Kelsey Phare – BlueShore Financial Advisor

November’s featured member is Kelsey Phare, Financial Advisor with BlueShore Financial. Kelsey shares with our readers about herself and her connection to Pemberton.

 I am a Certified Financial Planner and Financial Advisor with BlueShore Financial. I was lucky enough to be born and raised in the Pemberton Valley. After high school, I did a short stint in Vancouver, where I quickly realized how much I appreciated the tight knit community I grew up in and decided to move back to the area in 2014. I am so glad I did!

Outside of work I can usually be found either in my garden, swimming at Gates Lake, grabbing a drink at The Beer Farmers, a coffee at Black Bird Bakery, walking the trails or spending time with friends. Pemberton and its surrounding areas have so much  beauty to offer and activities to do. I love that nature is right outside my front door.

When did you join BlueShore Financial, and what you drew you to work at the organization? 

I joined BlueShore in February 2021, after three years working at Scotiabank. I take pride in supporting local clients and was thrilled when BlueShore reached out to me as they were looking for a Financial Advisor to bolster their Pemberton team. This gave me the opportunity to learn more about BlueShore’s dedication to the community, commitment to financial wellness, and goal to build long-lasting relationships with every client. I jumped on the chance to join the team and I am so happy with my decision. It has allowed me to continue working in the community I love, with the clients and locals I have fostered trusted relationships with, all with an organization that has values that align with my own.

Why did you decide to work in the financial sector?

I stumbled upon it, in a way. I was in the local Scotiabank one day as a client, and was approached by the branch manager. He was someone I knew within the community and he thought banking would be a good fit for me and my skill set. I started soon after and from there took advantage of any and every opportunity to learn more, move up, and further my education. My career path took a jump when I wrote my CFP exam (Certified Financial Planner). The CFP certification is the most widely recognized financial planning designation in Canada, and throughout the world it is considered the standard for the financial planning profession. The eligibility to write this exam comes after three years of work experience and completion of a curriculum of financial planning, ethics courses, and a professional education program. I wrote the six hour exam in April of 2022, knowing there is about a 60% pass rate. Two months later, I received the good news that I passsed and could now have the sought after credentials beside my name, to further assist my clients to build successful financial plans.

What do you enjoy most about your role as a Financial Advisor at BlueShore Financial?

I have always loved working with people, engaging with locals and becoming the ‘go to’ for expert financial advice for my clients and their families. I like being a part of my clients’ planning process for big life events – purchasing a home, kids going to post-secondary school, starting retirement planning, etc. When providing support and advice during these times, I am also able to celebrate these successes with them – that brings me immense joy and job satisfaction. BlueShore has also been incredibly supportive in my endeavors to further my education wherever possible.

What would you like people to know about BlueShore Financial?

BlueShore Financial has been part of the Pemberton community since 1998, providing a full range of personal and business banking options as well as wealth management, insurance and commercial lending solutions. We have branch locations throughout the Lower Mainland and Sea-to-Sky corridor.If you don’t currently work with us, but wonder how we can help you achieve financial wellness –just ask! Book an appointment to come in and chat, whether it is to ask a few questions or get into a full scale financial planning conversation. We encourage you to reach out. All of our contact information can be found on our website.

For personalized financial planning, Kelsey can be reached at e: Kelsey.Phare@blueshorefinancial.co