The Number

Money is still the number one source of stress for Canadians, and this episode gets into what the data actually shows. Wendy and Kelsey walk through the 2026 FP Canada Financial Stress Index — nine years of tracking financial anxiety across the country — and zero in on one number that tells the real story. People who work with a financial professional are 14 percentage points less likely to lose sleep over money. That gap shows up twice in the survey. This episode explains why, and what it looks like in practice.

In This Episode
  • What's driving financial stress for Canadians in 2026 and how it's shifted over the past few years
  • How financial anxiety breaks down differently across age groups — from early career to peak earning years
  • Why the 14-point gap between people with a planner and those without keeps showing up in the data
  • What the shift from "freedom from" to "freedom to" language tells you about where someone is in their financial journey
  • Why waiting until you have things figured out before seeing a planner is the wrong approach

Featured Quote
"It replaces assumption with clarity, and it replaces fear with options. You don't know where you are until you do that analysis." — Wendy Brookhouse

About the Hosts
Wendy Brookhouse is the founder and chief strategist at Black Star Wealth and a Certified Financial Planner with over 20 years of independent advisory experience. She works with entrepreneurs and business owners to build financial clarity, business value, and wealth that lasts.
Kelsey MacAulay is the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Relationship Officer at Black Star Wealth, and a Certified Exit Planning Advisor. He works with business owners on the operational and strategic side of building a business worth transitioning.

Resources & Links

Connect With Black Star Wealth
  • Website: blackstarwealth.com
  • LinkedIn: Wendy Brookhouse | Kelsey MacAulay
  • Podcast: The Number — available on all major platforms
Curious whether Black Star Wealth works with people in your situation? Visit blackstarwealth.com to learn more.

Creators and Guests

Host
Kelsey MacAulay
When the Black Star team needs something done, they go to Kelsey! Wendy Brookhouse is his wife: when she has a new financial invention, Kelsey builds it and brings it to life - he does the heavy lifting, so you don’t have to!
Host
Wendy Brookhouse
The Financial Planner for ambitious growth oriented Entrepreneurs
Editor
Shaun Whynacht
I’m the founder of Blue Cow Marketing and father of an amazing little boy. helping other business owners overcome challenges is my passion.

What is The Number?

The Number is a business podcast about the numbers that actually run your business.

Each episode focuses on one number. Revenue, profit, cash flow, capacity, time, valuation, customer cost, risk, or exit readiness.

Hosted by Wendy Brookhouse, and often joined by Kelsey MacAulay, the show breaks down what that number means, why it matters, and how it should influence the decisions you make as an owner.

Some episodes feature guests. Some are honest conversations. Some are solo deep dives.

If you own a business and want better clarity, better decisions, and better outcomes, it starts with knowing your numbers.