How it all began
Justin Bender was fresh out of university when he started his career at a major mutual fund company. It didn’t take long for him to discover the less savoury aspects of the industry, including exorbitant fees and rampant conflicts of interest. Then in his mid-20s, Justin was already spending his lunch hours reading books by John Bogle, the founder of the Vanguard Group, inventor of the index fund, and a tireless advocate for investors.
In 2007, Justin reached out to PWL Capital, who at the time was one of only a small number of wealth management firms that integrated index investing with comprehensive financial planning. He was joined by his soon-to-be-wife, Shannon, who shared his passion, work ethic, and commitment to putting clients first. Together they devised innovative strategies to minimize fees and taxes in portfolios while focusing on big-picture planning as well as investments.
Justin and Shannon later pioneered Canada’s first flat-fee service for DIY investors who needed help in setting up low-cost index portfolios. They caught the attention of Dan Bortolotti, then editor of MoneySense magazine and creator of the popular Canadian Couch Potato blog, who wrote about the service in MoneySense in 2012. The article sparked such a surge in demand that it became impractical for Justin and Shannon to continue managing the service alone. A friendship blossomed, and over a couple of pints at the pub, Justin and Shannon invited Dan to join their team.
Although they no longer work directly with DIY investors, the team has remained committed to sharing their insights freely with DIY investors through articles, blogs, podcasts, and YouTube videos.
In the years since that fateful meeting, the Bender, Bender & Bortolotti team has grown to include other like-minded professionals who share the mission to help Canadian families succeed with the help of a low-cost, disciplined investment strategy and sound financial planning.
Justin Bender was fresh out of university when he started his career at a major mutual fund company. It didn’t take long for him to discover the less savoury aspects of the industry, including exorbitant fees and rampant conflicts of interest. Then in his mid-20s, Justin was already spending his lunch hours reading books by John Bogle, the founder of the Vanguard Group, inventor of the index fund, and a tireless advocate for investors.
In 2007, Justin reached out to PWL Capital, who at the time was one of only a small number of wealth management firms that integrated index investing with comprehensive financial planning. He was joined by his soon-to-be-wife, Shannon, who shared his passion, work ethic, and commitment to putting clients first. Together they devised innovative strategies to minimize fees and taxes in portfolios while focusing on big-picture planning as well as investments.
Justin and Shannon later pioneered Canada’s first flat-fee service for DIY investors who needed help in setting up low-cost index portfolios. They caught the attention of Dan Bortolotti, then editor of MoneySense magazine and creator of the popular Canadian Couch Potato blog, who wrote about the service in MoneySense in 2012. The article sparked such a surge in demand that it became impractical for Justin and Shannon to continue managing the service alone. A friendship blossomed, and over a couple of pints at the pub, Justin and Shannon invited Dan to join their team.
Although they no longer work directly with DIY investors, the team has remained committed to sharing their insights freely with DIY investors through articles, blogs, podcasts, and YouTube videos.
In the years since that fateful meeting, the Bender, Bender & Bortolotti team has grown to include other like-minded professionals who share the mission to help Canadian families succeed with the help of a low-cost, disciplined investment strategy and sound financial planning.
