Moolala: Money Made Simple with Bruce Sellery

Financial Fawning & the Trauma of Money: How Your Past Shapes Your Money Habits

Chantel Chapman, CEO and founder of the Trauma of Money Institute, reveals the surprising and deeply personal ways that past trauma, including generational scarcity, relational wounds, and systemic stress, shows up in our financial behaviour. She introduces the concept of "financial fawning" (using money to seek approval and avoid abandonment), explains why scarcity triggers the same brain response as trauma, and shares why naming what's happening in a client relationship can be the single most powerful thing a financial professional can do.

Find out more at thetraumaofmoney.com and connect on Instagram with @chantelchapman, and @traumaofmoney.

Queer Joy Is a Superpower: Mischa Oak on Belonging, Allyship & Rainbow Wisdom

Mischa Oak, LGBTQ+ keynote speaker and author of Rainbow Wisdom: 18 LGBTQ+ Life Lessons for Everyone, joins Bruce to explore why inclusion still matters in the modern workplace. Mischa shares how "thinking queerly" means breaking out of imposed boxes, the critical difference between fitting in and truly belonging, and how allies can "queer the space" in their daily interactions. He also explains why queer joy isn't just a cultural phenomenon; it's a proven driver of creativity, innovation, and organizational performance

Find out more mischaoak.com and connect on Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.

Financial Trauma, LGBTQ+ Inclusion & RDSP Planning: What Canadians Need to Know | Full Episode

In this episode of Moolala: Money Made Simple, host Bruce Sellery tackles three powerful conversations that connect identity, emotion, and financial well-being. First, LGBTQ+ keynote speaker and author Mischa Oak joins Bruce to discuss Rainbow Wisdom: 18 LGBTQ+ Life Lessons for Everyone, which explores queer joy as a workplace superpower, the difference between fitting in and truly belonging, and what real allyship looks like in practice. Then, Chantel Chapman, CEO and founder of the Trauma of Money Institute, unpacks how past trauma, from childhood poverty to generational scarcity, shapes our financial behaviours today, including a concept she calls "financial fawning." Finally, Carol Willes, Director of Estate Planning at BMO Private Wealth, guides parents caring for a child with a disability through the critical financial and legal tools available to them, including the RDSP, the Henson Trust, and the do's and don'ts of estate planning in these complex family circumstances.

To find out more about the guests check out:

• Mischa Oak: mischaoak.com | Instagram | TikTok | LinkedIn
• Chantel Chapman: thetraumaofmoney.com | Instagram: @chantelchapman @traumaofmoney
• Carol Willes: LinkedIn

Bruce Sellery is a personal finance expert and best-selling author. As the founder of Moolala and the CEO of Credit Canada, Bruce is on a mission to help you get a better handle on your money so you can live the life you want. High energy & low B.S., this is Moolala: Money Made Simple.

Find Bruce Sellery at Moolala.ca | X | Facebook | LinkedIn

First-Party Fraud Explained: Why More Canadians Are Lying to Get Credit

Cherolle Prince, Director of Fraud and Identity Management at Equifax Canada, unpacks the alarming rise of first-party fraud — when individuals misrepresent their own identity or inflate their income to qualify for credit. With economic pressures pushing more Canadians to the financial edge, Equifax data shows first-party fraud is up over 30% year over year, doubling in both credit cards and banking. Cherolle explains how AI-powered detection tools and lender collaboration are fighting back, and why this growing trend ultimately tightens credit access for everyone — even those who play by the rules.

Connect on LinkedIn(Cherolle), X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn(Equifax).

HELOC Explained: How Home Equity Lines of Credit Really Work (and the Risks)

Ron Butler, principal broker at Butler Mortgage and host of the Angry Mortgage Podcast, breaks down exactly how home equity lines of credit work, the key differences between a HELOC and a traditional mortgage, and the real risks of using one to cover vacations, pay off credit cards, or fund rental properties. He also explains why a HELOC is a demand loan — meaning the bank can reduce or call it on just 24 hours' notice — and offers one simple self-assessment to determine whether you have the financial discipline to manage one responsibly.

Find out more at butlermortgage.ca and connect on X, Instagram, and Facebook.

Thoughtload: Why Your Brain Feels Overwhelmed at Work

Organizational psychologist Dr. Liane Davey explains the concept of "thoughtload" — the invisible drain on your performance caused by cognitive overload, emotional triggers, and depleted energy. She shares how to identify your overwhelm style (whirlwind, stickler, brooder, or rogue), why multitasking is counterproductive, and practical tools like three-tiered priority lists and dedicated "focus and forge" time blocks to help you work smarter, reduce anxiety, and replenish your energy reserves.

Find out more at lianedavey.com and connect on LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X.

Overwhelmed and Overextended: Thoughtload, HELOC Risks & the Rise of Credit Fraud | Full Episode

In this episode of Moolala: Money Made Simple, host Bruce Sellery tackles three pressing issues facing Canadians today. Organizational psychologist Dr. Liane Davey introduces the concept of "thought load" , an invisible tax on your performance and presence driven by rising cognitive demands, emotional triggers, and depleted energy reserves. Liane shares practical strategies to identify your overwhelm style and reclaim your focus. Then, Ron Butler, principal broker at Butler Mortgage and host of the Angry Mortgage Podcast, breaks down the pros and cons of home equity lines of credit (HELOCs), explaining how they work, when they make sense, and the critical difference between a mortgage and a demand loan. Finally, Cherolle Prince, Director of Fraud and Identity Management at Equifax Canada, reveals why first-party fraud, which is when individuals misrepresent their own financial information to qualify for credit, is surging at over 30% year over year, and what lenders and AI tools are doing to fight back.

To find out more about the guests check out:

• Dr. Liane Davey: lianedavey.com | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | X
• Ron Butler: butlermortgage.ca | X | Instagram | Facebook
• Cherolle Prince: LinkedIn(Cherolle) | X | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn(Equifax)

Bruce Sellery is a personal finance expert and best-selling author. As the founder of Moolala and the CEO of Credit Canada, Bruce is on a mission to help you get a better handle on your money so you can live the life you want. High energy & low B.S., this is Moolala: Money Made Simple.

Find Bruce Sellery at Moolala.ca | X | Facebook | LinkedIn

Buy Now, Pay Later: The Debt Trap Canadians Don’t See Coming

Licensed insolvency trustee and Spergel partner Rob Kilner joins Bruce to break down the explosive growth of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) platforms and the serious financial risks they pose for Canadian consumers. Rob explains the concept of debt stacking of how small incremental payments across multiple accounts can quietly spiral into unmanageable debt and reveals that "interest-free" BNPL isn't truly free, as costs are typically baked into product pricing. He also shares what happens to BNPL debt in a consumer proposal and offers practical principles for using these platforms more responsibly.

Find out more at spergel.ca and connect on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

What Happens to Your Bitcoin, Photos & Online Accounts When You Die? Estate Planning in the Digital Age

Tim Hewson, CEO and co-founder of Legal Wills, joins Bruce to explore how estate planning has been transformed by the digital era. From cryptocurrency and social media legacy accounts to iPhoto libraries and frequent flyer miles that vanish at death, Tim explains what your executor needs to access, what can and can't be passed on to beneficiaries, and why every Canadian adult needs an up-to-date will. He also introduces the LifeLocker service that helps you document all your digital and financial assets, so nothing falls into a digital black hole.

Find out more at legalwills.ca and connect on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

The Future of Work is Grey: Why Older Workers Are Your Organization's Greatest Untapped Asset

Leadership strategist and author Dan Pontefract joins Bruce to unpack the "age debt crisis": the organizational failure to plan for and value older workers and why a demographic shift from a bell-shaped to a bulb-shaped workforce means companies can no longer afford to ignore age. Dan explains why simply replacing experienced employees with AI is a dangerous short-term play, how companies like BMW and Unilever are rethinking age inclusivity in the workplace, and what both individuals and organizations need to do now to prepare for a world where working into your 70s and 80s is the new normal.

Find out more at danpontefract.com and connect on LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Threads and TikTok.