Episode Highlights

• Strong YTD for equities: Clients who stayed invested captured the 2025 bull market.
• Valuations are high, but room remains: Tech/AI leadership and retail flows can still support gains.
• The market and the economy don’t move in lockstep: Softer labour data and mixed inflation don’t directly dictate stock moves.
• Rates are uncertain: One cut behind us; future cuts are data-dependent—plan, don’t predict.
• Gold’s big run: Keep it as a diversifier; consider trimming profits rather than overweighting it.
• ...and more.

About the Guest – Keith Allan

Keith Allan is a Portfolio Manager with Harness Investment Management. Harness has engaged in a strategic partnership with VELA Wealth and provides discretionary portfolio management for many of VELA’s clients. With more than 15 years of buy-side investment management experience, Keith brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to provide insight and guidance to clients regarding their investment portfolios. At Harness, Keith is responsible for developing and maintaining investment portfolios for VELA clients. To learn more, please visit Harness Investment Management team page.

About the Host – Kevin Parton

Kevin Parton, CFP professional, specializes in personal and business financial planning, tax reduction, and estate planning. Kevin is diligently concentrating on client education as a powerful strategy for building financial certainty. As no financial situation is the same, Kevin and his team monitor clients’ plans and implement personalized strategies to reduce their personal and corporate taxes, and protect their income, assets, and loved ones against the financial consequences of a serious illness, injury or death, ensuring clients maintain financial certainty and peace of mind. To read more, please visit the VELA team page.

Disclaimer

The information provided in the podcast transcript is designed for general informational purposes only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual or on any specific security or investment product.

• Discover how a spark of inspiration in Paris led Nicole Smith to launch Flytographer, now connecting travelers with photographers in 350+ cities worldwide.
• Learn how she made the bold leap from a 13-year career at Microsoft to building a global brand from scratch.
• Hear Nicole’s candid take on the risks, resilience, and pivots required to keep Flytographer alive during the pandemic.
• Find out why embracing conscious leadership and personal wellbeing has been key to scaling a profitable, purpose-driven company.
• Get a glimpse of what’s next as Flytographer expands its mission to help people remember their favorite travel stories forever.

This episode is packed with insights for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, leadership, or turning an idea into a global success story.

About the Guest – Nicole Smith

Nicole Smith is the founder of Flytographer, the world’s first global marketplace connecting travelers with local photographers for short, fun vacation shoots. Since launching in 2013, Flytographer has become a profitable, multi-million dollar business and captured memories for 100,000+ travelers across 350 cities. Nicole won BC Business Magazine's 2025 Woman of the Year (Innovator category), has appeared twice on Dragons’ Den, was named an EY Winning Woman, and is also an angel investor focused on women-led startups. Before founding Flytographer, she spent over 13 years at Microsoft in global marketing and consulting, and worked as a product manager at a Seattle tech startup. Learn more at flytographer.com.

About the Host – Kevin Parton

Kevin Parton, CFP professional, specializes in personal and business financial planning, tax reduction, and estate planning. Kevin is diligently concentrating on client education as a powerful strategy for building financial certainty. As no financial situation is the same, Kevin and his team monitor clients’ plans and implement personalized strategies to reduce their personal and corporate taxes, and protect their income, assets, and loved ones against the financial consequences of a serious illness, injury or death, ensuring clients maintain financial certainty and peace of mind. To read more, please visit the VELA team page.

Episode Highlights

• Markets rebounded in Q2 despite economic and geopolitical uncertainty
• VELA client portfolios outperformed major indices
• Active management and diversification drove stronger returns
• Investor sentiment often misaligns with market performance
• Outlook remains optimistic heading into late 2025

...and more.

About the Guest – Keith Allan

Keith Allan is a Portfolio Manager with Harness Investment Management. Harness has engaged in a strategic partnership with VELA Wealth and provides discretionary portfolio management for many of VELA’s clients. With more than 15 years of buy-side investment management experience, Keith brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to provide insight and guidance to clients regarding their investment portfolios. At Harness, Keith is responsible for developing and maintaining investment portfolios for VELA clients. To learn more, please visit Harness Investment Management team page.

About the Host – Kevin Parton

Kevin Parton, CFP professional, specializes in personal and business financial planning, tax reduction, and estate planning. Kevin is diligently concentrating on client education as a powerful strategy for building financial certainty. As no financial situation is the same, Kevin and his team monitor clients’ plans and implement personalized strategies to reduce their personal and corporate taxes, and protect their income, assets, and loved ones against the financial consequences of a serious illness, injury or death, ensuring clients maintain financial certainty and peace of mind. To read more, please visit the VELA team page.