The Rational Reminder Podcast
A weekly reality check on investing and financial decision-making, hosted by two Canadian portfolio managers who favor evidence over anecdote.
An evidence-based Canadian podcast that rigorously examines investing and personal finance topics. Hosts Ben Felix and Cameron Passmore apply academic research and quantitative analysis to everything from ETF mechanics to investor psychology, challenging industry myths and common misconceptions. It's a deeply technical, "unapologetically nerdy" show that prioritizes data over narrative.
“Its relentless focus on academic literature and empirical evidence sets it apart from narrative-driven finance shows. The hosts are practicing portfolio managers who openly critique large parts of their own industry, from high-fee products to the behavioral biases that lead investors astray.”
Who hosts this show
Hosted by Benjamin Felix and Cameron Passmore, portfolio managers at PWL Capital in Canada. The podcast serves as a "weekly reality check on sensible investing and financial decision-making," grounded in academic research and quantitative data. Felix and Passmore interview leading financial academics, authors, and industry experts, and also host "Ask Me Anything" episodes to address listener questions.
Credentials & credits
- Cameron Passmore: Chief Executive Officer & Portfolio Manager, PWL Capital Inc.
- Cameron Passmore: BComm, McGill University
- Cameron Passmore: Chartered Investment Manager (CIM®), FMA, FCSI®
- Benjamin Felix: Chief Investment Officer & Portfolio Manager, PWL Capital Inc.
- Benjamin Felix: MBA, Finance, Carleton University
- Benjamin Felix: Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®), Certified Financial Planner (CFP®)
Other ventures
- PWL Capital Inc. (Hosts' wealth management firm)
- Benjamin Felix's 'Common Sense Investing' YouTube Channel
- Money Scope Podcast (co-hosted by Benjamin Felix)
- Rational Reminder Community (online forum)
What kind of podcast
- Country
- Canada
- Region
- north america
When new episodes drop
- 01Shannon Lee Simmons: How To Stop Feeling Broke | Rational Reminder 415Jun 25, 2026 · 1h 32m
- 02Answering Your Financial Questions | Rational Reminder 414Jun 18, 2026 · 1h 27m
- 03Morley Conn: How Canadian ETFs Actually Work | Rational Reminder 413Jun 11, 2026 · 1h 19m
- 04Ben Carlson: Investing at All-Time Highs | Rational Reminder 412Jun 4, 2026 · 59 min
- 05Market Simulations & Financial Planning (With John Yang) | Rational Reminder 411May 28, 2026 · 1h 34m
- 06Economist: The State of Investing in 2026 | Rational Reminder 410May 21, 2026 · 1h 06m
- 07Ex-Investment Banker: What Private Equity Doesn't Tell You | Rational Reminder 409May 14, 2026 · 1h 27m
- 08Elroy Dimson: Investing & Optimism | Rational Reminder 408May 7, 2026 · 1h 32m
Notable episodes
- 01Morley Conn: How Canadian ETFs Actually Work | Rational Reminder 413
A quintessential episode that provides a technical deep-dive into the market mechanics of ETFs, showcasing the show's focus on first principles.
- 02Shannon Lee Simmons: How To Stop Feeling Broke | Rational Reminder 415
Exemplifies the show's coverage of the psychological and behavioral side of personal finance, moving beyond pure numbers.
- 03Ben Carlson: Investing at All-Time Highs | Rational Reminder 412
A classic example of the hosts using an expert guest to tackle a common investor fear with historical data and long-term perspective.
What you'll be asked on this show
Felix and Passmore conduct methodical, research-driven interviews. They typically alternate questions, building a structured conversation that often moves from foundational concepts to more complex, technical details. They use their own expertise as portfolio managers to frame questions and add context, frequently asking for data or evidence to support a guest's point. The interview arc is educational, designed to deconstruct a topic for their financially literate audience. Every interview concludes with the signature question, "How do you define success in your life?".
A two-host format where Ben Felix and Cameron Passmore alternate questions, often adding their own professional context. Episodes are either long-form interviews with experts or "Ask Me Anything" sessions answering listener questions. The tone is academic and rigorous, aimed at providing a "reality check" on financial topics.
Questions the host keeps coming back to
12 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
personal
1- Q.01
“How do you define success in your life?”
This is the signature closing question for every guest, shifting the focus from professional expertise to personal philosophy.
mindset
4- Q.01
“How worried should people be about investing at all-time highs?”
Often asked to address a common investor fear by grounding it in historical market data.
- Q.02
“Why is everyone so worried about money?”
An opening question for guests focused on financial psychology to explore the root causes of financial anxiety.
- Q.03
“Why is timing the market so tempting for people?”
This question explores the psychological appeal behind a common and costly investing mistake.
- Q.04
“How should investors understand the relationship between the stock market and the economy?”
This question aims to clarify a frequent point of confusion for many investors.
advice
4- Q.01
“What are some of the most common misconceptions you see about [guest's topic]?”
Used near the end of interviews to debunk myths and provide clear takeaways for listeners.
- Q.02
“What are the best ways to manage the risks of a stock portfolio?”
A core question to elicit practical, evidence-based risk management advice beyond simple diversification.
- Q.03
“How should people ensure their spending is aligned with what makes them happy?”
This question moves beyond simple budgeting to explore the concept of values-based financial decisions.
- Q.04
“What questions do your clients not ask that they should?”
Asked to experts in client-facing roles to uncover common blind spots for investors.
industry
1- Q.01
“How do the Canadian and US financial/ETF markets differ?”
A recurring question that highlights the show's Canadian perspective and provides specific advice for its core audience.
process
1- Q.01
“What happens when an ETF's net asset value (NAV) diverges from its market price?”
A technical question used to explain the arbitrage mechanism that is fundamental to how ETFs work.
future
1- Q.01
“What aspects of the financial process cannot be replaced by technology or AI?”
A forward-looking question that probes the enduring value of human advisors and judgment.
Signature segments
- · Intro: "A weekly reality check on sensible investing..."
- · Closing question: "How do you define success in your life?"
- · Ask Me Anything (AMA) episodes
- · Reading listener reviews
- · After-show segment
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically financial academics, data-driven authors, or industry practitioners with deep technical expertise in a specific domain, such as ETF market making, economic history, or financial planning.
- Shannon Lee Simmonson How To Stop Feeling Broke | Rational Reminder 415
- Morley Connon How Canadian ETFs Actually Work | Rational Reminder 413
- Ben Carlsonon Investing at All-Time Highs | Rational Reminder 412
- Shelly Antoniewiczon Economist: The State of Investing in 2026 | Rational Reminder 410
- Jeff Hookeon Ex-Investment Banker: What Private Equity Doesn't Tell You | Rational Reminder 409
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The podcast is primarily a content marketing engine for the hosts' wealth management firm, PWL Capital, with frequent calls to action to become a client. It also features sponsors from the financial services industry, such as OneDigital.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- Who are the hosts of the Rational Reminder podcast?
- The primary hosts are Benjamin Felix (Chief Investment Officer) and Cameron Passmore (CEO), who are both portfolio managers at PWL Capital Inc. in Canada.
- What is the format of the show?
- The show alternates between long-form interviews with financial experts (academics, authors, practitioners) and "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) episodes where the hosts answer listener questions.
- Is this podcast still running?
- Yes, it is an active podcast that releases new episodes on a weekly basis.
- Is this podcast only for Canadian investors?
- While the hosts are Canadian and often discuss topics specific to the Canadian market, the core principles of evidence-based investing and financial decision-making are applicable to a global audience.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The podcast is available on major platforms like Apple Podcasts and Audible, as well as on YouTube and the official Rational Reminder website.
- What makes this podcast different from other finance shows?
- It is distinguished by its rigorous, evidence-based approach, frequently citing academic papers and quantitative data to support its analysis, rather than relying on anecdotes or market predictions.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Our Team - PWL Capitalpwlcapital.com
- [02]Cameron Passmore | PWL Capitalpwlcapital.com
- [03]Benjamin Felix | 2024 IAFP Symposiumiafp.ca
- [04]Rational Reminder Podcast Official Siterationalreminder.ca
- [05]Ben Felix: Rational Reminders for Good Financial Decisions - Morningstarmorningstar.com
- [06]When You 10X Your Advisory Firm…And Want To 10X Again, With Cameron Passmore - Kitces.comkitces.com
- [07]Rational Reminder Podcast on Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
- [08]Rational Reminder Communitycommunity.rationalreminder.ca
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