In the wake of the improprieties and scandals of the past few years, the financial services industry is abuzz with talk of ethics and image. One of the key questions firms are asking is what role, if any, branding plays in their credibility and in...
Anyone who has ever let household chores get the better of him is well-acquainted with the most significant obstacle facing wannabe high-net-worth advisors: inertia. You can look at those cracks in the bedroom ceiling every day when you lie down...
Playing out of position is something that rarely works out long term it's true in sports and it's true for financial advisory teams. Pressing a baseball catcher into one-time duty at first base, or turning a quarterback into a receiver for a play...
There's an old saw in business that says the success of a company depends not on size but on filling a void in the marketplace. A small 24-hour convenience store can't compete with Safeway or K-Mart, but then Safeway and K-mart can't compete with...
Wealthy people and good poker players have at least one thing in common: The habit of holding cards close to their vests. At least that's what a wirehouse veteran named Jack told me while explaining his difficulty getting referrals from...
If selling to the affluent were a sport, every day would be game day. For better or worse, in investment sales, there is no practice field, and only serious players should suit up. At the risk of overextending the metaphor, I would further submit...
There's an old saying in investment management consulting: If you want a clear picture of a manager, look at him during a bear market. Evaluating, selecting and monitoring managers requires sound judgment and significant due diligence; it is part...
Managed accounts as part of an overall wealth management strategy.
In previous columns, I have addressed whom to target for managed accounts and why such investments are attractive to affluent clients. This month's column concentrates on seven key factors that drive successful investing of any kind. When meeting...
It's all your fault. That's right. You, Mister Broker, are the problem. You are the primary reason why the average retail investor doesn't understand his mutual fund investments such as the impact of fund expenses on fund returns or even what an...