in late 2024 and had to navigate surgery, recovery, and the emotional weight of facing a serious illness while running a business with her husband. Kat shares what it felt like to receive her diagnosis, the decisions she faced, and how her critical illness policy, set up by her mother years earlier, gave her something money can't manufacture on its own: choice. The choice to step back from work, to focus on recovery, and to take her kids to Japan. She also opens up about paying five critical illness claims that same year — four of them before her own diagnosis — and how living through cancer changed the way she shows up for clients going through the same thing. This one is equal parts raw and real. Kat's story is a reminder of why we do what we do.

    Episode 124: From the Philippines to Cancer Survivor - Katrina Naguiat-Madarang's Story of Legacy and Resilience

  6. May 26

    Episode 123: Intrinsic Drive - Brand, Community, and Grit with Alyssa Anderson

    To mark the 5th Anniversary of the Discovery Series, host Reh Bhanji sits down in our Halifax studio with award-winning financial advisor Alyssa Anderson from DFSIN South Western Ontario. Alyssa is an avid, long-time listener of the show whose real-life career embodies the core values we’ve celebrated for five incredible years: Community, Connection, Collaboration, and Consistency. From growing up watching her father run a relationship-first local business in Windsor to shifting her career from speech pathology to financial services, Alyssa has intentionally built a brand rooted in visual authenticity and deep client empathy. In this episode, she opens up about her ultimate test: transitioning from student to leader overnight during a sudden succession crisis while simultaneously managing intense personal adversity. Alyssa breaks down why she rejects industry isolation in favor of deep team collaboration, proving that legacy is quietly built in the spaces between moments—simply by choosing to show up every single day. In this episode, we explore: The Relationship DNA: How watching her father run a local community-based business shaped a modern brand strategy. The Financial Translator: Why a clinical background in speech pathology is the ultimate secret weapon for helping clients articulate goals they can't yet name. Holding the Bridge: The raw reality of navigating a sudden business succession crisis in the wake of a mentor's sudden medical emergency. Collaboration Over Competition: Why building a team-based practice is the ultimate structural win for client stability and advisor continuity. Intrinsic Drive: Tap into personal purpose to navigate professional bottlenecks and profound adversity at the exact same time. 🎥 Watch the full video episode on Spotify, or listen to the audio on your favorite podcast platform! Disclaimer:The information and opinions being presented are for informational purposes only. None of the speakers or Desjardins Insurance has been engaged for the purpose of providing legal, taxation, or other professional advice. No one should act upon the examples or information provided without a thorough examination of their specific legal or tax situation with the appropriate professional advisors.

    Episode 123: Intrinsic Drive - Brand, Community, and Grit with Alyssa Anderson

  7. May 19

    Episode 122: Navigating the System - Humanity and Healing with Dr. Tracy Parnell

    In this episode of Discovery Series: Unplugged, host Reh Bhanji sits down with Dr. Tracy Parnell, a Canadian physician and Chair of Primary Care and Rural Medicine at Teladoc Health Canada. Dr. Parnell has dedicated her clinical career to expanding healthcare access for underserved and rural communities. But when she faced a severe health crisis as a patient in her 30s, her entire relationship with her profession completely changed. Dr. Parnell shares the raw reality of moving from medical insider to vulnerable patient, and how that paradigm shift fueled her mission to bring clear, empathetic navigation to modern medicine. In this episode, we explore: The Clinical Turning Point: The exact moment a personal health crisis forced a practicing physician to experience the medical system from the other side of the bed. The Challenge of Navigation: Why knowing where to go, who to trust, and how to look at the full picture matters just as much as a medical diagnosis. Bridging the System Gap: How clinical leadership can design better pathways, clear communication, and practical support to build patient trust. Caring Beyond Systems: Why real healthcare transformation requires putting human connection and true empathy ahead of bureaucratic processes. "Better outcomes don't just come from systems—they come from people who care enough to make them better." Dr. Parnell’s journey is a powerful masterclass in purpose, perspective, and finding clarity when life feels overwhelming. Tune in to the full video episode on Spotify and follow Discovery Series: Unplugged for more! Disclaimer: Please note, the following episode includes discussion of Teladoc Health Canada. These services are not a contractual obligation of Desjardins Financial Security and may be withdrawn at any time. The information shared reflects personal experience and should not be considered a guarantee of service or outcomes.

    Episode 122: Navigating the System - Humanity and Healing with Dr. Tracy Parnell

  8. May 5

    Episode 121: Financial Underwriting - How to Position Stronger Cases (Part 2)

    In Part 2 of our underwriting series, Discovery Series: Unplugged goes behind the scenes of financial underwriting with Andrew Lalonde-Welby, Senior Underwriting Consultant at Desjardins Insurance. Building on the previous episode about holistic underwriting, this conversation focuses on how advisors can better position complex cases through stronger preparation, clearer context, and more effective cover letters. Andrew breaks down why financial underwriting goes beyond the numbers, including how underwriters think about insurable need, affordability, ownership structures, existing coverage, pending insurance, and the purpose behind the application. You’ll hear why a well-crafted cover letter can make a meaningful difference, how collaboration with regional sales directors and underwriters can reduce friction, and why telling the client’s full story matters. For advisors, this episode is a practical reminder: underwriting is not just a decision point. It is a safeguard built to protect clients, advisors, and the integrity of the insurance process.

    Episode 121: Financial Underwriting - How to Position Stronger Cases (Part 2)
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4.8
out of 5
16 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Discovery Series: Unplugged podcast! Join Reh Bhanji and David Lee from Desjardins Insurance as they dive deep into the stories of real people, real advisors, and real-life experiences. From navigating the highs and lows of the financial industry, to finding success and fulfilment in unexpected places, this podcast is for advisors who want to be inspired, informed, and engaged. So, whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out, tune in and join the community!

Information

  • Creator
    Podcast Desjardins
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    128
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Podcast Desjardins
  • Show Website
    Discovery Series: Unplugged

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