6d ago

☀️What Are You Feeding Your Body, Mind & Soul This Summer?

Every year I forget that I am in fact a solar-powered human being. ☀️ Then Toronto summer arrives and suddenly: 🎾 tennis invitations multiply 🍷 patios reappear ✈️ travel plans emerge 🧠 motivation returns 💃 and everyone becomes suspiciously attractive and athletic overnight. This year however I decided to approach summer a little differently. Less “random social blur.” More intentional feeding of: 🏋️ the body 🇪🇸 the mind 🎨 and the soul So I picked 3 focus areas: Fitness, Spanish and Art. Which means that if you see a woman speed-walking through Toronto carrying weights while aggressively speaking Spanish to herself before heading to a museum opening… it is probably me. In my latest newsletter/podcast intro, I reflect on: ☀️ Canadian winter survival mode 🎾 why tennis alone is no longer enough 📚 learning Spanish through hilariously outdated audiobooks from the library 🖼️ the surprisingly welcoming art world 🧠 and why summer can actually become a strategic asset for personal growth. Also discussed: The emotional importance of patios after April in Canada. Peggy Van de Plassche is a value creation strategist and senior advisor with over 20 years of experience in private equity, financial services, healthcare, and technology. She works with investment firms, boards, and C-suite leaders to accelerate portfolio company performance, drive operational transformation, and unlock long-term value. Peggy specializes in the execution of complex value creation plans—spanning capital allocation, digital enablement, transaction advisory, and leadership alignment. Her work consistently bridges strategy and implementation, helping investors and operators maximize EBITDA and enterprise value. A founding board member of Invest in Canada, she also brings deep expertise in public-private partnerships and institutional capital deployment—critical levers for competitive advantage in today’s global landscape. Her clients have included BMO, CI Financial, HOOPP, OMERS, GreenShield Canada, Nicola Wealth, and Power Financial. Learn more at peggyvandeplassche.com. #privateequity #privatemarkets #alternativeinvestments #investing #investments #invest #venturecapital #investor #entrepreneur #digitaltransformation #ai #exit #tech #technology #finance #financialservices #healthcare

14 min

Jun 2

📰 Why I Still Buy Magazines

I still buy magazines. A lot of them actually. Fashion magazines, art magazines, design magazines, business magazines… probably around 10/month. And no, this is not because I am trapped in 1997. There is just something deeply pleasant about ink, paper, beautiful photography, oversized ads for watches I cannot afford, and carrying a magazine in my bag instead of staring at my phone like a lab rat pressing a dopamine button. I also realized recently that buying physical magazines has become my tiny act of rebellion against digital AI everything. Not because I hate technology (I obviously don’t), but because I increasingly value tactile, human, imperfect, real-life experiences. Also: magazine ads > internet ads. One feels cinematic. The other feels like being stalked by sandals you searched for once at 11:43 p.m. My latest newsletter is about all of this: culture, paper, screen fatigue, glossy rebellion, and why I still believe in putting money toward tangible experiences. And yes, I am fully aware I am not saving civilization one copy of Vogue at a time 😉 Peggy Van de Plassche is a value creation strategist and senior advisor with over 20 years of experience in private equity, financial services, healthcare, and technology. She works with investment firms, boards, and C-suite leaders to accelerate portfolio company performance, drive operational transformation, and unlock long-term value. Peggy specializes in the execution of complex value creation plans—spanning capital allocation, digital enablement, transaction advisory, and leadership alignment. Her work consistently bridges strategy and implementation, helping investors and operators maximize EBITDA and enterprise value. A founding board member of Invest in Canada, she also brings deep expertise in public-private partnerships and institutional capital deployment—critical levers for competitive advantage in today’s global landscape. Her clients have included BMO, CI Financial, HOOPP, OMERS, GreenShield Canada, Nicola Wealth, and Power Financial. Learn more at peggyvandeplassche.com. #privateequity #privatemarkets #alternativeinvestments #investing #investments #invest #venturecapital #investor #entrepreneur #digitaltransformation #ai #exit #tech #technology #finance #financialservices #healthcare

7 min

May 26

🪦 The Death of Attention; Why We See Everything — Yet Feel Less and Less with Narendra Pachkhédé

🪦 The Death of Attention; Why We See Everything — Yet Feel Less and Less with Narendra Pachkhédé We live in a strange age: We see wars in real time. Poverty on every street corner. Thousands of opinions, images, crises and headlines every single day. And yet somehow… we feel less and less connected to the world around us. I recently sat down with writer, curator and public thinker Narendra Pachkhédé for one of the most fascinating conversations I have had in a long time. We spoke about: 🎭 Why art still matters 📱 The “attention economy” that destroys attention 📚 Writing as “a habit of attention” 🌍 The invisible geographies we carry within us ⚠️ Why we are living through a profound moral crisis 🎨 Why “seeing is not enough” One line from Narendra particularly stayed with me: “Art slows perception.” In a world optimized for distraction, speed and performance… maybe learning how to truly pay attention again is becoming a radical act. We also discussed his book Form as History: When History No Longer Requires Us, his lecture at the Art Gallery of Ontario, and his curatorial work including the exhibition of Ranbir Sidhu at the AGO. This was not simply a conversation about art. It was a conversation about how to remain human in a world increasingly designed to fragment our attention. Newsletter below 👇 #art #leadership #history #philosophy #book Peggy Van de Plassche is a value creation strategist and senior advisor with over 20 years of experience in private equity, financial services, healthcare, and technology. She works with investment firms, boards, and C-suite leaders to accelerate portfolio company performance, drive operational transformation, and unlock long-term value. Peggy specializes in the execution of complex value creation plans—spanning capital allocation, digital enablement, transaction advisory, and leadership alignment. Her work consistently bridges strategy and implementation, helping investors and operators maximize EBITDA and enterprise value. A founding board member of Invest in Canada, she also brings deep expertise in public-private partnerships and institutional capital deployment—critical levers for competitive advantage in today’s global landscape. Her clients have included BMO, CI Financial, HOOPP, OMERS, GreenShield Canada, Nicola Wealth, and Power Financial. Learn more at peggyvandeplassche.com. #privateequity #privatemarkets #alternativeinvestments #investing #investments #invest #venturecapital #investor #entrepreneur #digitaltransformation #ai #exit #tech #technology #finance #financialservices #healthcare

46 min

May 19

Canadians 🤝 Negotiating fees like it’s a hostage situation

“Can you do it for less?” “What if we remove… everything?” “Exposure is also valuable, no?” 😅 After ~10 years as an independent advisor (and years before that on the corporate side), I’ve noticed a very consistent pattern: 👉 We hate paying fees. 👉 All fees. 👉 Even when paying them would actually make us more money. We’ll: Pay cash to “save taxes” 💸 Negotiate artists down while claiming to support them 🎨 Spend months arguing contracts… to end up nowhere 100% of zero > 70% of something bigger? Apparently yes. It’s fascinating. Slightly absurd. And, I’d argue, a real barrier to growth. I wrote about it—why it happens, what it costs us (financially and socially), and why it might be… a bit irrational. 👇 Curious if you’ve seen the same? #newsletter #canada #business #consulting #pricing #leadership Peggy Van de Plassche is a value creation strategist and senior advisor with over 20 years of experience in private equity, financial services, healthcare, and technology. She works with investment firms, boards, and C-suite leaders to accelerate portfolio company performance, drive operational transformation, and unlock long-term value. Peggy specializes in the execution of complex value creation plans—spanning capital allocation, digital enablement, transaction advisory, and leadership alignment. Her work consistently bridges strategy and implementation, helping investors and operators maximize EBITDA and enterprise value. A founding board member of Invest in Canada, she also brings deep expertise in public-private partnerships and institutional capital deployment—critical levers for competitive advantage in today’s global landscape. Her clients have included BMO, CI Financial, HOOPP, OMERS, GreenShield Canada, Nicola Wealth, and Power Financial. Learn more at peggyvandeplassche.com. #privateequity #privatemarkets #alternativeinvestments #investing #investments #invest #venturecapital #investor #entrepreneur #digitaltransformation #ai #exit #tech #technology #finance #financialservices #healthcare

9 min

May 12

⁉️Changing Lifestyle or Taking Meds?

Let’s be honest: Nutella, croissants, éclairs au chocolat… I’m very pro. Unfortunately, my body disagreed. I was prescribed meds for skin and sugar issues: 👉 worked great 👉 messed with my mood (even at microdoses) So I made the least exciting decision possible: 🥗 less sugar 💧 better habits 🚶‍♀️ more movement Did I enjoy it? No. Did I miss chocolate? Intensely. But… it worked. I didn’t need the meds anymore. We live in a world where: 💊 taking a pill is easier than 😴 sleeping well 🏃‍♀️ moving 🚫 saying no to sugar (painful) And yes—sometimes meds are the right answer. But sometimes, small lifestyle shifts go a long way. Fast forward a few months: I still love chocolate 🍫 Just not as a daily default. Small choices. Big impact. Peggy Van de Plassche is a value creation strategist and senior advisor with over 20 years of experience in private equity, financial services, healthcare, and technology. She works with investment firms, boards, and C-suite leaders to accelerate portfolio company performance, drive operational transformation, and unlock long-term value. Peggy specializes in the execution of complex value creation plans—spanning capital allocation, digital enablement, transaction advisory, and leadership alignment. Her work consistently bridges strategy and implementation, helping investors and operators maximize EBITDA and enterprise value. A founding board member of Invest in Canada, she also brings deep expertise in public-private partnerships and institutional capital deployment—critical levers for competitive advantage in today’s global landscape. Her clients have included BMO, CI Financial, HOOPP, OMERS, GreenShield Canada, Nicola Wealth, and Power Financial. Learn more at peggyvandeplassche.com. #privateequity #privatemarkets #alternativeinvestments #investing #investments #invest #venturecapital #investor #entrepreneur #digitaltransformation #ai #exit #tech #technology #finance #financialservices #healthcare

9 min

May 5

🎭 The Art of Influence (and Why It Sometimes Backfires)

Imagine you’re in a meeting… 👀 Someone says your name… once… twice… five times 😅 Locks eye contact like it’s a staring contest 👁️👁️ Pauses… for impact… 🎭 And delivers a perfectly polished pitch 🎤 You’re not listening anymore. You’re thinking: “ah… they read the book.” 📚 And to be fair—it works. Until it doesn’t. Because now it just feels… obvious 🤖 In this week’s newsletter, I unpack where influence turns into manipulation—and why people can feel it instantly. 👉 The tricks aren’t magic anymore ✨ 👉 We’ve all read the same books What’s the most “playbook” move you’ve seen lately? 👇 Peggy Van de Plassche is a value creation strategist and senior advisor with over 20 years of experience in private equity, financial services, healthcare, and technology. She works with investment firms, boards, and C-suite leaders to accelerate portfolio company performance, drive operational transformation, and unlock long-term value. Peggy specializes in the execution of complex value creation plans—spanning capital allocation, digital enablement, transaction advisory, and leadership alignment. Her work consistently bridges strategy and implementation, helping investors and operators maximize EBITDA and enterprise value. A founding board member of Invest in Canada, she also brings deep expertise in public-private partnerships and institutional capital deployment—critical levers for competitive advantage in today’s global landscape. Her clients have included BMO, CI Financial, HOOPP, OMERS, GreenShield Canada, Nicola Wealth, and Power Financial. Learn more at peggyvandeplassche.com. #privateequity #privatemarkets #alternativeinvestments #investing #investments #invest #venturecapital #investor #entrepreneur #digitaltransformation #ai #exit #tech #technology #finance #financialservices #healthcare

12 min

Apr 28

💰 The Curse of Being Rich

Not exactly a popular take. And yet—after two decades working alongside wealth creators, heirs, and power circles, I’ve come to a somewhat uncomfortable conclusion: 👉 Wealth solves many problems. But it quietly creates others. Who is actually in your corner—and who is playing a role?What happens when success is always discounted… and failure quietly celebrated?What if your life isn’t entirely your own—even with unlimited means?At what point do you stop being a person… and become an opportunity?We don’t talk about this. Because wealth is supposed to be the end game. But beyond a certain point, it starts to reshape every interaction around you—social, emotional, even existential. Ironically, the “sweet spot” may not be at the top. 👉 It might be just below it. Where you have: enough to live well, but not enough to distort reality. This piece is not anti-wealth. It’s pro-clarity. And maybe… a little uncomfortable. #Leadership #Wealth #Psychology #Power #HumanNature #Success #Perspective Peggy Van de Plassche is a value creation strategist and senior advisor with over 20 years of experience in private equity, financial services, healthcare, and technology. She works with investment firms, boards, and C-suite leaders to accelerate portfolio company performance, drive operational transformation, and unlock long-term value. Peggy specializes in the execution of complex value creation plans—spanning capital allocation, digital enablement, transaction advisory, and leadership alignment. Her work consistently bridges strategy and implementation, helping investors and operators maximize EBITDA and enterprise value. A founding board member of Invest in Canada, she also brings deep expertise in public-private partnerships and institutional capital deployment—critical levers for competitive advantage in today’s global landscape. Her clients have included BMO, CI Financial, HOOPP, OMERS, GreenShield Canada, Nicola Wealth, and Power Financial. Learn more at peggyvandeplassche.com. #privateequity #privatemarkets #alternativeinvestments #investing #investments #invest #venturecapital #investor #entrepreneur #digitaltransformation #ai #exit #tech #technology #finance #financialservices #healthcare

11 min

Apr 21

🎨 What actually makes an emerging artist financially successful?

Talent? Yes. Luck? Absolutely. Timing? More than we’d like to admit. But after spending time with artists like Aline Setton, Luca Soldovieri, Melanie Authier, Vickie Vainionpää—alongside galleries like Olga Korper Gallery and institutions such as the Aga Khan Museum—I’ve started to notice something else. A pattern. Not a formula. Not a guarantee. But a set of behaviours that show up again and again. The artists who make it work financially tend to: Treat their practice like a long-term game Build real networks (not just visibility) Communicate and tell compelling stories Develop a recognizable signature Embrace the business side of art (without apology) And yes… make themselves visible In short: they behave like professionals—not just creators. It sounds obvious. It isn’t. Because the romantic narrative of the “pure artist” still lingers… And it quietly sabotages a lot of talent. I talked about what I’m seeing—from the outside looking in— for anyone navigating the intersection of art, market, and ambition. Curious to hear: What do you think actually drives success in today’s art market? #Art #ContemporaryArt #ArtMarket #Artists #Creativity #Professionalism #Collecting #Newsletter Peggy Van de Plassche is a value creation strategist and senior advisor with over 20 years of experience in private equity, financial services, healthcare, and technology. She works with investment firms, boards, and C-suite leaders to accelerate portfolio company performance, drive operational transformation, and unlock long-term value. Peggy specializes in the execution of complex value creation plans—spanning capital allocation, digital enablement, transaction advisory, and leadership alignment. Her work consistently bridges strategy and implementation, helping investors and operators maximize EBITDA and enterprise value. A founding board member of Invest in Canada, she also brings deep expertise in public-private partnerships and institutional capital deployment—critical levers for competitive advantage in today’s global landscape. Her clients have included BMO, CI Financial, HOOPP, OMERS, GreenShield Canada, Nicola Wealth, and Power Financial. Learn more at peggyvandeplassche.com. #privateequity #privatemarkets #alternativeinvestments #investing #investments #invest #venturecapital #investor #entrepreneur #digitaltransformation #ai #exit #tech #technology #finance #financialservices #healthcare

10 min

Peggy Van de Plassche

☀️What Are You Feeding Your Body, Mind & Soul This Summer?

📰 Why I Still Buy Magazines

🪦 The Death of Attention; Why We See Everything — Yet Feel Less and Less with Narendra Pachkhédé

Canadians 🤝 Negotiating fees like it’s a hostage situation

⁉️Changing Lifestyle or Taking Meds?

🎭 The Art of Influence (and Why It Sometimes Backfires)

💰 The Curse of Being Rich

🎨 What actually makes an emerging artist financially successful?

About

Information

Peggy Van de Plassche

Episodes

☀️What Are You Feeding Your Body, Mind & Soul This Summer?

📰 Why I Still Buy Magazines

🪦 The Death of Attention; Why We See Everything — Yet Feel Less and Less with Narendra Pachkhédé

Canadians 🤝 Negotiating fees like it’s a hostage situation

⁉️Changing Lifestyle or Taking Meds?

🎭 The Art of Influence (and Why It Sometimes Backfires)

💰 The Curse of Being Rich

🎨 What actually makes an emerging artist financially successful?

About

Information