A financial advisor based in Toronto, Canada, Pedro Ostia-Vega has over two decades of experience working in the financial industry. In 2004, Pedro Ostia-Vega began his career as a banking administrator at HSBC Securities in Toronto, and shortly thereafter, he moved to HSBC Bank (Canada) Inc. as a transfer administrator, a role he maintained from 2005 to 2009.
Between 2009 and 2012, Mr. Ostia-Vega worked as a sales associate, first at HSBC Securities and later at National Bank Financial. In 2012, he joined Raymond James as a financial advisor. He currently serves as a senior associate wealth advisor and manages the operations of the Portage Wealth team. In addition to overseeing trading and portfolio implementation for the entire team, he provides direct advice to select clients. He possesses experience in financial planning, investments, and cross-border investments.
Away from work, Mr. Ostia-Vega enjoys spending his free time with his family. He also plays basketball and works out.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
I oversee the day-to-day operations of the Portage Wealth team, manage all trading and portfolio implementation and serve as the main point of contact for a portion of our clients.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Knowledge and competence are at the heart of what I do.
What’s one trend that excites you?
One trend that excites me is the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and machine learning.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Someone once told me that in life, make sure what you’re doing today gets you closer to where you want to be tomorrow. That’s how I try to live, and it’s how I approach every relationship–with hard work and proactivity.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Make sure what you’re doing today gets you closer to where you want to be tomorrow.
Tell us something you believe that almost nobody agrees with you on.
I believe that true success is not just about achieving personal goals but also about making a positive impact on others.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
If you’re in the providing advise business, it’s important to always practise how you communicate certain things to your customers. Always better your wording and refine your speech.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I enjoy working out, as it helps me reset and stay balanced.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Focusing on long-term relationships rather than short-term results. By consistently providing thoughtful, high-quality advice and being proactive with clients, trust is built over time, which naturally leads to stronger retention and referrals.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Early in my career, I realized that it’s not about how fast you do your work but the quality of the work.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
A client education platform specifically designed for financial advisory clients that breaks down complex financial concepts into short, easy-to-understand videos or articles. Advisors could brand it as their own and use it to improve client engagement and understanding.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Zocks. This software takes meeting notes and categorizes the notes by subheading, with a financial planning tilt.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
Money deposited into my TFSA.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
“Two Way Traffic with Darren Coleman.”
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
“Succession”—it highlights the importance of communication, leadership, and decision-making under pressure, all of which are highly relevant in business and professional environments.
Key learnings
- Make sure what you’re doing today gets you closer to where you want to be tomorrow.
- Service matters: prioritize quality over speed, practice how you communicate important subjects, and refine your wording.
- Knowledge and competence are the foundation of bringing ideas to life.