The turn of the 21st century was a time of opportunity for boutique advisory firms. Independent firms targeting mass affluent clients and their advisors, boutiques had a proposition they thought the banks couldn’t beat: a less bureaucratic culture and a focus on client service over transaction volume. What made this more attractive was the banks […]
A career in financial services is probably the unlikeliest of gifts a boyfriend can get, but perhaps one of the greatest, as Angus Watt, managing director, individual investor services, Angus Watt Advisory Group, National Bank Financial, discovered.
In the late 1990s, legendary management consultant Tom Peters had a prescient idea. No longer would business be dominated by established mega-brands. The future would be dominated, trumpeted Peters, by The Brand Called You.
The investment business is built heavily on relationships, and in such a business, the benefits of a professional network simply can’t be overstated. The value to clients of a one-stop shop is matched only by the benefits it brings to the advisors themselves —of specialized legal, financial or tax advice for their clients; of new […]
Let’s set the scene: You’re at an industry gathering, the wine flowing freely, when another advisor boasts about getting his most conservative clients into a portfolio of emerging market equities. Or maybe you’re walking past your colleague’s open office door, on your way to a client meeting, when you overhear her placing an order you’re […]
For all the knowledge and savvy needed to climb the corporate ladder, it’s a hard truth that work ethic is often judged by attire. A woman could spend weeks preparing a top notch presentation for colleagues, but if her appearance is lacklustre – or even sloppy – it will degrade her work in others’ eyes.
Wondering how to best manage your team or grow your client list? Not sure how to deal with a particular client? If these questions are on your mind, reach out to Advisor.ca and our columnist, Joanne Ferguson.