Kathryn Glowa, Investment Advisor, BMO Nesbitt Burns, The Usyk Glowa Group of BMO Nesbitt Burns, Edmonton, Alberta

Kathryn Glowa

 “Simplifying investing complexity and applying strategies that powerfully grow your wealth.”

In a profession defined by future planning, Kathryn Glowa, Investment Advisor with The Usyk Glowa Group of BMO Nesbitt Burns, takes a moment to look back and appreciate nearly two decades of rewarding work. “This is my 15th year with BMO Nesbitt Burns, and my 19th in the industry,” she says. “I think, how did I get here? This industry is so fast paced, you’re always focused on the the next step, the next chapter, the next industry change.”

Having learned the benefits of compounding growth and forming strong saving habits early, Kathryn started her investment journey at age 18. Today, she brings that foundational truth to clients with a simple philosophy. “My mission is to simplify investing and avoid the jargon,” she says. “I emphasize three pillars – pay yourself first, allocate investments by risk and time-horizon, and have patience for long-term growth. I also address short-term goals before moving into tax, estate, and insurance planning.”

Putting that simplification priority into real life practice, Kathryn shares an example illustrating her love of educating those she works with. “We had a new client couple onboard two years ago and grew the relationship through our regular check-ins,” she says. “The wife told me, ‘Wow, no one has ever simply told us how this works or what our investment return is in a way we can understand how we’re doing.’ I tie that back to reducing the complexity of investing and applying actionable strategies that grow and protect wealth. By breaking things down in simple terms, people are empowered to be involved.”

Caring for people, in a different way

Going back to her post-secondary studies in healthcare, Kathryn was drawn away from that industry and pulled onto a different path, applying at Freedom 55 Financial in Regina. “I dove into the work,” she says. “I had the most amazing manager there. Getting into the industry, there’s a lot to learn. She supported and believed in me in those early days, giving me the opportunity build my knowledge in the industry.” With an early promotion, Kathryn started the compliance role for the branch. “She instilled the confidence and drive to know I could be successful,” she adds.

Later that year, Kathryn and her husband moved to Lethbridge, Alta., where she began working at National Bank Financial. “This was right before the market crash in 2008. Our team was commission-based, which was standard for the industry at that time. I was contacting clients for service calls, and it was nerve-wracking to call when their portfolio was down 30 percent. That was my first exposure to that sort of swing, and I learned this industry isn’t for the faint of heart,” she says, adding that in her mid-20s at the time, she appreciates that real-time exposure to the business’s periodic intensity to this day. “That learning curve was pivotal for me.”

When a promotion led her husband to Edmonton in 2011, they settled into St. Albert, where they still live today, raising their two children aged nine and twelve. “I was excited to live in a small suburb and have more career opportunities in larger city,” says Kathryn. She landed at BMO Nesbitt Burns with her office based in Sherwood Park.

Here, her healthcare background comes in handy. There are real ties to the situations clients inevitably face throughout life. “I studied healthcare because I wanted to help people,” she says. “Now, I’m just caring for them in a different way. My son likes to joke that I’m like a therapist, and that can be partly true. There’s also a coaching aspect. I had a client whose wife passed away years ago, and we talked every couple of months. The first year after losing your spouse is a huge adjustment. The life you imagined has changed and you must build your own path forward. People want a safe space to bounce ideas off of. ‘Can I afford this? What if I did this? I’m thinking about moving here.’ Each client has a different need at a different time.”

Demonstrating the closeness and trust underpinning these relationships, Kathryn describes typical scenarios she often guides people through. “The first meeting after a spouse has passed is very emotional,” she says. “The remaining partner is their initial shock and grief. In the case of a widow, most of these women have been married for 40-to-50 years and in many cases, their husband did all the investing or handled financials they weren’t involved in. They come in seeking guidance to ensure everything is set up properly for their new situation. When I show them they’re okay, it’s one less thing to worry about.”

In these sensitive situations, planning visits tend to be an offering of simple caring support while gently shifting focus to a new future. No matter the client, Kathryn has one common approach as they work together. “The clients I work with are committed to planning thoughtfully for their goals,” she says. “They could be retirees looking to optimize their retirement income, a young couple committed to saving for their future, a widow looking for a new Advisor, or a business owner who needs additional planning for a business sale.”

Certainty eliminates sleepless nights

Many clients Kathryn talks with face guilt. It’s often a feeling they should have started saving and investing sooner. “Money is emotional,” she says. “It can change people for the better or worse. Everyone has their own history with money. In this industry, it’s easy to overcomplicate everything. People are often overwhelmed by so many investment options,”

This is where Kathryn uses those three basic pillars to make the process initiation clearer for clients. “We start with reinforcing the “pay yourself first” habit,” she says. “Invest in yourself first and have your accounts properly invested. We align these investments based on people’s risk tolerance and age. That itself is a huge builder,” she says.

Next, they work together to allocate investments by risk and time-horizon, and then, it’s simply holding onto the patience it takes to achieve long-term growth. “We know we can start small and continue on,” says Kathryn. “Most people’s timeline can be 25 years before they need retirement funds. We work together to understand and implement that long-term strategy.”

With those pillars in place, Kathryn can dive deeper into tax and estate planning while exploring more growth opportunities. Whatever she’s working on, she loves that every day is different. “What keeps me invested is every client scenario – their goals, timelines, and plans. It might be a call from a client months away from retirement, a client needing funds to take their extended family on a trip, or a family opening an RESP account,” she says. “The central piece is, I celebrate and support my clients and their families at every stage of their life.”

It’s also never a one-and-done relationship. “It’s nice working with clients of all ages,” she says. “I have people just starting their planning and investing, and I see those in their 60s and 70s, enjoying the opportunity to gift or travel. The spectrum of clients I see, it’s amazing!”

The “great wealth transfer” & growing gender equality

Kathryn’s watched the industry evolve, including the mass of Advisors and clients retiring or set to retire over the next 10 years. “All these assets accumulated by the Boomers are passing down to their children,” she says. “These are tough conversations to have. We make our clients aware this is happening and encourage these conversations to find out what that looks like for them, and then with their kids to figure out how to gift funds or transition according to their plan. We offer planning that illustrates what the options, process, and outcomes will look like depending on the decision making and planning.”

It’s another opportunity to grow client families’ financial literacy. “I love showing them what everything looks like – tax-efficient ways to gift funds to kids or grandchildren, explaining the optimal use of life insurance,” says Kathryn. “Building a plan, fully funding everything, setting up RESPs, TFSAs or FHSAs for the next generations. I’m always happy to be the intermediary if it helps. The emotion within asset or estate distribution can splinter unprepared families.”

She’s also passionate about advancing the finance world, especially considering female Advisors make up a mere 15 percent. “I’m on the Steering Committee for VersaFi Edmonton, which is a nonprofit organization in Canada that promotes gender equity in the finance field through support and research,” says Kathryn. “They offer professional development and mentorship programs. I’ve been a mentor for two years and have enjoyed working with women through the year, being a sounding board to help define and achieve their personal and professional goals. It’s amazing where we start and where we finish. There are leadership programs and networking events. We’re gaining traction in universities and colleges to show that finance is a career that can be a strong option.”

Going home to her family, Kathryn recharges, but also understands the challenges of a busy family. “A lot of clients we support are in the same stage I’m in – there’s not enough time in the day,” she says. “Clients want things set up because they don’t have the time or capacity to worry about these things. I’m living the same life; that’s why we’re here – to take care of it for them.”

Kathryn Glowa, Investment Advisor

The Usyk Glowa Group - BMO Nesbitt Burns

10175 101 Street NW, 19^th Floor

Edmonton, AB T5J 0H3

Tel: (780) 410-4474  

Cell: (587) 926-1985

Email: Kathryn.Glowa@nbpcd.com

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/kathrynglowa

Visit us at https://nesbittburns.bmo.com/Brandon.Usyk

Natalie Noble’s love of writing stems from her passion for hearing and sharing people’s stories. Over the years, she has written for various business, real estate, and agriculture publications. At the heart of her work is a desire to continuously learn and connect.