Choosing an EJ location
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maddmatt:
Don't let them "crapp you out". But listen to what they are saying. It is a very tough industry to be successful in, even with assets or an office. From what little we know of you it seems that you might have the skill sets (read selling ability) to be successful and yes you eventually will be able to see your wife and kids and not work crazy hours. So there are some benefits. I remember being recruited by Jones and hearing how great it was and also how hard it was going to be. I didn't TRULY UNDERSTAND how hard it is. Started new new, 7 years and two of the worst bear markets later, still plugging away though. Good luck in search of your new endeavor. Oh, you need to talk to the Regional Leader of the area you are thinking of being in and talk to him about open offices or possible Goodknights.[quote=jkl1v1n6]maddmatt:
Don't let them "crapp you out". But listen to what they are saying. It is a very tough industry to be successful in, even with assets or an office. From what little we know of you it seems that you might have the skill sets (read selling ability) to be successful and yes you eventually will be able to see your wife and kids and not work crazy hours. So there are some benefits. I remember being recruited by Jones and hearing how great it was and also how hard it was going to be. I didn't TRULY UNDERSTAND how hard it is. Started new new, 7 years and two of the worst bear markets later, still plugging away though. Good luck in search of your new endeavor. Oh, you need to talk to the Regional Leader of the area you are thinking of being in and talk to him about open offices or possible Goodknights. [/quote] Thank you for the pep talk. Even after all these years I find salespeople can be fairly insecure at times. I have tremendous motivation to succeed. Just want a mental "leg up".Yeah, I would agree. The posts suddenly seem to have turned from "it's hard work" to "it's not possible".Of course, the guys on this forum are crapping me out pretty good right now.
[quote=maddmatt][quote=B24][quote=maddmatt][quote=buyandhold]That’s too far . You want to live close enough to your office so you can get to the office easily in the evenings on Saturday. You also want to live near your clients so you are part of the community and (ideally) can bump into your prospects at the store or the Little League field. That’s why I think small towns are best for the Jones model.
I would look for a growing, small town with a strong downtown where you can establish a presence. Better still, find such an area where you can get a Legacy or goodnight or take over a failing office. Starting from scratch out of your home is damn near impossible. [/quote] Are you saying that a new advisor operating out of his house from scratch (as the opportunity is pitched by EDJ) will have little chance of success? How do you find out about these "failing" offices or other such "leg ups"? Were most successful offices started by people who were given a leg up? And finally, since this is the rest of my working life I am talking about here, are you successful and how did you do it? [/quote] Yes. New/New's have little chance of success. Sorry. Yes, most successful offices were started by people given a leg up, because most FA's that actually MADE IT were given a leg up. For the REALLY successful people, it almost didn't matter, but most had some advantage (great network from past career, well connected, etc.). In most cases (not all) of a very successful FA (at every firm), there is a "story" behind it.[/quote] And you are with EDJ? Tell me, should I contact my recruiter and bring these issues up at this time? How does one go about asking for a "leg up"? Almost 10 years ago I started in the auto industry knowing nothing about it and no connections. I worked my rear end off and made it to Finance Director inside of 5 years. My understanding of this position with EDJ is that if I employ the same work ethic, with their training, I could expect similar success. What makes the FA position so much harder than other sales fields? [/quote] Matt, I do work at Jones. I am not trying to bring you down or make shit up. I just wish I sort of understood better from the beginning what the road would be like. It was all roses when I was hired. Nothing but up. I just want you to udnerstand what it will be like. It's NOT just about hard work or long hours, it's about the RIGHT activity and a great deal of luck. You could be super successful in this business working 6 hours a day. Or you could work 18 hours a day and fall on your face. It doesn't matter how could a salesperson you are if you have nobody to sell to.C’mon, I was looking for a chuckle. 4 hours into a thread titled “choosing an EDJ location” and no chinese restaurant comments? No dry cleaners comments? Is everyone else that busy today?
[quote=B24][quote=maddmatt][quote=B24][quote=maddmatt][quote=buyandhold]That’s too far . You want to live close enough to your office so you can get to the office easily in the evenings on Saturday. You also want to live near your clients so you are part of the community and (ideally) can bump into your prospects at the store or the Little League field. That’s why I think small towns are best for the Jones model.
I would look for a growing, small town with a strong downtown where you can establish a presence. Better still, find such an area where you can get a Legacy or goodnight or take over a failing office. Starting from scratch out of your home is damn near impossible. [/quote] Are you saying that a new advisor operating out of his house from scratch (as the opportunity is pitched by EDJ) will have little chance of success? How do you find out about these "failing" offices or other such "leg ups"? Were most successful offices started by people who were given a leg up? And finally, since this is the rest of my working life I am talking about here, are you successful and how did you do it? [/quote] Yes. New/New's have little chance of success. Sorry. Yes, most successful offices were started by people given a leg up, because most FA's that actually MADE IT were given a leg up. For the REALLY successful people, it almost didn't matter, but most had some advantage (great network from past career, well connected, etc.). In most cases (not all) of a very successful FA (at every firm), there is a "story" behind it.[/quote] And you are with EDJ? Tell me, should I contact my recruiter and bring these issues up at this time? How does one go about asking for a "leg up"? Almost 10 years ago I started in the auto industry knowing nothing about it and no connections. I worked my rear end off and made it to Finance Director inside of 5 years. My understanding of this position with EDJ is that if I employ the same work ethic, with their training, I could expect similar success. What makes the FA position so much harder than other sales fields? [/quote] Matt, I do work at Jones. I am not trying to bring you down or make shit up. I just wish I sort of understood better from the beginning what the road would be like. It was all roses when I was hired. Nothing but up. I just want you to udnerstand what it will be like. It's NOT just about hard work or long hours, it's about the RIGHT activity and a great deal of luck. You could be super successful in this business working 6 hours a day. Or you could work 18 hours a day and fall on your face. It doesn't matter how could a salesperson you are if you have nobody to sell to. [/quote] My questions were serious questions. I have read many of your posts and I have found you to be fairly honest. I was surprised by your post that basically told me to forget about it unless I had some "easier" path to follow. However, I do understand what you are saying and I appreciate it. At this juncture, not being one to tuck my tail between my legs and run, I am curious as to how one can get an advantage. I e-mailed my Regional and asked about a Goodknight position. Are there any other paths I could take that will get me down the road faster? I am all about getting help. I have enough humility to know that my timing could be way off and I could fall flat on my face. Any and all suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.Choose a place where you want to grow a business, period. You will spend more time there than at your home anyway, might as well be where you want.
And, this is for Hulk...make sure you don't choose an office (when you get the chance) next to a dry cleaner, chinese food restaurant, head shop, dairy farm, etc, etc, etc...Put some thought into your location. It’s one thing that is difficult to change.
In my situation I picked a small commuter town. During the real estate boom the town was robust and seemed like a gold mine in the making. After the real estate bubble popped the trades slowed down. Because the town is somewhat limited, having the trades slow down was disastrous for business. When gas went up to $ 4 a gallon the town almost started acting like it was going away. What I realized after a few years is my town isn’t really a town. It’s an artificial construct of fragmented commuters. There is no town center.
I know the dogma that you can make it in any town. I guess in theory you can. Pick a town with a natural town center and some history. try to find a town with more than one industry. In my town everything was Real Estate and Construction based. The firm acts like this shouldn’t matter. I guess it wouldn’t if I were a magician.
The best way to get a good deal is to interview with lots of different firms. There are differences between firm A and firm B. However, what really matters is “making it”. Don’t listen to the phony machismo about how anyone can do well. My firm likes to post stories about rookies and how well they are doing. then you look them up on Broker check and find out they worked at a different firm for ten years before coming over.
Also, bear in mind the large brokers don’t really care if you wash out. They will most likely cannibalize your accounts if you do. If I could do it again I would work under someone in an independent outfit if possible. It helps to be mentored. I got a friend in an Indy shop with a book smaller than mine. His numbers are down too but at least he doesn’t have someone breathing down his neck saying do more business now.
Business is easy to get when you don’t need it and surprisingly tough to get when you do need it. Get the best deal you can. It’s all psychological. The business is always high pressure but if you reduce the odds of it becoming a vice grip your odds of success increase dramatically.
It’s mostly hard work but with a luck factor. You don’t want to hit a Bear market like this in Segment 2 or 3. It’s cool in Segment one because all you have to do is prospect everyday. In Seg 4 or 5 you have a large enough book to survive.
I love how the firm beats everyone up and acts as if the worst market since 31 has nothing to do with it. I think I can survive. If I don’t they can all kiss me where the sun don’t shine because I’m burning out on the koolaid.
Everyone telling you this is the hardest job you will ever do is right.
Anyone saying you are almost assured failure without assets/gk/failed office takeover is wrong. This is common sense. Chicken or the egg. If everyone fails without "free" assets or accounts who made it to give away those accounts to begin with? Goodknights, Legacy Offices, etc. are a relatively "new" concept at Jones. The first 2000 to 3000 of us made it and we got nothing. I would also say I disagree that you can work incredibly hard and still fail. I have been with Jones for 20 years and I have not met or trained one FA that truly did the work and still failed. They say they did but that is crap. People fail because they won't do the work. True, it is the hardest work you will ever do but most will not do it. You are going to hear all kinds of excuses but the truth is the people that work the hardest (Saturdays, Christmas Eve, New Years Eve, 7:00 at night) succeed. Others blame the man. This is a hard job. This is not a difficult job. It is hard at all firms. Pick one you like. Do the work.ytrewq,
I don't know where to start. I disagreed with so much of your post. First of all, you started 20 years ago! No Do Not Call list, and I assume that you are in a town of less than 100,000. I have yet to meet a truly successful (1M+) Jones IR who isn't in a small or medium size town (away from a metro area). I'm guessing that when you started, you were one of maybe two games in town. I bet the bank didn't really even compete with you. Maybe I'm wrong. Also, your chicken and egg theory is flawed. When I left Jones, I had over $20M+ in assets. If I had gone into a different industry (ie, "failed"), I would have left ALL of those for the guy taking over my office. That would have been a HUGE leg up for him. I got so tired of guys who had been with Jones 10+ years, and due to region restructuring, very few other IRs knew their story, so they talked like they had built everything themselves. When I first met my regional leader (I was a new/new), he told me about how hard it had been to get started, and how he had lived on his gas card for months, etc. It wasn't until almost three years later did another IR tell me that he had taken over an office, and that he was actually a transfer broker from another firm! He acted like he was a new/new who had made it, and he was not. People can "do the work" and still fail. My regional leader (yep, the same one) was fond of saying "IR's always quit just before they would have been successful." What a stupid statement. He has no idea of when they would have been successful, but I bet they knew that their mortgage and credit card bills were late, and had they stuck around they may have REALLY failed (bankruptcy, etc.). Saying that you've never seen someone "do the work" and still fail is like saying that you've never seen someone who "really studied" fail a test. It's a hindsight statement (ie, if they failed they must not have done the work, or if they didn't fail then they really did the work). For the guy looking at Jones, good luck. It's a good firm and will train you right. Try and get an open office, or a goodknight. I would not recommend setting up in a fast growing suburb. Stick with a stodgy small or medium size town. Work like crazy.Well, that's very encouraging for me because that is how I operated in the mortgage business for the last 5 years. I worked Saturday. I put in hours calling clients on Sunday. I once had a client dump another broker and go with me because I cold called him on a national holiday. He said anyone that determined to get business is the guy he wanted in his corner. I worked from home and made calls every night until 9pm. My clients knew they were allowed to call me at home anywhere up until 10. I fielded calls from clients standing on line for rides when I took my family to DisneyWorld. My wife didnt even mind. I am not a punchclock guy. When there's work to be done, I do it. When the phone rings, I'm working, no matter what time or day of the week. This is how I have lived for the last five years and I didn't mind it at all. Maybe I can do this.You are going to hear all kinds of excuses but the truth is the people that work the hardest (Saturdays, Christmas Eve, New Years Eve, 7:00 at night) succeed.
ytrewq,
Spoken like a true Ed Jones 20 year vet. You forgot two things: Work two years like you never thought you could, live the rest of your life like you never thought you would. And Be happy that this job is hard because if it wasn't everyone would be doing it. Both of them pure B.S.
This is not to be a personal attack to you but I've heard this so many times I want to puke. I know of ONE IR/FA in my old region in the past 10 years that has actually started as a true new/new that has made it. All of the other guys must have not done the work. SUUURRRE. The go to response when someone doesn't make it. There are no other FA's starting new/new in the past two years. BTW of those that "failed" at Jones a few are out of the business sure, others are doing very well with other firms. Need a little luck too. Don't give me the you create your own luck from the activities you do line either.
I, like a couple of posters I’m seeing here, am a “new/new”. I will be starting with the study program this summer after I retire from my current employer, and this has been an interesting thread for all the perspective.
I know hard work, accepting a challenge, not quitting, and long hours as much as anybody, and I'm going to give this new profession all I have, but I will have my limits. I have spent too many months and years away from my family now, and I can tell you that I will NOT be talking with clients on Christmas Eve, New Years, Sundays, or while waiting for a ride at Disney. You can be wildly successful and wealthy, but when the day you come home to share the excitement and your family has a life completely separate of you, it won't matter. Long hours and Saturdays, no problem, but there has to be a balance with what is truly important. If this is a recipe for failure, I would question ones definition of success.[quote=jkl1v1n6]
ytrewq,
Spoken like a true Ed Jones 20 year vet. You forgot two things: Work two years like you never thought you could, live the rest of your life like you never thought you would. And Be happy that this job is hard because if it wasn't everyone would be doing it. Both of them pure B.S.
This is not to be a personal attack to you but I've heard this so many times I want to puke. I know of ONE IR/FA in my old region in the past 10 years that has actually started as a true new/new that has made it. All of the other guys must have not done the work. SUUURRRE. The go to response when someone doesn't make it. There are no other FA's starting new/new in the past two years. BTW of those that "failed" at Jones a few are out of the business sure, others are doing very well with other firms. Need a little luck too. Don't give me the you create your own luck from the activities you do line either.
[/quote] I've heard excuses like yours so often I want to puke. It is human nature to rationalize failure as the result of anything but our own behavior. Although I can't prove it, I bet most on this site bemoaning the unfairness of the "man" or the "system" or "luck" are 1: NOT succeeding. 2: NOT even close to working as hard or as many hours as those who do not complain and are succeeding. This applies to all firms. IndyOne. I do not have enough time to dispute your post this morning. I will disagree with all of your "excuses" some other time. Let the complaining begin.ytrewq,
I appreciate your insight as a seasoned vet.... but you should aknowledge that things are probably more than a little different now, the 150,000 reg. reps 20 yrs ago is just under 400,000 now, and in 05' it was almost 600,000. 20 yrs ago there was 1 jones office in my thriving community, now there are 4 in a failing failing community. The process is different, the requirements are different, a lot can change in 20+ yrs. You obviously know how to run a successful business, you know how to train FA's, and build your book. But we don't know for certain if you started today, that you'd be around in 6 months, there's just no measurement for that.[quote=ytrewq][quote=jkl1v1n6]
ytrewq,
Spoken like a true Ed Jones 20 year vet. You forgot two things: Work two years like you never thought you could, live the rest of your life like you never thought you would. And Be happy that this job is hard because if it wasn't everyone would be doing it. Both of them pure B.S.
This is not to be a personal attack to you but I've heard this so many times I want to puke. I know of ONE IR/FA in my old region in the past 10 years that has actually started as a true new/new that has made it. All of the other guys must have not done the work. SUUURRRE. The go to response when someone doesn't make it. There are no other FA's starting new/new in the past two years. BTW of those that "failed" at Jones a few are out of the business sure, others are doing very well with other firms. Need a little luck too. Don't give me the you create your own luck from the activities you do line either.
[/quote] I've heard excuses like yours so often I want to puke. It is human nature to rationalize failure as the result of anything but our own behavior. Although I can't prove it, I bet most on this site bemoaning the unfairness of the "man" or the "system" or "luck" are 1: NOT succeeding. 2: NOT even close to working as hard or as many hours as those who do not complain and are succeeding. This applies to all firms. IndyOne. I do not have enough time to dispute your post this morning. I will disagree with all of your "excuses" some other time. Let the complaining begin.[/quote] Could you point out the excuses I made. I am having trouble finding them. But then again since I chose to leave Jones I must be a failure, and am failing to see my excuses so plainly laid out in the post.[quote=jkl1v1n6][quote=ytrewq][quote=jkl1v1n6]
ytrewq,
Spoken like a true Ed Jones 20 year vet. You forgot two things: Work two years like you never thought you could, live the rest of your life like you never thought you would. And Be happy that this job is hard because if it wasn't everyone would be doing it. Both of them pure B.S.
This is not to be a personal attack to you but I've heard this so many times I want to puke. I know of ONE IR/FA in my old region in the past 10 years that has actually started as a true new/new that has made it. All of the other guys must have not done the work. SUUURRRE. The go to response when someone doesn't make it. There are no other FA's starting new/new in the past two years. BTW of those that "failed" at Jones a few are out of the business sure, others are doing very well with other firms. Need a little luck too. Don't give me the you create your own luck from the activities you do line either.
[/quote] I've heard excuses like yours so often I want to puke. It is human nature to rationalize failure as the result of anything but our own behavior. Although I can't prove it, I bet most on this site bemoaning the unfairness of the "man" or the "system" or "luck" are 1: NOT succeeding. 2: NOT even close to working as hard or as many hours as those who do not complain and are succeeding. This applies to all firms. IndyOne. I do not have enough time to dispute your post this morning. I will disagree with all of your "excuses" some other time. Let the complaining begin.[/quote] Could you point out the excuses I made. I am having trouble finding them. But then again since I chose to leave Jones I must be a failure, and am failing to see my excuses so plainly laid out in the post. [/quote] <<<>>> Since you left Jones, but you are still "plugging away", what would you suggest? Is there another firm you would recommend over EDJ? Also, how successful have you been since you left Jones as compared to your success at Jones? What is the control factor here? These are serious questions. A sincere reply is always appreciated.[quote=maddmatt][quote=B24][quote=maddmatt][quote=B24][quote=maddmatt][quote=buyandhold]That’s too far . You want to live close enough to your office so you can get to the office easily in the evenings on Saturday. You also want to live near your clients so you are part of the community and (ideally) can bump into your prospects at the store or the Little League field. That’s why I think small towns are best for the Jones model.
I would look for a growing, small town with a strong downtown where you can establish a presence. Better still, find such an area where you can get a Legacy or goodnight or take over a failing office. Starting from scratch out of your home is damn near impossible. [/quote] Are you saying that a new advisor operating out of his house from scratch (as the opportunity is pitched by EDJ) will have little chance of success? How do you find out about these "failing" offices or other such "leg ups"? Were most successful offices started by people who were given a leg up? And finally, since this is the rest of my working life I am talking about here, are you successful and how did you do it? [/quote] Yes. New/New's have little chance of success. Sorry. Yes, most successful offices were started by people given a leg up, because most FA's that actually MADE IT were given a leg up. For the REALLY successful people, it almost didn't matter, but most had some advantage (great network from past career, well connected, etc.). In most cases (not all) of a very successful FA (at every firm), there is a "story" behind it.[/quote] And you are with EDJ? Tell me, should I contact my recruiter and bring these issues up at this time? How does one go about asking for a "leg up"? Almost 10 years ago I started in the auto industry knowing nothing about it and no connections. I worked my rear end off and made it to Finance Director inside of 5 years. My understanding of this position with EDJ is that if I employ the same work ethic, with their training, I could expect similar success. What makes the FA position so much harder than other sales fields? [/quote] Matt, I do work at Jones. I am not trying to bring you down or make shit up. I just wish I sort of understood better from the beginning what the road would be like. It was all roses when I was hired. Nothing but up. I just want you to udnerstand what it will be like. It's NOT just about hard work or long hours, it's about the RIGHT activity and a great deal of luck. You could be super successful in this business working 6 hours a day. Or you could work 18 hours a day and fall on your face. It doesn't matter how could a salesperson you are if you have nobody to sell to. [/quote] My questions were serious questions. I have read many of your posts and I have found you to be fairly honest. I was surprised by your post that basically told me to forget about it unless I had some "easier" path to follow. However, I do understand what you are saying and I appreciate it. At this juncture, not being one to tuck my tail between my legs and run, I am curious as to how one can get an advantage. I e-mailed my Regional and asked about a Goodknight position. Are there any other paths I could take that will get me down the road faster? I am all about getting help. I have enough humility to know that my timing could be way off and I could fall flat on my face. Any and all suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. [/quote] Matt, I am not trying to talk you out of it. What I AM trying to do is bring a sense of reality to the job that more new FA's need before they sign. I guess I am trying to "scare you straight" before you start (at any firm). This is a hard business. It is not for the faint of heart, and there is a real chance of failure. I have seen too many FA's work real hard, but do the same dumb stuff over and over because they just don't "get it". It's not necessarily their fault, they either just don't know how to sell, or can't connect with people very well. But then I also see people with lots of potential that stop working hard much too soon in the process. You CAN make it work. To be honest, a samll Goodknight plan (say $5mm) will only give you a leg up for the first 6-12 months. After that, a good, hard working new FA will blow away someone given a little leg up that's not pushing it. Yes, there are stories of people given $20,30,40mm books, but those are less common than everyone thinks. I wish you luck, just remember to not let up until you have enough assets to walk in the door and put your feet up on the table and make a living (hint: it's a long time).[quote=B24][quote=maddmatt][quote=B24][quote=maddmatt][quote=B24][quote=maddmatt][quote=buyandhold]That’s too far . You want to live close enough to your office so you can get to the office easily in the evenings on Saturday. You also want to live near your clients so you are part of the community and (ideally) can bump into your prospects at the store or the Little League field. That’s why I think small towns are best for the Jones model.
I would look for a growing, small town with a strong downtown where you can establish a presence. Better still, find such an area where you can get a Legacy or goodnight or take over a failing office. Starting from scratch out of your home is damn near impossible. [/quote] Are you saying that a new advisor operating out of his house from scratch (as the opportunity is pitched by EDJ) will have little chance of success? How do you find out about these "failing" offices or other such "leg ups"? Were most successful offices started by people who were given a leg up? And finally, since this is the rest of my working life I am talking about here, are you successful and how did you do it? [/quote] Yes. New/New's have little chance of success. Sorry. Yes, most successful offices were started by people given a leg up, because most FA's that actually MADE IT were given a leg up. For the REALLY successful people, it almost didn't matter, but most had some advantage (great network from past career, well connected, etc.). In most cases (not all) of a very successful FA (at every firm), there is a "story" behind it.[/quote] And you are with EDJ? Tell me, should I contact my recruiter and bring these issues up at this time? How does one go about asking for a "leg up"? Almost 10 years ago I started in the auto industry knowing nothing about it and no connections. I worked my rear end off and made it to Finance Director inside of 5 years. My understanding of this position with EDJ is that if I employ the same work ethic, with their training, I could expect similar success. What makes the FA position so much harder than other sales fields? [/quote] Matt, I do work at Jones. I am not trying to bring you down or make shit up. I just wish I sort of understood better from the beginning what the road would be like. It was all roses when I was hired. Nothing but up. I just want you to udnerstand what it will be like. It's NOT just about hard work or long hours, it's about the RIGHT activity and a great deal of luck. You could be super successful in this business working 6 hours a day. Or you could work 18 hours a day and fall on your face. It doesn't matter how could a salesperson you are if you have nobody to sell to. [/quote] My questions were serious questions. I have read many of your posts and I have found you to be fairly honest. I was surprised by your post that basically told me to forget about it unless I had some "easier" path to follow. However, I do understand what you are saying and I appreciate it. At this juncture, not being one to tuck my tail between my legs and run, I am curious as to how one can get an advantage. I e-mailed my Regional and asked about a Goodknight position. Are there any other paths I could take that will get me down the road faster? I am all about getting help. I have enough humility to know that my timing could be way off and I could fall flat on my face. Any and all suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. [/quote] Matt, I am not trying to talk you out of it. What I AM trying to do is bring a sense of reality to the job that more new FA's need before they sign. I guess I am trying to "scare you straight" before you start (at any firm). This is a hard business. It is not for the faint of heart, and there is a real chance of failure. I have seen too many FA's work real hard, but do the same dumb stuff over and over because they just don't "get it". It's not necessarily their fault, they either just don't know how to sell, or can't connect with people very well. But then I also see people with lots of potential that stop working hard much too soon in the process. You CAN make it work. To be honest, a samll Goodknight plan (say $5mm) will only give you a leg up for the first 6-12 months. After that, a good, hard working new FA will blow away someone given a little leg up that's not pushing it. Yes, there are stories of people given $20,30,40mm books, but those are less common than everyone thinks. I wish you luck, just remember to not let up until you have enough assets to walk in the door and put your feet up on the table and make a living (hint: it's a long time).[/quote] I appreciate the honesty. I know this market is out of whack. I have been in Financial Services for 20 years. I have never seen such a mess. When I start thinking I must be out of my mind to start a new career and I want to fall back on my current position I get feedback from people I know and trust with many years of life experience telling me this is a great time for me to make the change. In fact, I have not had a single person look at me crosseyed. Either they know I will succeed because they know me or they are afraid to tell me I'm crazy because they love me. So, I turn to forums such as this for a more clinical unbiased viewpoint. My selling ability and work ethic are not my concern. My main concern is that this market isn't saturated and that my timing might be way off. I do have another question for you: I live in a city without about 75K people. I am north of DFW by about 35 miles. There are currently 8 Jones reps in my city. This is 1 rep for every 9K people. This seems a tad saturated to me. What are your thoughts on this?I've said it before and I'll say it again. Jones is a good place to start, but if you start out totally new/new it will be hard. I'd be looking for a place with assets to start, doesn't matter which firm. Problem is that will be very hard to come by right now. If I read a post of yours correctly you have 20 yrs in Fin Serv. maybe look at a bank or credit union.
My financial success is a little better then when I was at Jones but not too much. My personal success is a world apart. I'm not as stressed out, I'm debt free, I don't have to work weekends or nights unless I choose to. I spend a lot of time with my family and I'm much happier when I'm doing it due to the lower stress levels. That to me is my measurement of success.