#18 — Bruce Sellery: Getting Out of Debt So You Can Get Back Into Life

Our guest this week is Bruce Sellery, CEO of Credit Canada—a non-profit credit counselling agency that’s helped millions of Canadians avoid bankruptcy, get out of debt and reclaim control of their financial lives. In this episode, Bruce joins Dave to talk about the growing debt problem in Canada and the personal stories behind it. They dig into everything from credit scores to the rising cost of kids’ sports to the impact of divorce on your finances. Bruce also shares his own unique journey—leaving a corporate job to become a business journalist and help launch BNN, before becoming a financial educator with a bestselling book and podcast “Moolala.” If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by debt or just want to understand how credit counselling really works, this is a candid, insightful and engaging conversation you won’t want to miss.   Show Notes (00:00) Intro & Disclaimer (00:55) Intro to Bruce Sellery (03:37) Leaving a Corporate Career to Be a TV Reporter and Help Launch BNN (07:06) Personal Finance vs. Business/Investing News (09:05) How Bruce Developed His Communication Skills (12:17) The Grace of a Well-Lived Life (13:44) The Affordability Crisis in Canada (16:04) What is Credit Canada? (17:52) Credit Canada’s Non-Profit Structure (22:12) What Happens if You Need to Claim Bankruptcy? (23:30) How Do People Get Into Trouble with Debt? (29:50) What Impacts Your Credit Score? (32:28) The Housing-Affordability Crisis’s Impact on Debt Levels (37:42) Divorce and Debt (39:30) Kids’ Sports Have Become CRAZY Expensive (43:56) Conclusion