Cold Call: Matt Delaney

A must read for any self-respecting financial advisor?

The Millionaire Maker by Loral Langemeier. She advocates active, direct investments in things like private businesses and real estate. She's against the park-and-pray method that most people use to save.

Dumbest investment you personally ever made?

Silk-screen T-shirts. I was in law school and maxed out credit cards. When we went to pick up the shirts, the building was padlocked by the IRS. Got my a — handed to me.

The best investment you ever made?

Time spent with my family. Yeah, that sounds better than my wife's engagement ring.

The weirdest investment?

Making “Are You Ready for These Big 11?” posters heralding Penn State's joining of the Big 10. Made some money since we sold 3,000 of them.

Favorite Philly cheese steaks: Pat's or Gino's in South Philly?

A place called Our Deli in Paoli, Pa., is better than both of those.

How frequently do you contact clients, quarterly, once a year?

Monthly, if not weekly.

If you couldn't be a financial advisor, what would you be?

A major motion picture star, then president.

How did you meet your first client?

She was my babysitter.

How did you meet your most recent new client?

From a cold call — first made in 1999. The trick: Cold call and call and call.

The one thing every FA should tell himself every day?

“Have fun,” or perhaps, “Do No Harm.”