Host of advice

By Deena Waisberg
Photograph: Ruth Kaplan


	Good show: Hamilton CA Suzanne Schultz helps homeowners balance their budgets on reality television’s House Poor

During an episode of the reality show House Poor, Suzanne Schultz has to deliver bad news to the homeowners: they must sell a car and some of their triathlon bikes. She knows they won’t be thrilled but money is needed to finish the basement kitchen renovation.

Schultz, a 38-year-old financial planner at RBC Dominion Securities in Hamilton, didn’t set out to be a TV host, but is enjoying her role giving tough love, sound financial advice — and sometimes a $10,000 reward — to couples.

She had been doing guest spots on business television shows for about 10 years when an HGTV casting director saw her on BNN’s Talking Tax and approached her about House Poor. She auditioned with contractor Frank Di Leo, the other co-host, and landed the gig. “I don’t want to say [being on camera] comes naturally, but I’m not a sit behind the computer all day kind of person. I am definitely outgoing,” Schultz says.

RBC has been flexible with Schultz’s TV schedule, allowing her to take two days off a week when filming. Each episode requires about four days of her time. There are story meetings, the couple’s financial information to review and days on set. Schultz’s first appearances on television were more by circumstance than design. She started by filling in for Tim Cestnick, another CA media darling, while working at his firm, The WaterStreet Group, in 2000. Soon, she was approached for interviews and continued with the media spots when she moved to RBC in 2006.

Schultz believes her CA training has helped with the TV work. When she did audits, she went from company to company, learning about different industries and dealing with different personalities. “That all transfers well to television,” she says.