Profile
"West Oak’s success has come from always putting our clients’ best interests first and always finding ways to improve and add more value to them"
Andrew mcquiston,
west oak family office, wellington-altus private wealth
During the initial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, advisors across Canada might have thought that the lack of in-person meetings would ultimately make communicating with clients more difficult. But like many professionals in the industry, that hasn’t been the case for David Little.
“In hindsight, communicating with clients has been much easier compared to the past,” says the senior wealth advisor at Blue Oceans Private Wealth with iA Private Wealth. “Clients have been cooped up at home, and what better way to kill the boredom than call your investment advisor?”
As clients adopted digital communication tools – some for the first time – David estimates call-ins to the practice have increased more than tenfold over the course of the crisis. He’s had at least 75 meetings with clients over Zoom; he’s also been holding quarterly Zoom town halls that are open to all the practice’s clients. Beyond that, he’s also embraced YouTube and other social media platforms to increase the reach of his practice.
A lot of his remote conversations have focused on reassuring clients through times of uncertainty, the most recent cause for concern being the conflict in Ukraine. But over the next few years, he believes companies are poised to profit handsomely as pandemic restrictions recede, and seizing that opportunity will require confidence amid uncertainty.
Of course, that’s something he has experience with. “At one point in the pandemic, the global price of oil dropped to -$16 a barrel, and we knew that was crazy,” he says. “We entered the market and bought oil and gas stocks, ETFs, and investment funds. By the summer of 2021, demand had roared back, and we’ve had an incredible run on returns for our clients on that trade.”
As the threats of inflation and rising interest rates come to the forefront, diversification has been on everyone’s minds. Alternatives are getting increased attention, and a lot of talk has revolved around private equity investments through ETFs, investment fund, and private placements.
But citing recent headlines about the struggles of some high-profile managers and how the fallout has impacted their shareholders, David says he is also aware of the risks from private market investments.
“As long as we can get the analysis that is needed to ensure our clients are protected from such losses, I would think that this space is the next big thing in the investment industry,” he says.
At the end of the day, he realizes that investing acumen isn’t the only thing that sets top advisors apart. What makes his practice stand out, he says, is his commitment to going the extra mile in providing client-focused service.
Inspired by the customer-first culture he has experienced when visiting the US, David makes every effort to ignite that passion in each staff member at his practice. Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson and Raving Fans by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles are required reading for every new hire. From there, David says the process of “indoctrinating” his employees on the importance of assisting and delighting clients never ends. “I never want a client to tell me one of the staff didn’t go above and beyond to help them. That is the minimum standard acceptable in my practice,” he says.
Over his 38-year career, David look backs to the finance experts who have helped him not only survive but thrive in a challenging profession. One of his mentors was Ed Quinn, considered an elderly statesman of the industry, who taught him how to deal with market lows by reaching out to clients and encouraging them to buy stocks when the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost almost 22% in a single day in 1987. This experience made David realize that during any major market correction, such as the COVID-19 crisis, there is a huge opportunity to exponentially increase clients’ wealth. Another mentor was Michael Lee Chin of AIC, who planted the seeds of Warren Buffett’s ideas in David’s mind and enabled him to develop a range of wealth creation strategies.
Being inducted into Wealth Professional’s Hall of Fame in 2017 and receiving the Invesco Canada Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017 are among the highlights of David’s career, proving his commitment to helping Canadians make their retirement dreams come true. Blue Oceans Private Wealth, which was launched in 2020, marks the next chapter of his journey in creating road maps for his clients so they can enjoy the rewards of retirement and pass on the fruits of their life’s work to the next generation.
5195 Harvester Road Unit 9, Burlington, Ontario L7L6E9
905 639 5777
david.little@iaprivatewealth.ca
ca.linkedin.com/in/david-little-blue-oceans-private
-wealth-628657141
, dlittle.ca
David Little
Senior Wealth Advisor
Blue Oceans Private Wealth, iA Private Wealth
Read on
Special Report
Home
Bio
Milestones
Profile
During the initial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, advisors across Canada might have thought that the lack of in-person meetings would ultimately make communicating with clients more difficult. But like many professionals in the industry, that hasn’t been the case for David Little.
“In hindsight, communicating with clients has been
much easier compared to the past,” says the senior wealth advisor at Blue Oceans Private Wealth with
iA Private Wealth. “Clients have been cooped up at home, and what better way to kill the boredom than call your investment advisor?”
As clients adopted digital communication tools – some for the first time – David estimates call-ins to the practice have increased more than tenfold over the course of the crisis. He’s had at least 75 meetings with clients over Zoom; he’s also been holding quarterly Zoom town halls that are open to all the practice’s clients. Beyond that, he’s also embraced YouTube and other social media platforms to increase the reach of his practice.
A lot of his remote conversations have focused on reassuring clients through times of uncertainty, the most recent cause for concern being the conflict in Ukraine. But over the next few years, he believes companies are poised to profit handsomely as pandemic restrictions recede, and seizing that opportunity will require confidence amid uncertainty.
Of course, that’s something he has experience with. “At one point in the pandemic, the global price of oil dropped to -$16 a barrel, and we knew that was crazy,” he says. “We entered the market and bought oil and gas stocks, ETFs, and investment funds. By the summer of 2021, demand had roared back, and we’ve had an incredible run on returns for our clients on that trade.”
As the threats of inflation and rising interest rates come to the forefront, diversification has been on everyone’s minds. Alternatives are getting increased attention, and a lot of talk has revolved around private equity investments through ETFs, investment fund, and private placements.
But citing recent headlines about the struggles of some high-profile managers and how the fallout has impacted their shareholders, David says he is also aware of the risks from private market investments.
“As long as we can get the analysis that is needed to ensure our clients are protected from such losses, I would think that this space is the next big thing in the investment industry,” he says.
At the end of the day, he realizes that investing acumen isn’t the only thing that sets top advisors apart. What makes his practice stand out, he says, is his commitment to going the extra mile in providing client-focused service.
Inspired by the customer-first culture he has experienced when visiting the US, David makes every effort to ignite that passion in each staff member at his practice. Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson and Raving Fans by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles are required reading for every new hire. From there, David says the process of “indoctrinating” his employees on the importance of assisting and delighting clients never ends. “I never want a client to tell me one of the staff didn’t go above and beyond to help them. That is the minimum standard acceptable in my practice,” he says.
Over his 38-year career, David look backs to the finance experts who have helped him not only survive but thrive in a challenging profession. One of his mentors was Ed Quinn, considered an elderly statesman of the industry, who taught him how to deal with market lows by reaching out to clients and encouraging them to buy stocks when the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost almost 22% in a single day in 1987. This experience made David realize that during any
major market correction, such as the COVID-19 crisis,
there is a huge opportunity to exponentially increase
clients’ wealth. Another mentor was Michael Lee Chin of
AIC, who planted the seeds of Warren Buffett’s ideas in David’s mind and enabled him to develop a range of wealth creation strategies.
Being inducted into Wealth Professional’s Hall of Fame in 2018 and receiving the Invesco Canada Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017 are among the highlights of David’s career, proving his commitment to helping Canadians make their retirement dreams come true. Blue Oceans Private Wealth, which was launched in 2020, marks the next chapter of his journey in creating road maps for his clients so they can enjoy the rewards of retirement and pass on the fruits of their life’s work to the next generation.
Milestones
2018-2022
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Vice president, sales (Ontario/Alberta)
at Brompton Funds
2018-present
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
1985-2022
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Senior Investment Advisor AT Fortune Financial
SWITCHED FROM Scotia Capital TO iA Private Wealth IN 2017
Recognized as one of Canada’s 50 Top Financial Advisors in 2016
Inducted into Wealth Professional’s Hall of Fame in 2018
Received the Invesco Lifetime Achievement Award
in 2017
Recognized as one of Wealth Professional’s 5-Star Advisors in 2021 and 2022
1995-present
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
1991-1995
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Senior Financial Advisor at AIC
1991-1995
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
1986-1989
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Financial Advisor at Chancellor Consultants
1986-1989
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
1984-1986
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Life Insurance Agent at North American Life
1984-1986
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
1984–1986
1986–1989
1991–1995
1995–present
2018–present
David Little
Senior Wealth Advisor
Blue Oceans Private Wealth,
iA Private Wealth
Read on
Special Report
Home
Bio
Milestones
Profile
During the initial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, advisors across Canada might have thought that the lack of in-person meetings would ultimately make communicating with clients more difficult. But like many professionals in the industry, that hasn’t been the case for David Little.
“In hindsight, communicating with clients has been much easier compared to the past,” says the senior wealth advisor
at Blue Oceans Private Wealth with iA Private Wealth. “Clients have been cooped up at home, and what better way to kill
the boredom than call your investment advisor?”
As clients adopted digital communication tools – some for the first time – David estimates call-ins to the practice have increased more than tenfold over the course of the crisis. He’s had at least 75 meetings with clients over Zoom; he’s also been holding quarterly Zoom town halls that are open to all the practice’s clients. Beyond that, he’s also embraced YouTube and other social media platforms to increase the reach of his practice.
A lot of his remote conversations have focused on reassuring clients through times of uncertainty, the most recent cause for concern being the conflict in Ukraine. But over the next few years, he believes companies are poised to profit handsomely as pandemic restrictions recede, and seizing that opportunity will require confidence amid uncertainty.
Of course, that’s something he has experience with. “At one point in the pandemic, the global price of oil dropped to -$16 a barrel, and we knew that was crazy,” he says. “We entered the market and bought oil and gas stocks, ETFs, and investment funds. By the summer of 2021, demand had roared back, and we’ve had an incredible run on returns for our clients on that trade.”
As the threats of inflation and rising interest rates come to the forefront, diversification has been on everyone’s minds. Alternatives are getting increased attention, and a lot of talk has revolved around private equity investments through ETFs, investment fund, and private placements.
But citing recent headlines about the struggles of some high-profile managers and how the fallout has impacted their shareholders, David says he is also aware of the risks from private market investments.
“As long as we can get the analysis that is needed to ensure our clients are protected from such losses, I would think that this space is the next big thing in the investment industry,” he says.
At the end of the day, he realizes that investing acumen isn’t the only thing that sets top advisors apart. What makes his practice stand out, he says, is his commitment to going the extra mile in providing client-focused service.
Inspired by the customer-first culture he has experienced when visiting the US, David makes every effort to ignite that passion in each staff member at his practice. Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson and Raving Fans by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles are required reading for every new hire. From there, David says the process of “indoctrinating” his employees on the importance of assisting and delighting clients never ends. “I never want a client to tell me one of the staff didn’t go above and beyond to help them. That is the minimum standard acceptable in my practice,” he says.
Over his 38-year career, David look backs to the finance experts who have helped him not only survive but thrive in a challenging profession. One of his mentors was Ed Quinn, considered an elderly statesman of the industry, who taught him how to deal with market lows by reaching out to clients and encouraging them to buy stocks when the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost almost 22% in a single day in 1987. This experience made David realize that during any major market correction, such as the COVID-19 crisis, there is a huge opportunity to exponentially increase clients’ wealth. Another mentor was Michael Lee Chin of AIC, who planted the seeds of Warren Buffett’s ideas in David’s mind and
enabled him to develop a range of wealth creation strategies.
Being inducted into Wealth Professional’s Hall of Fame in 2018 and receiving the Invesco Canada Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017 are among the highlights of David’s career, proving his commitment to helping Canadians make their retirement dreams come true. Blue Oceans Private Wealth, which was launched in 2020, marks the next chapter of his journey in creating road maps for his clients so they can enjoy the rewards of retirement and pass on the fruits of their life’s work to the next generation.
Milestones
2018-2022
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Vice president, sales (Ontario/Alberta) at Brompton Funds
2018-present
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
1985-2022
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Senior Investment Advisor AT Fortune Financial
SWITCHED FROM Scotia Capital TO iA Private Wealth IN 2017
Recognized as one of Canada’s 50 Top Financial Advisors in 2016
Inducted into Wealth Professional’s Hall of Fame in 2018
Received the Invesco CANADA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017
Recognized as one of Wealth Professional’s 5-Star Advisors in 2021 and 2022
1995–present
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
1991-1995
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Senior Financial Advisor at AIC
1991-1995
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
1986-1989
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Financial Advisor at Chancellor Consultants
1986-1989
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
1984-1986
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Life Insurance Agent at
North American Life
1984-1986
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
1984-1986
1986-1989
1991-1995
1995-present
2018–present
David Little
Senior Wealth Advisor
Blue Oceans Private Wealth,
iA Private Wealth
Read on
Special Report
Home
Bio
Milestones
2018–present
1995–present
1991–1995
1986–1989
1984–1986
2018-2022
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Vice president, sales (Ontario/Alberta) at Brompton Funds
2018-present
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
1985-2002
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Senior Investment Advisor at Fortune Financial
SWITCHED FROM Scotia Capital TO iA Private Wealth IN 2017
Recognized by Wealth Professional as one of Canada’s 50 Top Financial Advisors in 2016
Inducted into Wealth Professional’s Hall of Fame in 2018
Received the Invesco Canada Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017
Recognized as one of Wealth Professional’s 5-Star Advisors in 2021 and 2022
1995-present
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
1991-1995
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Senior Financial Advisor at AIC
1991-1995
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
1986-1989
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Financial Advisor at Chancellor Consultants
1986-1989
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
1984-1986
human resources | key media
Life Insurance Agent at North American Life
1984-1986
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. A volutpat laoreet suscipit duis. Diam aliquam sed ut massa viverra a, eget libero.
Milestones
richretirement.ca