Brandon Gonez talks to people for a living.
And when it comes to talking about money, the Toronto-based journalist and media personality gets to hear the hopes, aspirations, and anxieties of everyday Canadians who want answers to a big question: “How can I turn money into wealth?”
“There’s an affordability crisis across the country," he said. "Times are hard for a lot of people, and everybody is trying to do their best to get by and be successful. And the foundation of all that does require money. That’s the world we live in."
That’s why Gonez created Building Better with Brandon, a video series powered by TD with tips on investing, building generational wealth, how to buy your first home, and much more. In each episode, Gonez engages financial specialists from TD in candid and informative conversations that get to the heart of how Canadians can financially prosper.
“We don't want to just have a hundred dollars on hand—we want to turn that $100 into $1,000, and turn that into $10,000, and turn that into $100,000, and, hopefully, turn that into a million dollars. That's the goal,” Gonez said.
“That's why so many people work so hard—because they want to create wealth for their families. We want to help you get there through learning how to make your money work for you.”
Born in Toronto, Ont. and raised in nearby Brampton, Gonez is a familiar face on screens across the country as the host of his online show, The Brandon Gonez Show.
Since launching his own media company and web-based news and entertainment show in 2021, he’s hit more than 2 million average monthly views on content covering everything from pop culture and entertainment, to sports, news, and politics.
Personal financial and trusted advice
For Gonez, personal finance is an important topic to cover to help people who may not have received any financial education in school, or may not have had that valuable knowledge passed down by their parents or family members.
But the Building Better with Brandon videos aren’t simply advice dished out from an ivory tower; for the episodes, Gonez often hits the streets and interviews real people about their financial knowledge, habits, and goals. Gonez brings their questions to specialists from TD, who break down financial concepts and share actionable tips and advice.
“We want this content to be led by actual people who are dealing with everyday scenarios. We want to hear their fears, and then we're going to address them with our fabulous specialists and answer their questions,” Gonez said.
The Building Better with Brandon series is one of the ways the Bank is delivering on its commitment to improving financial access, one of the three pillars of TD Pathways to Economic Inclusion. The series also addresses the obstacles facing Black Canadians and people of colour in banking, and highlights the resources available through the Black Customer Experience team at TD.
“TD is making a concerted effort to support those who have been disenfranchised and have faced some discrimination for a long period of time within the financial ecosystem,” Gonez said.
“With this video series, we want to help people create generational wealth. This series really helps to provide the know-how and the information so that you can start to look at your money a little bit differently.”
Millennial advice for millennial customers
As a millennial himself, Gonez says Building Better with Brandon is aimed at the unique experiences and challenges facing a younger generation of people under the age of 45.
“The economy is so much different than what our parents dealt with, and a lot of millennials have all these questions but don't necessarily have the answers,” Gonez said.
“We’re trying to help provide some of those answers, especially to millennials who come from disenfranchised groups, like the Black community, and make sure they know there are resources dedicated specifically to help provide that helping hand that hasn't been there for our community for so long.”
Over the last year, the ongoing series has racked up tens of thousands of views, with investing and real estate-related videos ranking among the most popular in the series—not surprising, Gonez said, as buying a home and saving for the future are defining issues for many Canadians.
“For a lot of people, getting into real estate can be really scary," he said.
"It's probably going to be the biggest purchase you ever make in your life. Just wanting to step into that realm requires a level of comfortability for people. We can talk about these difficult conversations that are extremely layered in the most approachable way. For people to have that relatable content, it makes making that decision that much easier.”
For Gonez, one of the most rewarding parts is hearing that the series is making a difference in people’s lives. Since launching in 2022, Gonez has heard from viewers who have put advice into action, from learning basic financial concepts to making changes in their lives and educating others.
“One young woman who reached out came from a family of renters, and she wrote in saying she never knew homeownership could be possible because she never saw it," he said.
"Then she watched a video and saw people who look like her talking about how to make homeownership a possibility and using homeownership as an investment vehicle to create generational wealth."
“It’s great to see somebody's mind shift like that, because what was impossible is now possible—because seeing is believing.”