Newmarket’s Juliane Goyette can remember helping out at her father’s financial firm while growing up.
Bill McTavish opened up Hewmac Investment Services in 1984 to help local residents get better advice for their finances.
Those early experiences at her father's side prompted Goyette to follow in his footsteps as a financial advisor and she's head of the firm alongside business partner Brian Lavoie. Now called Riverwalk Wealth, Goyette said it has been an amazing 40 years for the Leslie Street company.
“We’re going on the fifth generation of clients,” she said. “I feel like we’re like family to them and we’ve been through so many different moments in their life.”
Riverwalk Wealth celebrated its milestone anniversary this month at the Old Town Hall, with former clients and dignitaries, and, of course, the founder and now retired McTavish.
Goyette said they honoured her father and what he was able to start all those years ago.
“We really celebrated him living out his dream of starting his own business and working for himself and helping people,” Goyette said. “It was a great celebration.”
Newmarket Deputy Mayor Tom Vegh attended and recognized the occasion on social media.
“For a small business to be able to celebrate 40 years of servicing our community is a milestone that very few reach,” Vegh said. “We’re looking forward to the next milestone.”
Goyette said she went to university and returned to work at the firm after graduating. She said she came to love the work and helping others.
“Seeing my dad and the joys of dealing with families and our clients and helping people save their money, knowing that they could retire better by dealing with my father, I saw that and it was just something that I knew I wanted to do,” she said, adding she also appreciated having the flexibility to keep doing things in the community. “I really like that aspect of it. Knowing I could do this, and still give back to where we live.”
The family tradition is continuing. Her daughter, Mylee Goyette, is also trying her hand at the family business and working part-time.
“I love it because I can see myself,” Goyette said. “I know how much I enjoyed working with my father over the years, so I hope we have the same relationships and that she will continue to enjoy doing that. I love that we can keep it in the family.”
“The goal is to continue to working with our clients and, hopefully, the next generation of clients,” she added. “To continue to help people retire with money in their pocket and leave money to the next generation.”
