“/> When I say ‘referral network’, many of your minds immediately jump to formal networking groups. Am I right? Do you equate ‘referral group’ with those that meet every Tuesday at noon and cost $500 a year to join?Now don’t get me wrong, those groups can be highly valuable if you join the right one (and that’s a big IF.) But here’s the problem: there’s a financial advisor in nearly every one of these groups. Read More —>

“/> Are you constantly dealing with PITAs in your financial planning business? No, I’m not talking about the animal rights’ group and I’m not talking about the tasty crackers that go great with hummus (though we could all use a few more delicious snacks in our lives). When I say PITA, I mean the dreaded Pains In The Ass. Those clients who suck up your time and your energy and never seem to be happy. Read More —>

“/> Timing. Selection of investment products. Identifying what the next big performer will be in the stock market. Do the bosses in your big firm focus on these aspects of client portfolios to achieve success? Do you wonder why they seem to have little effect on your client’s overall financial situation? Read More —>

“/> Have you considered leaving your big firm to become an independent financial advisor? If you’ve gotten a glimpse of the future of the financial services industry and are worried about disruption, it’s likely you’ve considered making the move. However, once you actually start thinking deeply about it, you might get a little scared. This is normal!  Read More —>

“/> When I say ‘vulnerability’, I can almost feel my readers cringe—especially if they’re male! Vulnerability has really gotten a bad rap over the years. It brings to mind weakness and being overly emotional, which is not at all what being vulnerable is about. If you want to really go into some depth about the topic of vulnerability, I highly recommend reading anything by Brené Brown. Read More —>

“/> Are you ready to enter the new era of financial advising? As our industry and technology continues to evolve, those who have the mindset of an entrepreneur will be the advisors who continue to succeed as fiduciaries. An entrepreneurial financial advisor is one who sees him or herself as both a business owner and a counselor. Read More —>

“/> Most courses on how to be a financial advisor will give you plenty of advice on how to manage money, how to interpret markets, and how to get your clients to make decisions you feel are in their best interest. If you’re looking for a financial course that only focuses on these issues, you’re in the wrong place. Read More —>

“/> You’re just starting your financial advisor career and your learning and growing everyday. It probably feels like some days you’re doing all the right things and others you’re caught spinning your wheels. I’ve been here and I want to help you. From a senior advisor to you: here’s five rookie mistakes to avoid. Read More —>

“/> If you are able to interact with people, there are huge benefits in growing your people skills and becoming an expert on those you meet. I’m not saying that everyone is the same or you can somehow learn to read minds but there are personality types you can identify when meeting people that will provide a greater understanding as to what type of relationship you could potentially have with that person. The advantage of honing in on these skills will help you work with people that grow your centers of influence, attain clients, and build a solid referral network for your financial advisory business. Read More —>

“/> Productivity. How do we measure it? How do we maximize it? And how do we spend less time getting more done? I don’t think there’s anything worse than spending a whole day feeling busy with nothing to show for it. Before I learned how to prioritize my time, I was focused on all the wrong areas, maybe like you are now. Read More —>

“/> I’ve talked before in my blogs about being a lifelong learner. Though I know there are many different ways to learn and some may appeal more to you than others depending on your learning style, I still think reading books is important for anyone who wants to expand their mind or improve their craft. Read More —>

“/> it’s not your job to have the high IQ to tell them what stocks to buy. It IS your job to have the high EQ to be aware of their biases, understand how they react to any volatility in the marketplace, and counsel them to make the best decisions. Read More —>

“/> When you work for yourself (and your clients), time is your biggest asset. It’s amazing to me how little value people put on their time. I’ve seen financial planners come into the office and spend their entire mornings reading The Wall Street Journal cover to cover. Before they know it, their entire day is gone and they’ve got nothing to show for it. Read More —>

“/> You always hear that you should learn from your mistakes, right? While I don’t disagree with this advice at all, I want you to think about something for a minute. How many mistakes can one person make in a lifetime? Read More —>

“/> Are you considering the possibility of leaving your big financial planning firm to go independent? Are you wondering if the risks are worth the rewards? Do you worry that a move toward independence will leave you back at square one in your career? If any of these questions resonate with you, you’re in the right place. Read More —>

“/> Many of the financial advisors who will be leading the charge into the future are currently working at big firms. And, for the most part, big firms are still operating with the same sell, sell, sell mindset. So where does that leave the entrepreneurially-minded advisor? Read More —>

“/> Setting yourself apart and your ‘unique selling proposition’ are probably things you heard about when you were learning how to be a financial planner. More than likely, tips included suggestions like, ‘specialize in a certain type of investment or investor’ or advised you to get involved in networking groups or become an expert in your field. Read More —>

“/> I’m sure you’ve heard the old adage ‘The more you learn, the more you earn.’ It was probably pounded into your brain in college, or when you attended another ‘how to be a financial advisor’ course. The problem with this statement is that few people ever really put much thought into what they learn. Read More —>

“/> The very first client meeting is one of the most intimate and comprehensive meetings you’ll probably have with your client. This beginning stage of gathering ALL the information is when your client begins to trust in you and disclose extremely personal matters. So what subjects should you be discussing at the beginning of the financial planning process? Read More —>

“/> How we do our jobs (and conduct our careers) is based almost entirely on our mindset.  Creative people such as actors and writers tend to think of their jobs as their ‘craft’ and are consistently finding ways to improve, learn, grow and hone that craft into the best it can possibly be.  However, those in other industries (including financial advising) often make the mistake of viewing their job as that of a salesperson as opposed to that of an advisor who should be constantly improving their craft in order to be the best resource for their clients they can be.  Read More —>

“/> Throughout history our industry has done a good job of confusing the consumer about who “financial advisors” actually are and how we are compensated. The hundreds of titles and acronyms used to describe us and the many different fee-structures isn’t communicated well to investors and those we serve. There are many opposing views the industry has on how we should be charging for our services. So what are the different ways we can earn a living and what’s the best career path to choose? Read More —>

“/> Time and time again people claim to be able to time the market. And sure, they may get lucky here and there but most of the time they’ll get it wrong. We can’t control the market but what we can control is our emotions and we can help control our clients’ fear based emotions with the use of behavioral finance. Read More —>

“/> Developing a strategic inbound marketing plan is not only important but also effective in growing your financial planning business. There are so many moving parts to inbound marketing that it often times can be over-whelming. I like to think of a marketing plan as applying layers. Read More —>

“/> So why am I challenging you to stop working with them? Because they’re not worth your time and energy. They’re often times highly demanding and they tend to have little regard to the fact that you serve other people and not just them. Read More —>

“/> Some people enjoy kicking back and relaxing in front of Netflix to binge watch their favorite series nightly. But financial advisors might consider unplugging this summer and improving on their business development and behavior. Read More —>