New Year's Resolutions


It’s that time of year again when people start talking about their New Year’s Resolutions.  Unfortunately it is difficult to predict the events that will impact our life a year in advance.  My sage confidant surprised me last week when he asked me about my 2019 resolutions.  Rather than pushing back I have decided to focus this week's blog on my hopes for 2019.  Characterizing them as hopes can be helpful for advisors and investors.  Here are my hopes for us in 2019.


Rolodex

All RIA firms want to grow.  Most realize that there are two types of growth - inorganic and organic.  Both types of growth depend on a recruiters' and an advisors' contacts.  Evaluating how robust these contacts are separates good from great professionals.  Unfortunately most professionals believe their contacts are gold.  Inorganic growth falls short when the new advisor signs the contract but the mistakes don't show up until later.  Successful organic growth strategies look good on paper but they require the monitoring and support of the experienced professional that created the plans.  Sounds like we need more than a Rolodex.  The challenge is that deciding what contacts can work with our firm's client friendly business model. Most business models have proven ineffective when clients and advisors are unable to wait for the results.



Training

When the firm commits to a business model they should shift their focus to organic growth.  Effective organic growth requires a good training regime.  My old firm created The Sanctuary Institute and offered video training on a YouTube channel.  The best training I have experienced is by Seth Godin.  Seth's book This is Marketing is enhanced by an online portal where readers can share and comment on their experiences using the concepts presented in the book.  I often reference the portal to remind me of concepts and opinions that are ranked by the portal.  My personal resolution to to start a Podcast.  I hope that writing about this resolution will push me to JUST DO IT!



Dalbar

Dalbar studies love market volatility.  Recent volatility can cause many investors to panic at the wrong time.  We should remember how we felt over the last few weeks and use those memories when we answer the risk tolerance questionaires. The emotional impact of the Financial Crisis lasted several years.  Our hope is that we should chronicle our emotions and actions during the recent market swoon.  Journalling could be a good New Year's resolution.  



I hope all of your dreams are realized in 2019. Thank you for reading our blog.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Inorganic

Image
Our industry has always looked down on Wall Street’s recruiting checks.  Last week there were numerous announcements that independent firms were offering advisors money to purchase their practice.  The term for these transactions is inorganic growth.  This week we will look at why these transactions are the new rage and examine if they are better than the old Wall Street checks. Wempy Popeye and financial advisors fall for the “I’ll gladly pay pay you tomorrow for a Hamburger today” pitch.  Unfortunately Popeye and and most financial advisors provide their hamburger but seldomly get paid what the firms and Wimpy promise .  Why?  The advisors need the cash and Popeye is gullible.  On Wall Street the deals adjusted when the advisors changed firms looking for a new deal every five to eight years.  The recent Luminous departure shows that the advisory contracts need to be adjusted.  The new contracts are written by experienced firms and lawyers to prevent serial departures. 
Read more

Stop Judging

Image
I have known that I have MS for over four years.  My doctors believe I have had MS for over twenty years.  Initially, When I received this diagnosis  I was very opinionated when I saw disable people. I assumed the worst. As a currently disabled person I can educate and warn you regarding things you shouldn’t say to me or disabled people..  This blog will educate on my disability. The places it manifests itself and how you can react and support me and other disabled people. The three items are: 1.) Needing a walker 2.) Government disability  3.) Falling MS causes me to loose my balance and fall.  The walker prevents this reality  I look at walkers as being as sign of old age,  I was incorrect and a good walker is an aid!  With a walker I fall less often.  I might look old, but I am OLD! Our government provides support to the millions of MS patients in the US.  Support is through Social Security and must be approved.  I am approved. The service can be cancelled if i get a full time job.
Read more

Summer Changes

Image
  Our summer is almost over,  What did we learn during all of our downtime?   I will summarize all of my observations and share my plans on what I will implement when I return to my office.  I discovered/ learned 6 items on my beech lounging, morning walks and social media tolling that I’ll share.  Hope they help.  My first and easiest change was my eye glasses.  Many of my friend asked it was trying to look like Elton.  I wasn’t…. The next three changes were business related. The changes will be voted on by my colleagues.  Steve Jobs of solving client problems the client didn’t know they had will be our guiding light.  I tried to change a few items. The obvious item what I changed was my eye  glasses.  The other areas were business related and I wanted wanted to be in control of my changes. The first change s our business’s model.  It has taken years to realize that I can’t beat thr market index.  Growing up on Wall Street this change was difficult.   Alpha is difficult to achieve an
Read more