Home: Vancouver, BC. Birthplace: Burnaby, BC. Profession: Wealth management. Organization: Langlois Brown Wealth Management, iA Private Wealth. Title: Senior Investment Advisor. Significant other: Leslie. Hobbies: Golf, tennis, skiing
Recent travel or adventure: A family trip to Cotswold’s, England last fall, my family has roots in Bath. It was a great historical trip. We stayed in a few castles and visited Burgh Island, where Agatha Christie wrote a lot of her mystery novels, as well as Portsmouth home of the HMS Victory, the world’s oldest warship still in commission and flagship for Lord Horatio Nelson during the Battle of Trafalgar. Last book read: Chip War by Chris Miller. A great account of the efforts by the US and China to simultaneously develop advanced microchip technology. How do you define an ideal business relationship? One that comes naturally, where you don’t have to try so hard and where working together comes easily. One built on trust and appreciation of each other’s skill and efforts. You can usually feel if it’s going to work in the first 30 seconds. What is your greatest joy? My wife and my children. What occupation, other than your own, do you most admire? Entertainers and athletes. They have a unique platform, with many of the talented ones becoming extremely wealthy very quickly. Their success comes with a lot of skill, hard work, luck, and influence. I particularly admire those who maintain their composure and integrity as their careers soar to new heights. What is your favorite place (or way) to spend money? Golfing, dining, wine, and travel. What is at the top of your bucket list? I want to visit France and Normandy on a World War II history trip. What ingredient is essential to your perfect vacation? My family, of course. But we love using the 36 Hours series of books published by the New York Times.
What was your first paying job? Like a lot of BC kids, my first job was the Pacific National Exhibition. I worked on the “tour train” that carried visitors around the park, collecting cash at the back as they got on and off. What was your favorite college course? I enjoyed the business and commerce classes. That’s what sparked my interest in pursuing finance. What’s prominently featured on your home or office wall? A painting called The End of the Journey, an abstract of people coming to the city which I find soothing. My wife is a minimalist, so I don’t have too much clutter on our walls. What’s the best advice you received in your career? Save a lot when you’re young, invest prudently (rather than speculate and gamble) and watch it snowball with the phenomenon of compound interest. What modern technology innovation do you most appreciate? The ability to instantly communicate through smartphones and zoom calls is remarkable to me. It’s so much easier to sit in front of them and communicate and build trust. What company or organization do you most admire? Berkshire Hathaway and Warren Buffett are tough to beat. I also admire the investment firms of Edgepoint and Turtle Creek. These investment companies have common themes: lead, grow, run and defend.
What is your big idea?
We’re only here for a short time, and we should do our best to have influence and build a legacy. I like the example of sticking your finger into a glass of water. When it’s in, it looks huge and important. But when you take it out, it leaves no impression.
What advice would you give your younger self? Continue to surround yourself with people smarter than you. What day in your life would you choose to re-live? Nothing compares to the birth of both of my children. It’s so emotional to bring another being onto the planet. What period in your life would you do differently if you could? I came from humble beginnings. I worked hard. I experienced an early tragedy with the loss of my brother. If I could re-live some of my life with him, I would love that.
Personal mission: I’m here to help and serve. I enjoy giving advice and acting as a sounding board to friends, family, and clients. Favorite quote: "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood" (Theodore Roosevelt).
