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A curated collection of our thought leadership across various channels and formats, from articles and podcasts to webinars and videos.

Nicola Wealth Management Insights

Insights

Lessons from Newton, the dot-com bubble, and today’s concentrated markets

The Madness of Crowds

The Evergreen Revolution: Re-thinking How Private Equity Fits Within a Portfolio 

Beyond The Noise: What's Currently Happening In Private Credit

A Look Inside Canada’s Current Commercial Mortgage Market

Will an Asymmetric War Trigger a Minsky Moment?

What does elite performance look like behind the scenes, long before the medal ceremony?

Beyond the Podium: The Fundamentals That Last - A Conversation with Patrick Chan

Private equity secondaries open a different path to investing in established, high-quality private companies.

Capturing Financial Opportunity in the Private Equity Secondaries Market

For founders and business leaders alike, one of the most important decisions is how, and when, to pass leadership to the next generation.

The Art of CEO Succession - Building Leadership for the Next Chapter

Real estate remains front-page news; from trade tensions and a soft condo market to the implications of BC’s Cowichan land claim ruling.

Real Estate’s Reset, Revisited: What’s Changed and What Hasn’t

A practical perspective on separating durable value from short-term enthusiasm in the AI cycle. 

Beyond the Hype: How Long-Term Investors Are Thinking About AI

Mean Reversion: Why Markets Don’t Stay Extreme Forever 

Most investing mistakes do not happen in moments of panic. They often happen when confidence is high, markets feel calm, and success starts to feel familiar.

5 Mistakes Even Seasoned Investors Can Make

Infrastructure continues to play a distinct role in portfolios, particularly during periods of economic and market change.

Why Infrastructure Can Be a Steady Force in a Volatile Market 

Navigating tech cycles, capital intensity, and uncertainty in the age of AI.

The AI Arms Race: A Guide to Navigating the Noise

Secondaries play a growing role in private equity portfolios, offering liquidity, visibility into assets, and shorter investment duration.

The Role of Secondaries in Private Equity Portfolios

Legacy is often treated as an end-of-life conversation, but what if it is actually a daily practice?  

What Are You Really Passing Down? Values, Wealth, or Confusion 

Infrastructure underpins everything from energy to transport... but how do the world's largest investors decide where to place billions in long-term capital?  

The Global Infrastructure Opportunity Hiding in Plain Sight 

Strong markets, shifting narratives, and tougher decisions beneath the surface defined the final quarter of 2025. Ben Jang joins host Jasmine Marichic to unpack what powered market resilience this year, and what it means for investors heading into 2026.

Markets Defy the Noise: Q4 2025 

Canada’s tax rules are shifting fast, creating both new opportunities and new risks. This episode breaks down what recent tax changes really mean for business owners and investors, and how smart planning can make all the difference. 

Federal Tax Shifts Explained: Enhancements, Risks & Planning Insights

As 2025 comes to an end, many investors are weighing what the close of the year means for their financial picture and what steps are worth taking before the calendar turns. Understanding what matters most at year-end can help ensure your financial picture stays on track heading into 2026.

Closing Out the Year: Important Tax and Planning Tips for Canadian Investors 

A clear, grounded view of a sector in transition and what patience and preparedness can mean over the long term.  

Real Estate's Reset: What Today's Valuations Are Really Telling Us

A look at how short-term, collateral-focused residential lending can support stable returns in one of Canada’s strongest housing markets.

The Role of Private Residential Mortgages in the Greater Vancouver Area 

As pension funds rebalance and liquidity tightens, opportunities are opening for well-positioned firms, and their clients, to access high-quality private equity managers on better terms.

Private Equity’s Evolution: A Steady Approach in a Changing Market

What does it take to build lasting value in a world where markets and technology are evolving faster than ever? In this episode of The Wealth Exchange, host Rob Olsen, Head of Nicola Wealth Private Capital, and co-host Kent Sio, Principal, Private Equity and Venture Capital, sit down with Perry Miele, Managing Partner at Beringer Capital, for a dynamic conversation on the future of private capital.

From Policy to Progress: Insights on the Future of Private Capital

Behind every career move, family milestone, and household decision lies a financial story that rarely gets told. In this episode, Cassandra Cross, Wealth Advisor and Client Relationship Manager at Nicola Wealth, sits down with estate lawyer Christianne Murphy to explore the often-overlooked “invisible load” women carry, especially during major life transitions like marriage, motherhood, caregiving, or career changes.

Carrying It All: Women, Wealth & the Invisible Load

What makes a legacy last? In this special conversation, Isadore “Issy” Sharp, founder of the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, joins John Nicola, founder and CEO of Nicola Wealth, to reflect on the principles that built two enduring organizations. 

Architects of Legacy: In Conversation with Isadore Sharp & John Nicola  

Discover how thoughtfully constructed private credit funds balance income, capital preservation, and liquidity.

The Liquidity Architecture of Private Credit

A resilient market masked a quarter defined by policy tension, valuation concerns, and inflation uncertainty. 

Equity Gains and Economic Strains: Q3 2025

Discover how Coca-Cola’s century of growth shows why patience, quality, and reinvested dividends outperform market timing in building long-term wealth.

Why “Time in the Market” Beats “Timing the Market”: Lessons from Coca-Cola’s Century of Growth

Exploring how the rapid rise of AI is shaping infrastructure investments in data centres, energy, and connectivity.

The Infrastructure Behind AI: Data Centres, Power, and Fibre

In this weeks episode, Ethan Astaneh, Wealth Advisor | Client Relationship Manager at Nicola Wealth, explains how IPPs work for incorporated professionals, business owners, and executives - offering tax deferral, income splitting, and estate planning benefits that can help families manage wealth more efficiently.

Beyond RRSPs: The IPP Advantage

Nicola Wealth believes that prosperity is most meaningful when it connects to what truly matters.

Caring Through Giving: Why We Support Sarah McLachlan School of Music

Music has the power to transform lives, and few understand this better than Sarah McLachlan. In this episode, host John Nicola, CEO, CIO and Chairman at Nicola Wealth, sits down with the Grammy-winning artist and philanthropist to explore her remarkable journey from a 19-year-old with a record deal to the founder of a groundbreaking music education program. 

Sarah McLachlan & John Nicola on Music, Mentorship, and Miracles

John Nicola reviews recent performance trends in Canadian and U.S. real estate markets, compares Nicola Wealth’s real estate funds to relevant indices, and discusses factors influencing long-term investment outcomes.

Real Estate Investing: Is the Glass Half Full or Half Empty?

In this episode, Vanessa Flockton, President of Private Wealth at Nicola Wealth, addresses the questions on every investor’s mind: How do you plan and invest when the world feels anything but stable? 

Planning Through Uncertainty: A Guide for High-Net-Worth Families

In this episode, Benjamin Jang, Investment Strategist at Nicola Wealth, introduces John Nicola, Chairman, CEO & CIO, who explores the field of behavioural finance.

The Rational Investor: Navigating Behavioural Pitfalls with John Nicola

Private equity isn’t priced minute-by-minute like public markets—so how do investors know what their holdings are worth? Discover how valuations help investors understand performance, risk, and decisions in private equity.

Demystifying Private Equity Valuations: What Every Investor Should Know

In this episode, host Ethan Astaneh, Wealth Advisor | Client Relationship Manager, sits down with Dan Wurtele and Ryan Dash of The Vancouver Life Real Estate Group for a data-driven look at the state of Canadian real estate.

Housing at a Crossroads: What’s Driving Canada’s Real Estate Market?

In addition to the benefits of diversification, a cross-border investing strategy could offer investors notable advantages in today’s uncertain environment, with policy rates between the U.S. and Canada now at their widest gap in more than 20 years.

How Mortgage Investments Are Positioned to Provide Stability in Today’s Unpredictable Environment

In this episode, Nicola Wealth’s Rob Olsen sits down with Mike Mazan to explore the evolution of Canada’s private capital landscape over the past two decades.

Pattern Recognition and Persistence: Hard-Won Lessons from a PE Veteran

In this episode of The Wealth Exchange, Ben Jang, Portfolio Manager at Nicola Wealth, joins host Jasmine Marichic to analyze market themes from the second quarter of 2025.

Canadian Markets vs. Tariff Headwinds: Q2 2025

We explore the three core pillars of private equity – venture capital, growth equity, and buyout – and cover how a diversified approach across these strategies may help manage risk and support portfolio resilience over time.

From Startups to Buyouts: Navigating Risk and Return Across the Private Equity Spectrum

Studies consistently show that the average investor underperforms the market. So, what sets high-net-worth individuals and business owners apart in their ability to consistently grow their portfolios?

The Myth  of the Disciplined Investor

Recorded live on June 3 in Victoria, Nicola Wealth Advisor | Client Relationship Manager, Chris Warner, hosts a timely discussion on the forces shaping today’s investment environment.

Going on a Bear Hunt: Four Market Factors to Consider

In this episode, Rob Olsen, Head of Private Capital at Nicola Wealth, and Jason Luo, Senior Director of Venture Capital, speak with Han Kim, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Altos Ventures, a global venture capital firm known for backing breakout companies like Roblox, Coupang, and Woowa Brothers.

How Altos Ventures Built Success by Thinking Long Term

Markets are facing a rare convergence of risks: rising tariffs, shifting trade alliances, unsustainable debt levels, and evolving tax rules. At Nicola Wealth’s Strategic Insights event in Vancouver, Chairman and CEO John Nicola shared his perspective on what these developments could mean for investors.

Beyond the Outlook: What We’re Watching Now

Recorded live on May 29 at the Nicola Wealth Vancouver Strategic Insights event, this episode features Chairman, CEO, and CIO John Nicola in conversation with the firm’s senior investment leaders. 

The Uncertainty Premium: Finding Value When Markets Fear Change

In this special episode recorded live at the Canada Private Markets Meeting in Toronto, Nicola Wealth’s Founder, Chairman, CEO and CIO, John Nicola joins Michael Kaumeyer, Vice Chair, Nicola Family, for an insightful conversation on leadership, legacy, and navigating uncertainty.

John Nicola on Strategy, Succession & Serendipity

How disciplined underwriting and senior lending can offer downside protection amid global uncertainty.

Private Credit Resilience in Uncertain Times: The Impact of Tariffs

In this episode of In the Ring with Rob, host Rob Olsen is joined by Nicola Wealth’s Matt Choi and guest Rahman Vahabzadeh, Managing Director at Audax Private Debt, one of the most established firms in the space with over $24 billion in assets under management.

The Role of Private Debt in Today’s Market with Rob Olsen, Matt Choi and Rahman Vahabzadeh

John Nicola explains why real estate remains a distinct and resilient asset class. From its historical roots to its role in today’s portfolios, he explores how real estate can provide long-term income and stability for investors.

A Brief History: Why Real Estate Is Different, and Built for Resilience

The Trump administration’s review of infrastructure spending has introduced uncertainty—but the long-term needs of aging U.S. infrastructure remain. This piece explores what the policy pause may mean for investors and how Nicola Wealth is navigating it across public and private markets.

More Than Roads and Bridges: Investing in What Keeps the U.S. Running

In this episode, recorded live at the 2025 Private Wealth Canada West Forum, Nicola Wealth Chairman and CEO John Nicola joins board member and Rethink Founder Tom Shepansky for a thoughtful conversation on leadership, growth, and the value of sharing success.

John Nicola’s Philosophy on How Sharing Success Can Result in Exponential Growth

In this timely episode, Gary Mar, President and CEO of the Canada West Foundation and former Alberta Cabinet Minister, joins Ben Jang, Portfolio Manager and Investment Strategist at Nicola Wealth, to discuss the recent Canadian federal election and what the results could mean for the economy, energy, and national unity.

Carney and Trump, What's Next?

In this episode, Rob Olsen is joined by Nicola Wealth’s Tori Buffery and Adrian Millan, Partner at PJT Park Hill in New York, to explore how the secondaries market is evolving and what it means for today’s investors.

The Growing Role of Secondaries in Diversified Portfolios with Robert Olsen, Adrian Millan & Tori Buffery

In this episode of The Wealth Exchange, Ben Jang, Portfolio Manager at Nicola Wealth, joins host Jasmine Maricic to analyze market themes from the first quarter of 2025.

Q1 2025 in Focus: What Moved Markets and What Comes Next

Canadian pension funds are widely regarded as leading institutional investors—now, individual investors can access a similar strategy through the Nicola Private Equity Limited Partnership’s (PELP) institutional-grade private equity approach. 

Bringing Institutional-Style Private Equity Exposure to Individual Investors

In this episode, Ethan, Ryan and Dan offer a timely and comprehensive overview of the Canadian residential real estate landscape.

Canadian Residential Real Estate Outlook: Multiplexes, Mortgages & Market Shifts with The Vancouver Life

In this episode, host Robert Olsen and co-host Sunny Lee from Nicola Wealth speak with Aly Champsi, Managing Director at DW Healthcare Partners

Building Lasting Value in Private Equity with Rob Olsen, Aly Champsi and Sunny Lee

See the individual investment pool performance and updates for the Nicola Wealth funds in February 2025.

Close up pen on paperwork and woman hand calculate finance.

Nicola Wealth Investment Returns: February 2025

Jasmine Marichic, Wealth Advisor, outlines key estate planning strategies for business owners, including trusts, direct distributions, and Letters of Wishes. 

Investing Matters: Protecting Your Business Legacy for Generations to Come

In this episode of the Wealth Exchange, Cassandra and Dami share practical tools and strategies for women to feel more confident in their financial decisions. 

Women, Wealth, and the Path to Financial Confidence

In this episode of the Wealth Exchange, Robert Olsen sits down with veteran finance leader and entrepreneur David Rogers.

In the Ring with Rob: From Corporate Finance to Entrepreneurship with David Rogers

See the individual investment pool performance and updates for the Nicola Wealth funds in January 2025.

Nicola Wealth Investment Returns: January 2025

In this episode of The Wealth Exchange, Timothy Stranks provides an update on the recent extension to Canada's charitable donation deadline.

Investing Matters: Canadian Charitable Donations Update

As the real estate industry continues to evolve, NWRE remains focused on pioneering projects that drive efficiency, sustainability, and long-term performance.

Maple Meadows Advanced Self Storage: The Completion of Canada’s First Net-Zero Self-Storage Facility

Jasmine Marichic, addresses the top five estate planning mistakes made by business owners and affluent families.

Investing Matters: Five Estate Planning Mistakes That Can Cost You—And How to Avoid Them

Ben Jang, Portfolio Manager, analyzes U.S.-Canada trade relations, including recent developments in tariff negotiations and their potential impact on investors

Investing Matters: The Impact of Trump’s Tariff Threats on Canadians

See the individual investment pool performance and updates for the Nicola Wealth funds in December 2024.

Nicola Wealth Investment Returns: December 2024

Kicking off the first episode of Season 7 of The Wealth Exchange, Ben Jang, Portfolio Manager at Nicola Wealth, joins host Jasmine Maricic to analyze market themes from the fourth quarter of 2024.

Investing Matters: Q4 2024 Market Commentary

In the season finale of The Wealth Exchange, host Jasmine Marichic provides a thoughtful overview of 2024's key economic developments and their potential influence on the year ahead. As we transition into 2025, she offers perspective on the broader market trends and policy changes shaping Canada's investment landscape.

Investing Matters: 2024 Economic Review & Charting the Path to 2025

A broader perspective can reveal that market leaders are not always the most obvious equity choices.

Hidden in Plain Sight: Uncovering Equity Potential Amid Market Volatility

In this episode, Robert Olsen and Vanessa Flockton sit down with trailblazing business leader Ursula Burns.  As the first black woman to lead a Fortune 500 company, Burns shares her remarkable journey from growing up in New York City public housing to starting as an intern at Xerox and rising to become its CEO. She led the company’s transformation from a print and copy giant to a diversified business services enterprise.

In the Ring with Rob: Building Better Businesses with Xerox CEO turned PE Founder Ursula Burns

In this episode, host Robert Olsen talks with Mark Machin and Mark Shulgan from Intrepid Growth Partners about the growing role of AI in growth equity investing. The conversation explores the founders’ backgrounds in science and banking, and how these experiences shape their focus on AI-driven investments.

In the Ring with Rob: AI, Growth Equity, and the Future of Tech Investing with Intrepid Growth Partners

See the individual investment pool performance and updates for the Nicola Wealth funds in October 2024.

Nicola Wealth Investment Returns: October 2024

In this episode of The Wealth Exchange, Ben Jang, Portfolio Manager in the Nicola Wealth Public Assets Group, is joined once again by Ed Mills, Managing Director and Washington Policy Analyst at Raymond James.  

Investing Matters: U.S. Policy Shifts and Market Impacts with Ed Mills

Exploring infrastructure investments in a declining interest rate environment, emphasizing their stability, diversification benefits, and historical performance.

Infrastructure in a declining rate environment

Infrastructure in a Declining Rate Environment

See the individual Investment Pool Performance for the Nicola Wealth funds in September 2024.

Nicola Wealth Investment Returns: September 2024

In this episode, Robert Olsen, Vice Chair, Private Capital at Nicola Wealth, explores venture capital investing with Matt Harris, Partner at Bain Capital Ventures, and Geoff Taylor, Principal, Private Equity and Venture Capital at Nicola Wealth.

In the Ring with Rob: The Evolution and Future of Venture Capital with Matt Harris & Geoff Taylor

John Nicola provides insight into historical and modern market bubbles, investor behavior, and the impact of irrational investment decisions on today's markets.

The Nicola Wealth Private Debt team is pleased to announce its fund’s participation in a first lien term loan financing to Calibre Scientific, a portfolio company of StoneCalibre.

Nicola Private Debt Fund Announces Co-Investment in First Lien Financing to Calibre Scientific

In this episode, Dan and Ryan explore the latest market trends, including the shift towards a balanced market and the impact of the pandemic on housing dynamics.

Investing Matters: Residential Real Estate Market Trends, COVID’s Impact, and Future Outlook with The Vancouver Life

See the individual Investment Pool Performance for the Nicola Wealth funds in August 2024.

Nicola Wealth Investment Returns: August 2024

Mark Hannah and Don Harrison of the NWRE team discuss the intersection of institutional and private capital in real estate and share tips for those new in the commercial real estate industry.

Investing Matters: The Intersection of Institutional and Private Capital in Real Estate with Don Harrison

The pandemic was an event that reshaped the world in profound ways. While its effects on public health and the global economy were immediate and visible, the ripple effects on specific investment sectors, like venture capital, were similarly transformative. 

Getting Over the Hangover: The COVID-19 Pandemic and its Impact on Venture Capital

Portfolio Manager, Ryan Watson, explores the dilemma faced when making a contrarian call, and the need for conviction when choosing to swim against the current.

Contrarian Calls Can Have Big Payoffs: How We Make It Work

See the individual Investment Pool Performance for the Nicola Wealth funds in July 2024.

Nicola Wealth Investment Returns: July 2024

Stacey Mouadeb, Director, Private Debt, and Tori Buffery, Senior Director, Secondaries, will be featured panelists at the upcoming Women’s Private Capital Summit Canada in Toronto.

Nicola Wealth Announces Featured Panelists for Women’s Private Capital Summit Canada

Investing in alternative and private residential mortgages in Canada can be a viable option for those seeking stable, asset-backed returns.

Investing in Residential Mortgages in Canada: Opportunities and Risks in 2024

The Nicola Wealth Private Debt team is pleased to announce its participation in a new debt financing for CoreWeave Inc.

Nicola Private Debt Fund Announces Co-investment in Financing to CoreWeave

In this episode, Robert Olsen, Vice Chair, Private Capital at Nicola Wealth focuses on real estate debt investments with Ken McKinnon from IMC and Simon Carlsen. They provide insights on the evolving landscape of real estate and key opportunities within the mortgage market.

In the Ring with Rob: Mastering Mortgage Markets with Ken McKinnon & Simon Carlsen

Discover how changing interest rates and strategic portfolio adjustments create new investment opportunities in the evolving economic landscape.

Here Comes the Sun

The Nicola Wealth Private Debt team is pleased to announce its participation in a new debt financing for Axis Insurance Managers Inc.

Nicola Private Debt Fund Announces First Lien Financing to Axis Insurance

Ben Jang, Portfolio Manager at Nicola Wealth, joins host Jasmine Marichic to discuss the new Nicola Wealth Money Market Fund, including its investment strategy and the advantages over high-interest savings accounts.

Investing Matters: Introducing the Nicola Wealth Money Market Fund

See the individual Investment Pool Performance for the Nicola Wealth funds in June 2024.

Nicola Wealth Investment Returns: June 2024

Ashley Ng, Senior Director, Head of Infrastructure Investments, will be a featured panelist at the upcoming CAiP Alternative Investments Forum in September 2024.

Ashley Ng on Infrastructure Innovations at the CAiP Alternative Investments Forum 2024

In this episode, Robert Olsen, Vice Chair, Private Capital at Nicola Wealth focuses on infrastructure investments with Evan Corley from Pantheon and Ashley Ng. They explore the evolution of infrastructure as an asset class, investor interest, and Pantheon’s journey in this space.

In the Ring with Rob: The Evolution of Infrastructure as an Asset Class with Evan Corley & Ashley Ng

In this episode, John Nicola, Chairman, CEO, and CIO of Nicola Wealth, shares valuable insights at the Canadian Alternative Investment Forum 2024.

Investing Matters: John Nicola on Revolutionizing Independent Asset Management with a Pension-Inspired Approach

See the individual Investment Pool Performance for the Nicola Wealth funds in May 2024.

Nicola Wealth Investment Returns: May 2024

The Nicola Wealth Private Debt team is pleased to announce its fund’s realization of a first lien term loan led by Golub Capital to Parts Town.