Being the child of British immigrants myself, I have a natural empathy for those who muster the courage or feel the urgency to leave their homeland in pursuit of new prospects in North America. This has led me to connect with Alain Guillot, an intriguing blogger and a former financial advisor, over the past year. Alain often shares his blog posts on my platform, Findependence Hub, and you can find more of his insights on his personal blog, simply named AlainGuillot.com.
Earning, Saving, and Spending in Canada: A Guide for New Immigrants
Alain Guillot doesn’t shy away from thought-provoking content. He’s diligent, writing a blog post every week and maintaining a YouTube channel with 600 subscribers. Recently, he penned a short e-book titled "The Wealth Paradox: Navigating Money, Free Will, and Success,” which explores how unconventional thinking impacts both financial decisions and personal growth.
What initially caught my attention was Alain’s background—he emigrated from Colombia to Canada, a country I had the pleasure of visiting myself. Upon arriving in Canada, Alain took the entrepreneurial route, partly because he felt there weren’t many other options for him. In his e-book, he provocatively titles one chapter “Entrepreneurs are Mentally Unstable People.” Drawing inspiration from the movie director’s attempt to criticize capitalism with Wall Street, only to find people drawn more to investment banking, Alain uses his chapter title to both critique and admire the entrepreneurial mindset.
If Alain’s approach seems unconventional, consider his preference for self-insurance—saving for rainy days—over investing in volatile assets like gold or cryptocurrencies. He argues that amassing the first $100,000 in wealth is the toughest hurdle to cross.
From Side Hustles to Financial Punditry
Alain has dabbled in an array of side gigs since moving to Canada. His portfolio spans being a salsa and tango instructor, a photographer, and a professional wedding witness—roles he occasionally still enjoys. However, when he sought to establish himself as a financial advisor, he found that providing fee-for-service planning wasn’t as feasible as he had hoped. His stint as a personal finance coach also hit a wall when he realized people weren’t interested in listening.
Nevertheless, Alain’s passion for finance persists, as he pours his energy into blogging about personal finance and producing video podcasts on the topic.
In an in-depth email interview, Alain shared why he left Colombia—he longed for more opportunities. He believes those born in Canada or the United States should appreciate their good fortune. Recalling scenes from movies, where families enjoy a comfortable life with homes and vacations, he contrasts that with his experiences in Colombia, where scarcity and poverty were daily realities.
Determined to live in a wealthier country, Alain considered several places: Spain, England, Australia, the U.S., and Canada. Ultimately, he opted for North America, drawn by the same time zone as Colombia for easier family communication. “I chose Canada over the U.S. because I thought immigration would be simpler,” he explains. Quebec became his home because he was eager to learn both French and English.
