Shows / The Rational Reminder Podcast
The Rational Reminder Podcast
A weekly reality check on sensible investing and financial decision-making, from three Canadians. Hosted by Benjamin Felix, Cameron Passmore, and Dan Bortolotti, Portfolio Managers at PWL Capital.
Episodes
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
A Conversation With The Wealthy Barber (Dave Chilton) | #433
In this episode, we welcome back Dave Chilton, author of The Wealthy Barber and one of Canada's most influential voices in personal finance. With his…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
How Leveraged ETFs Really Work (Marco Sammon & Chris Murray) | #432
In this episode, we are joined by Chris Murray, quantitative researcher and former equity quant and trader, and Marco Sammon, Assistant Professor of Finance at…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
The Madness of Markets (Alex Edmans) | #431
In this episode, we welcome back Alex Edmans, Professor of Finance at London Business School and author of Grow the Pie, May Contain Lies, and The Madness of…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
The Truth About Leveraged ETFs | #430
In this episode, Ben Felix, Dan Bortolotti, and Kelly Thomas revisit some of the blind spots from their recent discussion about the finances of marriage before…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Who Causes Stock Market Anomalies? (w/ Victor Haghani) | #429
In this episode, we're joined by Victor Haghani, founder of Elm Wealth and co-author of The Missing Billionaires, for a wide-ranging conversation about how…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Wealthy People Are Hiding in Plain Sight (ft. Owen Zidar) | #428
What happens when a small group of exceptionally wealthy people holds a growing share of a country's income and wealth? And what can economics tell us about…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
What to Know Before (and After) You Hire an Advisor (w/ Matthew Taylor) | #427
In this episode, we're joined by Matthew Taylor, a litigation lawyer with Sotos Class Actions in Toronto who represents retail investors and pension funds in…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
The Finances of Marriage | #426
In this episode, Ben Felix, Dan Bortolotti, and Ben Wilson take a research-driven look at the finances of marriage, from spending personalities and prenuptial…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
The Ethics Problem in Financial Services (Dr. Moira Somers & Philippa Hann) | #425
In this episode, we're joined by Philippa Hann and Dr. Moira Somers, co-authors of The Fault Lines of Finance: Understanding and Preventing Financial…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
50 Years of Evidence-Based Investing (w/ David Booth) | #424
In this episode, we welcome back David Booth, Co-Founder of Dimensional Fund Advisors and author of Stay Calm: Learn to Embrace Uncertainty in Investing and…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
The Future of AI in the Workplace | Special Episode (Mike Sullivan and Vinay Gidwaney)
In this special episode, we are joined by Mike Sullivan, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer at OneDigital, and Vinay Gidwaney, OneDigital's Chief Product…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
The Biggest Myths in Personal Finance
In this episode, Ben Felix and Dan Bortolotti take on 10 of the biggest myths in personal finance and investing. From the idea that young people should save…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
80 Years of Financial Knowledge in 53 Minutes | #422 (Bill Bernstein)
In this episode, we welcome back William Bernstein to discuss the final book of his longtime friend Jonathan Clements, Money and Me. Bill reflects on…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Barry Ritholtz: "90% of financial products are crap" | #421
Barry Ritholtz returns to the Rational Reminder podcast to discuss the biggest mistakes investors make—and why avoiding them may matter more than finding the…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Answering Your Financial Questions | #420
In this Ask Me Anything episode, Ben Felix, Ben Wilson, and Louai Bibi tackle a wide-ranging collection of listener questions spanning investing, retirement…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
The State of Retirement Research | #419 (Jean-Pierre Aubry)
In this episode, we are joined by Jean-Pierre Aubry, Associate Director of Retirement Plans and Finance at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
"I Sold 50% of My Portfolio. What Now?" | #418 (AMA)
In this AMA episode, Ben Felix, Dan Bortolotti, and Ben Wilson tackle a wide range of practical investing questions submitted by listeners. They begin by…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
A Financial Plan For Your Entire Life | #417 (Dr. Paul Kaplan)
In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Paul Kaplan, economist, CFA charterholder, former Director of Research at Morningstar Canada, and co-author of Lifetime…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Is VEQT Costing You? (& Other Questions) | #416
In this AMA episode, Benjamin Felix, Dan Bortolotti, and Ben Wilson tackle a wide range of listener questions covering portfolio construction, diversification…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Shannon Lee Simmons: How To Stop Feeling Broke | #415
In this episode, we are joined by Shannon Lee Simmons—Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Investment Manager, bestselling author, and founder of the New…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Answering Your Financial Questions | #414
In this episode, Ben Felix and Ben Wilson tackle a wide range of listener questions covering portfolio construction, home-country bias, currency exposure, ETF…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
How Canadian ETFs Actually Work | #413 (Morley Conn)
In this episode, we are joined by Morley Conn, Director of Sales and Strategy, ETF Services at Scotia Global Banking and Markets, for a deep dive into the…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Ben Carlson: Investing at All-Time Highs | #412
In this episode, we are joined by Ben Carlson, Director of Institutional Asset Management at Ritholtz Wealth Management and author of Risk & Reward, for a…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Market Simulations & Financial Planning | #411 (John Yang)
In this episode, Ben Felix and Braden Warwick unpack the surprisingly complex world of expected return modeling and why it matters so much for retirement…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 410: The State of Investing in 2026
In this episode, we are joined by Shelly Antoniewicz, Chief Economist at the Investment Company Institute (ICI), for a data-rich exploration of the modern fund…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 409: Investment Banker - What Private Equity Doesn't Tell You
In this episode, we are joined by Jeff Hooke, former investment banking, private equity, and private debt executive turned academic critic of alternative…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 408: Elroy Dimson – Investing & Optimism
In this episode, we are joined by Elroy Dimson, Professor of Finance at Cambridge Judge Business School and co-creator of the Dimson-Marsh-Staunton (DMS)…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 407: Michael Kothakota - The Shape of Financial Planning
In this episode, we are joined by Michael Kothakota for a deeply technical and thought-provoking conversation on interdependent integrative financial planning…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 406: When Massive Private Companies Go Public
In this episode, the Rational Reminder team unpacks the mechanics and implications of mega IPOs like SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic potentially entering public…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 405: Timothy Edwards - Inside S&P DJ Indices
What if the decades-long debate between active and passive investing wasn't really a debate—but a data problem? In this episode, Ben Felix and Cameron Passmore…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 404: The Finance Paper that Changed Everything
What if the way we think about investing—and expected returns—was fundamentally incomplete? In this episode, Ben Felix and Dan Bortolotti take a deep dive into…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 403: Patrick Adams - When Stock Crashes Matter for Long-Term Investors
What if your biggest investment risk isn't the stock market—but your own income? In this episode, we are joined by Patrick Adams, a PhD candidate at MIT, for a…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 402: The Problem with Private Markets
In this episode, we unpack the growing tension in private markets—private equity, private credit, and private real estate—and examine whether their…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 401: Eduardo Repetto & Caitlin Ebanks - Opening the Avantis CAGE
What if factor investing in Canada became as simple—and affordable—as buying a single ETF? In this episode, we are joined by Eduardo Repetto, CIO of Avantis…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 400: The Evolution of Index Fund Investing
In this special 400th episode, the Rational Reminder hosts reflect on 50 years of index investing and the profound impact it has had on financial markets…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 399: James Choi - Portfolio Theory in a Spreadsheet
In this episode, we welcome back James Choi, Professor of Finance at the Yale School of Management, to unpack one of the most important—and…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 398: Tom Hardin - Ethics, Financial Crime, and Redemption
In this episode, we sit down with Tom Hardin, also known as "Tipper X," the former hedge fund analyst who became one of the most prolific informants in the…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 397: Hendrik Bessembinder - Constant Leverage & Measuring Investor Outcomes
In this episode, we welcome back return guest Hank Bessembinder for a deeply analytical conversation spanning leveraged ETFs, volatility, and the future of…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 396: Theresa Ebden - Protecting Investors at the OSC
In this episode of the Rational Reminder Podcast, we are joined by Theresa Ebden, Vice President of the Investor Office at the Ontario Securities Commission…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 395: Charles Chaffin - The Psychology of Financial Planning
Ben Felix and Braden Warwick are joined by Dr. Charles Chaffin, a leading voice in financial psychology, to explore why investors so often act against their…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 394: Equal Weight vs. Market Cap Weight Index Funds
Equal-weighted index funds sound like an elegant solution to some of today's biggest investor anxieties: high market concentration, elevated valuations, and…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 393: Engineering Financial Outcomes
What if financial planning were approached the same way engineers design aircraft, medical treatments, or complex systems—with clearly defined objectives…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 392: The Rise of ETF Slop
ETFs were once almost synonymous with low-cost, sensible investing. But that era is changing fast. In this episode, Ben Felix, Dan Bortolotti, and Ben Wilson…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 391: How Assumptions Shape Financial Planning Outcomes
Financial planning is built on assumptions — about markets, inflation, longevity, human behaviour, and even the questions clients bring into the room. In this…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 390: The "AI Bubble" and Stock Market Concentration
In this first episode of 2026, we sit down for a deep dive into one of the hottest concerns coming from clients and listeners lately: Is the U.S. stock market…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 389: How the Rational Reminder Podcast is Made
In this special year-end episode, Ben and Cameron turn the spotlight inward for a behind-the-scenes look at the Rational Reminder podcast. They're joined by…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 388: AMA #11 - Your Parents' Advisor, 100% Equity Portfolios, and Investing $10 Billion
In this special year-end AMA, the full PWL crew — Ben Felix, Cameron Passmore, Ben Wilson, and Dan Bortolotti — sit down together for the first time on the…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 387: Lessons from The Wealthy Barber (2025)
In this episode, the team digs into the newly updated 2025 edition of The Wealthy Barber — Dave Chilton's iconic Canadian personal finance book that helped…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 386: Is anyone doing dd? with Aravind Sithamparapillai
What happens when alternative investments shift from niche products to the industry's go-to value proposition? In this episode, we're joined by financial…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 385: A Case Study on Pension Benefits vs. Commuted Values
In this episode, we feature two conversations that highlight PWL's culture, values, and intentional approach to advice. We first sit down with Trevor Daigle…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 384: Mamdouh Medhat - A Profitability Retrospective, and Private Fund Performance
In this episode, we're joined by Mamdouh Medhat, VP and Senior Researcher at Dimensional Fund Advisors, for an exceptionally deep, exceptionally nerdy…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 383: AMA #10 - Dollar cost averaging & mutual funds vs. ETFs
In this episode of Rational Reminder, Ben Felix, Cameron Passmore, and Ben Wilson return with a classic AMA format—answering listener questions that dig deep…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 382: Ted Cadsby - The Power of Index Funds, and Being Human
In this episode, Ben, Cameron, and Dan are joined by Ted Cadsby, former executive at CIBC, author of The Power of Index Funds, Closing the Mind Gap, and Hard…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 381: Investing 101
In this special Investing 101 episode, the Rational Reminder hosts—Ben Felix, Dan Bortolotti, and Ben Wilson—team up to revisit the fundamental concepts that…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 380: John Y. Campbell - Fixing Personal Finance
What if capitalism itself is confusing your personal finance decisions? In this week's episode, Harvard economist John Y. Campbell joins us to unpack his new…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 379: AMA #9: Covered Call ETFs, Currency Hedging, and Bond Misconceptions
In this AMA episode of the Rational Reminder Podcast, Ben Felix and Dan Bortolotti return to answer listener questions across a wide range of topics—from…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 378: Learning from Market History
In this episode, we are joined by Mark Higgins, an award-winning author and institutional investment advisor, to discuss the power and importance of studying…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 377: Investing in Your Health
Your health may well be the most important investment you ever make, and the earlier you start, the better your outcomes are likely to be. In this episode, Ben…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 376: Climbing The Wealth Ladder
Are your financial decisions evolving as your wealth grows? In this episode of the Rational Reminder Podcast, we welcome back Nick Maggiulli to unpack his…
- The Rational Reminder Podcast
Episode 375: Covered Calls: A Devil's Bargain
In this episode, Ben and Dan take a deep dive into covered call strategies—popular ETFs often marketed on their eye-catching distribution yields. While these…