Who We Are and Why We Exist

Back in 2019, we started Cextarim because we kept meeting people who felt locked out of investing. Not because they weren't smart enough—but because the whole industry seemed designed to confuse them. We thought that was wrong. So we built something different.

Our Story Started With Frustration

We've all sat through those financial seminars where someone talks for two hours and you leave more confused than when you arrived. Or tried reading investment guides that felt like they were written in another language.

The breaking point came when a friend asked us to explain index funds—and we realized we couldn't do it without using jargon. That's when we knew something had to change. People deserve to understand where their money goes without needing a finance degree.

We spent months interviewing everyday Canadians about their money questions. What we heard surprised us. Most people weren't looking for get-rich-quick schemes. They just wanted someone to explain the basics in plain language and show them how to start small.

Educational workspace with financial planning materials and learning resources

What Drives Everything We Do

These aren't corporate buzzwords we hung on a wall. They're the principles we argue about in meetings and the standards we hold ourselves to when designing content.

Clarity Over Complexity

If we can't explain a concept to someone over coffee, we don't teach it. Every term gets defined. Every example comes from real situations. And if something sounds confusing, we rewrite it until it clicks.

Honest About Limitations

We're not going to pretend we have all the answers or that investing is risk-free. Markets go down. Mistakes happen. We'd rather prepare you for reality than sell you a fantasy that falls apart the first time things get tough.

Built for Beginners

Our content starts from zero. Not "I know what a stock is" zero—actual "I'm not sure what the stock market does" zero. Because everyone has to start somewhere, and there's no shame in asking basic questions.

The People Behind the Platform

We're a small team based in Victoria who genuinely enjoys talking about money—probably more than is socially acceptable. Here are two of the people who shape how Cextarim thinks and teaches.

Henrik Fjeldstad

Co-Founder & Lead Educator

Henrik spent fifteen years working in portfolio management before realizing he preferred teaching to trading. He's the one who insists we test every lesson on his non-finance friends first. If they don't get it, we start over.

Silje Valtersen

Content Director

Silje came to finance from journalism, which explains why she's relentless about cutting jargon. She designs our curriculum and writes most of the core content. Her rule: if a twelve-year-old can't follow it, rewrite it.

How We Actually Teach Investing

We've tried a lot of approaches over the years. Some worked. Many didn't. Here's what we've learned about helping people move from curious to confident with their money.

Students engaged in interactive financial learning session

Hands-on investment planning workshop with real examples

Small group discussion about investment strategies and concepts

Start With Why, Not What

Before we explain how bonds work, we talk about why they exist and what problem they solve. Context makes everything easier to remember. People learn better when they understand the purpose behind financial tools.

Use Real Numbers From Real Life

Our examples feature actual Canadian account balances, realistic timelines, and honest discussions about what different strategies might achieve. No one's retiring at 35 on fifty dollars a month. We show what's actually possible.

Build Knowledge in Layers

We don't dump everything on you at once. Each lesson builds on the previous one. You'll revisit concepts multiple times, each time going a bit deeper. That's how understanding actually sticks—through repetition and gradual complexity.