Monday
Once at work, I do a staff appraisal for a member of staff who has been with us for a year, and who has already made valuable contributions to our clients.
With client packs ready in advance of all of the day’s meetings, the first meeting is with a potential new client. He is pleased that we charge fixed, flat fees.
At lunchtime, I have a meeting with a new client who, being recently widowed, brought one of her sons in to meet me. We often meet many members of our clients’ families. They are glad to have engaged us as they could have made some potentially costly mistakes.
At 5pm it is a short drive home, play with the children (aged six and eight), and then book on to my fourth Tough Mudder in April.
Tuesday
At 6.15am, I start off with a chilly 5km run, then at 8am I meet a new corporate client at our offices to discuss bringing forward their auto-enrolment staging date. Clear to both of us is that we also need to work together on their business strategy.
Later, as all the staff are in (all staff, even full-time staff, work a four-day week, so everyone gets a long weekend every weekend) we have our weekly team meeting. Decisions are taken to share out marketing, operations, and case momentum.
I then have client meetings including one using Google conferencing software or ‘hangouts’, one discussing IHT planning, the other delivering a lifestyle financial planning report and helping negotiate their redundancy package
I leave the office at 6pm to get changed into uniform and head over to my Army Cadet Force detachment where I organise the training of 50 cadets aged 13 to 18, supported by ex-Army instructors.
Wednesday
At 8am, after Crossfit, I set off for a day’s induction with Later Life Academy, catch up on some financial services podcasts en route. Although I am qualified in long-term care and equity release, this partnership will help enhance our offering. I am rather surprised to be the only one not in a suit.
While I am away, two members of staff go shopping to create a Christmas wonderland in our front windows. At 6.30pm, I make it back in time for a meeting at my children’s school, where I am a parent governor.
Thursday
At 8.30am I take the children to school, then it is ‘working on the business’ day, so no client meetings. My focus is packaging our proposition so clients can see as much value in what we do before they arrive. Several of our retained clients have been roped in to act as a sounding board as we progress.
Friday
It is a 7am crossfit session, followed by an Inspiring Advisers webinar for like-minded planners.
I then work with trustees appointed by TPR who are very interested in a scam we have uncovered involving a notorious ex-IFA and a City-based DFM.
At 4pm I Google-hangout a very detailed mind map with a client whose multiple assets exceed £10m
I finish off at 5pm with a well-earned, cup of tea - looking forward to a relaxing weekend with a 10km recovery row and a 5km park run.
Brian Hill is an independent financial adviser at Wiltshire-based Jones Hill IFAs
