Where did the week go?

Reading time: 5 minutes

This week has been interesting and packed (as always).

Client enquiries:

Client enquiries remain strong, all very varied. It’s nice to be in a position to help and guide even if not everyone would benefit from “full fat financial planning”. It feels great to be in a position to utilise all the knowledge I’ve attained through qualifications, podcasts, articles and the like.

Don't get me wrong, it's tough work. We are dealing with people's future hopes, dreams and funds they have spent a long time saving up. I keep reminding myself, never underestimate the impact you may have on someone's life.

Goal mapping and social media presence

On Tuesday I took part in a workshop set up by Gill Gayk and Kirsty Jane Van Den Bulk , fellow Buzzers of Business Buzz. The day was packed with information and the work will happen post workshop. Goal mapping and tips on how to present yourself online including lighting, makeup (yes, Kirsty said, even for men) and a bit of camera frame theory. Needless to say, my head is spinning!

More coaching practice

On Wednesday the MOE course has ramped up a notch, there’s a lot of extra evening and weekend homework to do. I can already see subtle changes in the way I communicate. The methods they are teaching and the trainers are exceptional.

The art of effective questioning

Language and sales fascinates me. There's thousands of books on sales (which I've not read). However someone who is making waves and who's teachings are effective is Benjamin D. . He has flipped it's on it's head but making use of effective questioning and qualifying prospects for his service. It's almost as if people sell themselves to him by explaining their issues and pain points they are facing.

His cold calling examples on Youtube and Linkedin are a fascinating watch.

Financial Times

Thursday was a day trip into London to speak with Financial Times. Following a post I made on Linkedin, adding my view, Alina Khan an was keen to speak with me. I opted to join her in the office. What an amazing building and a good interview.

We covered how to attract new people to the profession and I mentioned the excellent work from NextGen Planners , Sam Oakes and his Financial Planner Life podcast, the Lifetalk forum on Facebook, Dave Robinson FCCA APFS MCSI TEP LLAA IMC who continue to speak with candidates through Linkedin and the success stories which come with it. Lewis Byford has launched a new podcast which will no doubt help candidates.

I also mentioned my friend Andy Taylor who gives a lot to second careerists and new entrants. He may not be able to place people but he is certainly giving them guidance in the right direction. After all, I view recruiters as your "friend". They know what's going on in the job market and often have insight to the hidden job market, in other words. Jobs not advertised anywhere.

I'll leave it there as I don't want to take away the spotlight from the upcoming article!

What I'd like you to take away from this is; whatever your sector or profession. Get active on Linkedin. It's not a narcissistic exercise. Opportunities come up if you share your own learning points and/or wisdom. I think this is demonstrated well by Emma Reeder . She frequently shares her ups and downs and current market trends within recruitment from her role at Exec Recruitment Solutions .

If you have yet to start, start this week? If you struggle for inspiration, just do an introduction post. You never know where it may lead to!

Charity + Golf = Important Fun

Friday was a Charity golf day arranged my Graeme Love ove and Claire Love of Love Management Accounting in collaboration with Business Buzz Oxfordshire . Great turnout and lovely weather. They raised I believe £3,500 for the Charity SUDC UK.

Despite never having played gold aside from 2 hour session on the driving range coached by Graeme, as a team we completed the 9 holes! Great team effort by Paul Kielman , Dean Turvey-Brown and cloud 9 telecom.

Rowan Waller made a post lately about all the things he’s doing but what he isn’t. He has published books, but isn’t a writer. He runs parkruns and other events but isn’t a runner. He posts inspiring posts and influence people he doesn't know, but isn't an "influencer".

With this in mind, I’m not a “thought leader” but perhaps the piece below helps someone….

When motivation fails...

I like to create small concepts for myself to help with both business and personal life. Perhaps more specifically something to ensure I remain active. More often than not, motivation fails and discipline has to kick in. I especially find this the case with fitness.

What do I mean?

I try to follow a training programme in the gym. At times, such as this week, I fell short of completing my programme. When this happens I implement “300” and “feel good session”.

300: Do any exercise you want to do. The goal is to burn 300 calories. Whether it be low or high intensity, it doesn’t matter. Just get 300 done  and you have achieved something for your workout.

Feel good session: Combine all your favourite exercises. It ends up being a very enjoyable session and you get those lovely dopamine hits. By using the concepts above, I still workout, I still feel the rewarding endorphins and I don’t beat myself up over not following my programme to the letter. 

To sign off, I’m not a blogger or writer but I hope you enjoy reading the newsletters.