Building Real Skills Through Honest Conversations

We started canelmirakivia because too many financial professionals were learning scripts instead of strategies.

Back in early 2022, a small group of us sat around a coffee shop in Edmonton talking about how sales training had become disconnected from reality. Everyone was teaching the same recycled techniques that felt forced and unnatural. So we decided to create something different—a place where people could develop authentic communication skills that actually work in Canadian financial markets.

Three years later, we're still having those same honest conversations. Just with more people.

Financial education workshop in Edmonton

What We Actually Do

We teach financial professionals how to have better conversations with their clients. That's it, really. No magic formulas or secret techniques—just practical approaches to understanding what people need and communicating clearly about how you might help.

Most of our programs run between September 2025 and March 2026, giving people time to practice new approaches during their regular workweek. We've found that gradual implementation works better than intensive bootcamps that try to change everything overnight.

Our approach centers on recognizing that every client interaction is different. What works with a retiring couple planning their estate won't work with a young entrepreneur looking for business financing. We spend time helping people develop the judgment to adapt their approach based on context rather than following rigid scripts.

Where Our Experience Comes From

Our team has spent a combined 47 years working in various corners of the Canadian financial sector. Here's what we've learned along the way.

Client Communication

We focus on helping people develop their own natural communication style rather than teaching everyone the same pitch. Different personalities connect with clients differently, and that's fine.

Our methods emphasize active listening and asking better questions. Most sales issues come from talking too much rather than not enough.

Relationship Building

Financial services work best as long-term relationships. We teach approaches that prioritize building trust over closing quick deals, which tends to create more sustainable practices.

This includes navigating difficult conversations, managing client expectations, and maintaining contact without being pushy.

Market Adaptation

Canadian financial markets have their own characteristics. We incorporate regional considerations, regulatory environments, and cultural factors that affect how people approach financial decisions in Alberta and across Canada.

Economic conditions shift constantly. Our training emphasizes adaptable strategies that work across different market cycles.

Practical Application

Every session includes real scenarios drawn from actual client interactions. Theory matters less than being able to handle the awkward moment when a prospect says they need to think about it.

Participants practice responses, get feedback, and refine their approaches in low-stakes environments before applying them with actual clients.

Ethical Foundations

We're pretty firm about not teaching manipulative tactics. Sales techniques should help people make informed decisions, not trick them into things they don't need.

This approach occasionally means walking away from potential deals, which is an important skill in itself.

Ongoing Development

Most professionals find that their approach continues developing throughout their career. We provide frameworks for self-evaluation and continuous improvement beyond formal training.

Our alumni network offers peer support and shared learning as people encounter new challenges in their practices.

The People Behind canelmirakivia

Rhett Boudreaux

Director of Financial Education

Rhett spent 18 years working in various financial advisory roles before getting frustrated with conventional sales training approaches. He brings practical experience from working with everyone from first-time homebuyers to complex corporate accounts. His teaching style tends toward the pragmatic—he's more interested in what actually works than what sounds impressive in a presentation.

Clarissa Ventura

Sales Strategy Consultant

Clarissa came to canelmirakivia after running her own financial planning practice in Edmonton for 12 years. She's particularly good at helping introverted professionals develop approaches that work with their natural communication style. Her background includes extensive work with Alberta's small business community and understanding how local market dynamics affect financial decision-making.

canelmirakivia team collaboration session

Our Autumn 2025 Programs Start Registration in June

We're currently finalizing the schedule for our next training cycle. If you're interested in developing more effective client communication approaches, reach out and we can discuss whether our methods would be a good fit for your practice.

Get in Touch