JAMES STECHLY, PFP®, CFP®, Financial Planner, Investment & Retirement Planning, RBC Financial Planning, Royal Mutual Funds Inc., RBC, Cranbrook, BC

JAMES STECHLY

“Specializing in financial planning for the life events that matter most –

so that you can be present when they happen to you.”

FINANCIAL PLANNER, INVESTMENT, AND RETIREMENT PLANNING Specialist James Stechly knows that life gives us many defining moments. Whether it’s the arrival of a new child, the complexities of managing a loved one’s estate, the purchase of a first home, or getting ready to retire – he knows that life’s many transitions are easier with a little advanced planning. “Life events” are universal moments that often come with overwhelming financial complexities. James has built his career on being the kind of person you can count on to help you navigate life’s big changes.

James is much more than a Financial Advisor. He feels more like a life event specialist who is ready to offer his clients a steady hand, insightful guidance, and unwavering support to address and prepare for life’s most pivotal moments.

“Truly, I'm a life event specialist,” says James. “We all go through similar life events at some point. Losing a parent and dealing with their estate, sending our kids off to post-secondary school, buying or selling a house, switching careers, deciding how to invest our money to retire well – these are areas where I provide valuable support and guidance. I have an open-door policy to help anyone I can who needs life event advice.”

While James is fluent in the game of life, he does admit that he feels a calling when it comes to helping people nearing the end of their professional working years. He specializes in retirement planning and is always happy to discuss planning specifically geared towards enjoying and improving the quality of life’s “golden” years. He says: “I believe a lot that can come from meeting with anyone, at any age, and of any demographic. While I do enjoy retirement planning, life events happen no matter what. Helping people prepare for them is more than just a professional obligation for me – it’s a deeply ingrained passion.”

Harnessing the Power of an Entrepreneurial Mindset

James grew up in British Columbia, just outside of Cranbrook. He says that he was blessed with an entrepreneurial mindset and knew from a young age that he wanted to build some kind of business for himself. Starting a simple business with his father as a kid became a catalyst for his lifelong fascination with the world of finance. When he was about eleven years old, his father instilled a crucial lesson in him; investing in something relevant can be a powerful thing to do.

“I was always the entrepreneurial-minded kid who wanted to start a business at an early age,” explains James. “I asked my parents if I could get a job, but we lived out of town. My options were limited. My dad suggested we start a firewood business. We had access to a lot of trees and there was demand. Once I started to make a little bit of money doing this, he taught me how to invest. I started trading and making money moves and my interest in financial planning took root.”

James also credits his interest in sports for his drive to succeed. Sports helped foster the confidence, motivation, and ambition he needed to set and achieve his goals.

“I grew up playing all kinds of sports and that gave me the confidence, motivation and ambition to set and achieve my goals,” he says. “My dad taught me the power of money; sports taught me how to focus and harness the energy and momentum that it takes to make that money grow. To this day I always look to my father for guidance. I'm sure I'm biased by saying this, but he's the smartest guy I know. I go to him when I need advice and support to make my own difficult life decisions. He was also my coach when I played basketball growing up.”

James understands that many people did not have the kind of parental guidance he had. As a result, he is committed to paying it forward by sharing his knowledge with others.

Cranbrook, Calgary, and RBC

James believes that community is very important. While he grew up in Cranbrook, he did leave to study and work in Calgary for a while. He moved back to Cranbrook in 2018, took a job with RBC, and brought a strong desire to give back to the place he came from with him.

“I’ve always said that I want to find a way to give back to the East Kootenay region where I came from,” he explains. “When I moved back here, I wasn’t sure how I was going to do that. In addition to my work with RBC, I’m involved with coaching middle and high school basketball. I married my wife in August of last year and she coaches high school volleyball as well. We both give back by supporting and contributing to the kids in our community. It means a lot to us both to be able to volunteer our time in this way. It takes a village to support our youth as they go through the challenges of growing up, it’s an honour to be involved with that.”

Before returning to Cranbrook, James obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. He cut his teeth in finance at two different financial institutions before leaving Calgary.

“While I was still in college, I started looking for a job,” James says. “It wasn’t easy to get my foot in the door. My dad had a Financial Advisor who worked for Nesbitt Burns and I was finding it challenging to land a job in finance. His Advisor helped. He opened the door that got me started as a bank teller, and that initial help getting into the banking world has now come full circle. Here I am today, doing the same kind of work he did, helping people in need, just like he did.”

Prior to his role with RBC, James worked as an Investment Specialist with Scotiabank. His first role as a teller was with BMO. He has now worked with RBC for longer than he did in both of his past roles combined. He credits RBC’s culture as a driving factor in his decision to work with them.

“At RBC we bring specialists to the table on all fronts,” he explains. “We have someone who specializes in every life event area that our clients need. If a client needs help with a mortgage, we have someone, if it's investments, we have someone for that too. We are “one team” and we keep that in mind no matter what conversation we are having.

We believe in bringing the right specialist to the table at the right time. It’s how we ensure that our clients needs are served.”

Looking Beyond “the Noise”

When it comes to the current economic climate, James believes that effective financial guidance isn't about chasing the latest trends or fixating on short-term gains. It's about crafting a comprehensive, long-term plan that aligns with individual aspirations and anticipates life's inevitable transitions. He encourages his clients to move beyond just focusing on singular products like the latest TFSA limits or whether a GIC is a good idea and focusing on the big picture instead.

“I think you have to look beyond the noise of what you hear or read out in the world,” he says. “Noise will always be there – politics, shifting interest rates, stock market changes – any of these things can cause market disruptions at any time – and they do – all the time. Most people don’t notice the many shifts and trends because they’re not looking at them. Once you start listening to the noise, you might find that it holds you back, maybe even from just getting started with your financial plan. If you can look past that and understand that there will always be good noise, bad noise, and everything in-between – you can focus on taking action that serves your best interests. Sit down with an Advisor, get past the emotional side of things. One of the biggest risks you can take with your money – is not taking any risks at all.”

James adds that while discussing retirement plans that may be decades away might not seem necessary for some people, it is an important part of securing their family’s future. Topics like estate planning can be uncomfortable, but he emphasizes its crucial importance in providing peace of mind and security. Ultimately, James believes in empowering his clients to make informed decisions, grounded in a clear understanding of their goals and a well-defined strategy.

“Coming back to life events,” says James. “While certain events are less fun to talk about, they are necessary. We don’t want to think about our loved ones passing away, but it happens to all of us. Getting ahead and planning for these life events means that when they happen you remain grounded in the moment, instead of worrying about what will happen next. Ask yourself what you should be planning for today – is it your life 10 years down the road? Is your big picture a retirement plan to exit your career soon? Are you planning for events that will happen 40 years from now? Whatever you do today should be carefully weighted against your overall goals and plans. It can really help to have someone else assist you with that.”

James understands the value a knowledgeable guide, and compassionate partner can bring to any financial plan. He isn’t just telling people where to put their money to see it grow, he’s helping people navigate life's financial crossroads with confidence and clarity, ensuring they are wellprepared for whatever the future may hold. In a world often filled with financial anxiety, he offers advice with a sense of security and control. He says, "the bottom line" is, if you have a solid plan for future life events, you’ll be more present when those events happen to you.”

April Potter is a veteran writer with expertise in financial services including nearly 15 years in debt restructuring. April has written for multiple online publications on a variety of subjects. Also a painter, her background in finance is balanced by her artistic endeavors.

JAMES STECHLY, PFP®, CFP®, Financial Planner,

Investment & Retirement Planning

RBC Financial Planning

Royal Mutual Funds Inc

RBC, Cranbrook, BC

(672) 967-3770

James.Stechly@rbc.com