Matt Cohen sits down with Amber Kanwar, a longtime financial journalist and former BNN Bloomberg anchor, who recently made the bold leap into independent media with her new podcast, In the Money. Amber shares her journey from an ambitious intern at BNN to becoming one of Canada’s most recognizable financial voices.

She recounts how she overcame imposter syndrome in the high-stakes world of financial journalism, the real lessons she learned from industry giants, and the importance of clear communication in a jargon-filled industry. Amber also reveals the investigative journalism story that put her on the map—a shocking fertility fraud scandal that led to a national reckoning.

Leaving behind a prestigious legacy media role wasn’t easy, but Amber explains why she chose to go solo, the structural challenges traditional media faces, and why she believes the future belongs to independent content creators.

About Amber Kanwar:

Amber Kanwar is one of Canada’s most trusted and recognizable business journalists. For over a decade, she was a familiar face on Canada’s flagship business channel, BNN Bloomberg. She has appeared as a contributor on CTV and Bloomberg in the US. She has interviewed hundreds of portfolio managers, CEOs, political leaders and newsmakers. She has a reputation for asking the right questions, putting the viewers’ interests first and having a deep knowledge of the financial markets. She brings her signature authenticity and charm to the show, stress-testing ideas to make sure investors have all the information they need to make moves.

Topics:

* (01:25) – Amber’s early career at BNN and breaking into financial journalism

* (01:41) – Overcoming fear and using it as a motivator

* (02:09) – The importance of starting from the bottom and learning every role

* (04:56) – Amber’s groundbreaking investigative journalism piece on fertility fraud

* (09:16) – Transitioning from investigative journalism to financial news

* (10:26) – The journey from intern to producer to on-air host at BNN

* (11:38) – The importance of mentorship in media careers

* (13:05) – How Amber developed her financial knowledge through guest interviews

* (14:26) – Learning to turn complex financial news into engaging stories

* (15:48) – The impact of simplifying financial jargon for broader audiences

* (18:26) – Why Amber left BNN Bloomberg after 15 years

* (22:02) – The vision for In the Money and why long-form content is valuable

* (23:46) – How independent media can move faster than legacy media

* (25:09) – The shift to digital-first journalism and YouTube podcasting

* (26:26) – Investing philosophies: Amber’s biggest lessons from the pandemic

* (30:26) – The role of media in shaping market sentiment

* (32:09) – Alternative investments: Are they worth it?

* (33:38) – The future of In the Money and expanding AK Media

* (35:23) – The shift in media consumption habits and the opportunity for new players

* (38:46) – The importance of clear communication in finance

* (40:02) – The hardest part of going independent: identity & brand-building

* (41:38) – How Amber approaches guest preparation differently from legacy media

* (43:23) – Building a media brand: Monetization, distribution, and content strategy

* (45:09) – What legacy media gets wrong about digital content

* (47:26) – Why niche content is thriving while traditional news struggles

Fast Favorites

📻 Favorite Podcast: SmartLess, Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, Seth Meyers’ Podcast, Gettin’ Savvy by Catherine Murray and Strictly Money by Sejal Patel

📰 Favorite Newsletter or Blog: Jim Reid’s Early Morning Read (Deutsche Bank)

📱 Favorite Tech Gadget: iPhone & Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM)

📈 Favorite New Trend: Podcasting on YouTube

📖 Favorite Book: Educated by Tara Westover

🎓 Favorite Life Lesson: "Shortcuts take you the long way."

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