Why this advisor doesn’t shy away from tough client conversations

BEHIND THE ADVICE Why this advisor doesn’t shy away from tough client conversations BRENDA BOUW SPECIAL TO THE GLOBE AND MAIL PUBLISHED 46 MINUTES AGO Open this photo in gallery: Kevin Klein, senior wealth advisor and portfolio manager at National Bank Financial Wealth Management in Calgary. SUPPLIED COMMENTS SHARE SAVE FOR LATER Listen to this article Learn more about audio Log in or create a free account to listen to this article. In the Behind the Advice series, Globe Advisor asks advisors about their relationship with money from a young age, the lessons they’ve learned over the years, and how those experiences shape the advice they give clients. Behind the Advice is also a podcast: You can find episodes from all four seasons here. Stay tuned for Season Five coming in late September. Kevin Klein, senior wealth advisor and portfolio manager at Evida Wealth Advisory at National Bank Financial Wealth Management in Calgary, talks about a restaurant rule that taught him about buying only what you need, how he got into finance and why he doesn’t shy away from conversations with clients during difficult markets. Describe your upbringing and where your interest in finance came from. I was born and raised in Calgary and have lived here my whole life. My mother was a teacher and my father worked as a salesman in the oil industry. I’m the middle child between an older sister and a younger brother, both of whom also still live in Calgary. Growing up, money wasn’t really a dinnertime conversation at our house. I wasn’t earmarked for the financial services industry. I majored in economics at the University of Calgary, thinking I would end up in the oil and gas industry. However, in my final year, I applied to a bank’s fast-track program and realized quickly that I enjoyed the work and wanted to build a career in financial services. What was your first money lesson? One of my earliest lessons came during family outings to restaurants. My parents had a rule: We could order anything we wanted, but if we didn’t finish it, we had to pay for it ourselves. It taught us to be mindful that your eyes can be bigger than your stomach and to think about your choices in advance. Was there an experience with money earlier in your life that impacts how you work with clients? I can’t pinpoint one experience, but growing up I learned to appreciate when someone gave me straightforward, honest answers. I learned that – whether it’s good news or bad news – people just…