500 gym sessions in under two years.

What started as convenience turned into identity.

In this episode of The Number, Wendy and Kelsey break down what it really takes to move from interested to committed.

Kelsey did not wait for motivation.

He built structure.

A gym across the street.
A non negotiable calendar block.

No decision fatigue.

And then something shifted.

500 sessions later, he does not try to work out.

He trains.

This conversation connects fitness, money, and business. Because whether it is your health or your wealth, results come from systems, not bursts of inspiration.

Join The Freedom Files
Tired of money advice that feels complicated or out of touch?
Discover Freedom Files from Black Star Wealth — a bi-weekly dose of smart financial insights and real stories about building a life on your own terms.
Because freedom isn’t someday — it’s something you design.
Subscribe now at blackstarwealth.com/freedomfiles

Twenty years.

That’s the number that launches The Number.

In this first episode, Wendy Brookhouse and Kelsey MacAulay introduce the podcast and the concept behind it: beginning every conversation with a number and uncovering the story that sits behind it.

The milestone number 20 marks Wendy’s twentieth year in the financial industry. What began as business consulting evolved into an independent financial planning practice grounded in curiosity, education, and doing what is right—not what is easy.

Wendy and Kelsey discuss what has changed over the past two decades, from pandemic‑driven digital acceleration to the rise of AI and faster approval processes. They also explore what has stayed constant: every client brings their own story, fears, aspirations, and definition of success.

With fewer than 17 percent of independent financial advisors being female, Wendy reflects on the importance of empathy and emotional intelligence in modern financial planning—skills that she believes will matter even more in the years ahead.

They also outline the three core planning pathways at Black Star Wealth:

• The One Number Solution
• Retirement Planning
• Total Wealth Blueprint for Business Owners

You’ll hear why the firm is shifting toward fixed‑fee models to offer greater transparency and clarity for clients.

This episode sets the tone for what The Number is all about: clarity, empowerment, and real conversations about the numbers that shape your life.

Join The Freedom Files
Tired of money advice that feels complicated or out of touch?
Discover Freedom Files from Black Star Wealth — a bi-weekly dose of smart financial insights and real stories about building a life on your own terms.
Because freedom isn’t someday — it’s something you design.
Subscribe now at blackstarwealth.com/freedomfiles

This episode takes a turn.
Wendy’s not in the host chair.
I slide in to interview her and Kelsey as we wrap up 2025 and look straight into 2026.

We cover what surprised them about business owners this year, where owners are getting stuck, why so many people are tired, and why resilience and action suddenly matter more than ever.

We dig into the myths that refuse to die, the habits that make a business sellable, and the blind spots that can wipe out value overnight.

We also talk about life after the sale.
The identity stuff.
The what now moment.

If you’re planning to sell in five years or you’re nowhere near ready but want the option, this one will get you thinking.

Join The Freedom Files
Tired of money advice that feels complicated or out of touch?
Discover Freedom Files from Black Star Wealth — a bi-weekly dose of smart financial insights and real stories about building a life on your own terms.
Because freedom isn’t someday — it’s something you design.
Subscribe now at blackstarwealth.com/freedomfiles

AI is showing up everywhere in business.

And a lot of owners are turning it on without realizing what they just gave access to.

In this episode, Wendy sits down with Darryl Cresswell, CEO and founder of myDWARE, to talk about why cybersecurity has to come before any AI rollout.

They dig into real world examples entrepreneurs can actually relate to.

AI agents running under owner level access.

Sensitive data leaking through email, CRM systems, and shadow AI tools.

And why flashy automation without guardrails can quietly destroy trust, value, and deal readiness.

Darryl breaks down the difference between AI bots, AI agents, and agentic AI in plain language.

They talk about shadow AI, third party tools, and how employees accidentally create risk.

And why buyers and auditors are now paying close attention to cybersecurity when valuing a business.

If you are experimenting with AI, thinking about automation, or planning to sell your business one day, this conversation will change how you think about “just turning it on.”

Cybersecurity first.
AI second.
Always.

Join The Freedom Files
Tired of money advice that feels complicated or out of touch?
Discover Freedom Files from Black Star Wealth — a bi-weekly dose of smart financial insights and real stories about building a life on your own terms.
Because freedom isn’t someday — it’s something you design.
Subscribe now at blackstarwealth.com/freedomfiles

I invited Graham Barlow onto The Real Bottom Line because his founder journey is one of the wildest I’ve ever heard. He started out as a teenager selling virtual game items on eBay, scaled that “hobby” into almost six figures a month, and eventually went on to build and exit multiple companies.

In our conversation, Graham and I dig into

• How he and a group of friends used bots to farm virtual currency long before in-app purchases were normal
  
• Why cash flow, projections, and financial discipline matter far more than top-line revenue
  
• The painful lessons he learned building a game studio and raising money

• How ego and “I’m the only one who can do this right” thinking quietly caps your business

• Why community and the rooms you put yourself in can dramatically change your sense of what’s possible

• The two strategic gaps he sees in most businesses right now… outbound sales and how teams use AI

We also talk about Founder Link, the community he never planned to build, and why so many founders desperately need a place where they can ask real questions, drop the armour, and get guidance from people who’ve already walked the path.

If you’ve ever hit a ceiling, questioned your next move, or wondered what it actually takes to build something someone would buy, you’ll get a lot from this conversation.

Join The Freedom Files
Tired of money advice that feels complicated or out of touch?
Discover Freedom Files from Black Star Wealth — a bi-weekly dose of smart financial insights and real stories about building a life on your own terms.
Because freedom isn’t someday — it’s something you design.
Subscribe now at blackstarwealth.com/freedomfiles

FinTech leader Carrie Forbes, CEO of Rockstar Advisory, joins Wendy to unpack the shift from startup energy to running energy, the corporate habits worth keeping, and how to make AI projects succeed with tiny, low risk wins. Human skills remain the moat... and that’s the optimistic bottom line.

Join The Freedom Files
Tired of money advice that feels complicated or out of touch?
Discover Freedom Files from Black Star Wealth — a bi-weekly dose of smart financial insights and real stories about building a life on your own terms.
Because freedom isn’t someday — it’s something you design.
Subscribe now at blackstarwealth.com/freedomfiles

Wendy talks with Dr. Susan Reid, revisioning specialist, author, and keynote speaker, about designing life after work. They explore identity beyond titles, why meaning matters in retirement, and how a simple “being vision” guides the next chapter. Susan shares research, lived lessons from building and selling businesses, and practical tools like journaling push/pull factors and building a “retirement team” of strong and weak ties.

Show Notes (light timestamps)

• 0:00 — Intro and Susan’s path: scientist → MBA → PhD → entrepreneur
• 3:30 — The Bob Proctor yo-yo story and discovering vision
• 7:55 — Creating a category: ice cider, then maple whisky
• 12:10 — Why a seven-word vision moves people faster than a long plan
• 13:40 — “Life after work” and early-retirement trends
• 17:20 — Hard stop vs glide path and the anxiety dip
• 21:30 — Prep to vision: quiet, journaling, push/pull factors
• 24:30 — Open via nature, people, and the “universe”
• 26:20 — Your Retirement Team: strong ties and weak ties
• 33:00 — Values → being vision (stop obsessing about how)
• 38:36 — The art of becoming + how to reach Susan

Key Takeaways

• Treat retirement as revisioning: move from freedom from to freedom to.
• Start with values and a being vision, then let the how emerge.
• Build a Retirement Team for support and fresh ideas.
• Keep the vision simple enough to remember.
• Prototype the next chapter before you leap.

Join The Freedom Files
Tired of money advice that feels complicated or out of touch?
Discover Freedom Files from Black Star Wealth — a bi-weekly dose of smart financial insights and real stories about building a life on your own terms.
Because freedom isn’t someday — it’s something you design.
Subscribe now at blackstarwealth.com/freedomfiles

Episode: The Real Bottom Line with Wendy Brookhouse
Guest: Jennifer Williams, Founder of Firefly Insights

In this episode, I sit down with Jennifer Williams, founder and partial owner of Firefly Insights, to unpack one of the most exciting developments for Canadian entrepreneurs — Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs).

If you’re a business owner starting to think about succession, exit planning, or legacy, this episode will open your eyes to a whole new way to transition your business — one that rewards your team, sustains your community, and can even save you millions in taxes.

We talk about:

• Jennifer’s unique path from nonprofit work to social entrepreneurship and employee ownership
• The tough mindset shift around profit versus mission
• How to find the right scale in your business without burning out
• The new Canadian EOT legislation and what it means for small and mid-sized companies
• Who qualifies, how the trust is structured, and the real financial and cultural benefits

My favorite moment: when Jennifer breaks down how profit can amplify your mission rather than distract from it.

If you’ve ever wondered, “What’s next for my business when I step away?”, this conversation might just change the way you think about exit planning.

Connect with Jennifer: fireflyinsights.ca

Email: jennifer@fireflyinsights.ca

Join The Freedom Files
Tired of money advice that feels complicated or out of touch?
Discover Freedom Files from Black Star Wealth — a bi-weekly dose of smart financial insights and real stories about building a life on your own terms.
Because freedom isn’t someday — it’s something you design.
Subscribe now at blackstarwealth.com/freedomfiles