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He’s not the type to boast, but Sylvain Lemieux is no stranger to success. He’s been recognized as a top advisor by Financial Horizons Group, both regionally in Quebec and across Canada. Possibly the most impressive thing about this distinction is that Lemieux has consistently been one of the company’s top performers year after year.
He says he owes this success and the trust of so many people to one main principle: putting the client’s interests first, while being thorough and transparent. “I treat client interests as my own,” says Lemieux, a CPA and CMA.
Lemieux is a committed entrepreneur who paid for his university studies by starting an office building maintenance business at the age of 18, and at 28 was promoted to Vice President of Finance at a firm he had just restructured. “You have to have faith in yourself,” Lemieux recalls his boss telling him.
Lemieux had so much faith that he founded two companies in 1999: a general and life insurance company, Assurances Maraleaud (which has since been sold), and a financial services company, Services Financiers Summum.
“My entrepreneur clients would often ask me to explain their financial statements and give tax advice on financial products. So, I saw a niche,” he explains.
In Financial Horizons Group, Lemieux says he found “a highly efficient structure, dedication to professional development and compliance, and complete availability, meaning you can contact a VP on a Sunday. This immediately gives clients a sense of security.”
“Be passionate about your work, be honest, be respectful, and listen to your clients.”
With more and more products on the market and increasingly strict compliance rules, Lemieux observes that advisors not only require sustained and ongoing training, but they can also play a part in segmentation.
“You can create niches and invest across disciplines by fostering business relationships with other professionals, such as tax specialists and notaries, to meet specific needs,” he says.
Lemieux represents financial security advisors at the Business Club, a professional association, and has acted as the group’s treasurer for over 15 years. The Blainville, Quebec native is also involved in a number of charitable events. That’s how he met Canadian icon and former NHL hockey player Kirk Muller at the Muller Golf Classic.
“I love hockey. I’ve had season tickets for the Montreal Canadiens for 23 years. I’m a faithful fan, and I’ve stuck with them … no matter what!” Lemieux says with a laugh.
It was only natural then that Lemieux chose to support the Kirk Muller Scholarship in Trauma, which helps doctors in residency at the Montreal General Hospital, an affiliate of McGill University, to provide better care to trauma patients who come into the emergency room. A true partner, Financial Horizons Group has made a donation to the cause in support of Sylvain Lemieux and the Kirk Muller Scholarship in Trauma.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
“Be passionate about your work, be honest, be respectful, and listen to your clients.”
To start a conversation with Financial Horizons Group, visit www.financialhorizons.com.
Profiled individuals are independent advisors and have a broker relationship with Financial Horizons Group.