LYUDMILA BEZPALA-BROWN

Lyudmila Bezpala-Brown, LL.M., MBA
‘There’s a way to do it better—find it’

Lyudmila Bezpala-Brown has evolved as a business and financial advisor using both her formal Executive MBA and Masters of Law training and an abundance of practical experience. She began her focus on business management and consulting when she assumed the role of both the financial director and human resources manager for two law firms in Ukraine. At the same time as fulfilling this management role, she provided strategic legal advice to multinational companies who sought out partnerships with Ukrainian research and technical leaders. Her early legal consulting focused on company and tax law, as well as intellectual property protection for new innovations, and the enforcement of joint venture agreements between foreign and domestic companies.

 It became apparent over time that many businesses lack a cohesive financial plan for the protection of their key employees and many entrepreneurs do not take the time to take a holistic look at their own financial needs since their time is consumed with their business endeavors.

 Lyuda can fully appreciate the tension between the demands of business and the need to take a step back and look at the big picture. She has successfully run a significant Toronto-based art gallery and art consultancy for the past eight years. But she has also branched out as an insurance agent and financial advisor. It is here that she seeks to provide financial consulting support for entrepreneurs. Lyudmila is a financial advisor at Investors Group. IG has reformed its approach to financial advisory services so that the primary focus is not on the products offered but solely on customer needs. By examining the full scope of customer needs, a comprehensive financial plan can be created that provides flexibility to meet business financing needs while also factoring in the personal financial requirements of the entrepreneur and his or her family.

 Many people do not realize that it is possible to structure a financial portfolio that is tax efficient and can work as a potential source of cash when cash needs arise. In addition, by factoring in the age and risk tolerance of individuals involved in the business, an array of financial tools and strategies can be considered to meet retirement, disability, income continuation, medical and other needs. Too many people look at only a piece of the puzzle and often it is only the burning issues that are dealt with to the detriment of the creation of a viable long-term plan that can ensure an adequate cash flow to meet the client’s needs despite the day-to-day fluctuations of the market.

 For a significant and growing portion of the workforce, tasks are completed by the self-employed. Often these entrepreneurs experience wide fluctuations in income. Lyuda has a vision – to develop a series of customized and individualized strategies that apply to this workforce – a workforce that has generally been underserved by the financial services community. By banding together financial products that pool risk and economize on costs, an efficient array of alternatives can be developed to meet the needs of these small businesses.

 Lyudmila has lived in the world of creators. She has dealt with artists, musicians, chefs, designers, film producers, writers, dancers, etc. There are peaks and valleys that she has lived through personally as an artist and seen with her varied clientele.  Ultimately, Lyuda’s bigger vision is to customize financial services through new funds that are developed to meet the needs of this unique community and the needs of ever changing and evolving new entrepreneurs. It is the creativity, innovative approaches and strategy that have always been her main competitive advantage in this growing in demand profession.

 Lyudmila welcomes the opportunity to discuss with you the options that are available now and what can be offered in the future to assure your prosperity.

Speaking Topics

•                  Women and Money: How to Close the Financial Freedom Gap

•                  Social impact investing

•                  Making money by making a difference

•                  Taxes & Small Business

•                  Creating Healthy Cash flow: Money Management 101

•                  Financially Thriving after Sudden Unemployment or Transition