Monday
Monday mornings are always difficult after spending the weekends catching up on emails from the week before. Nevertheless, I am fortunate enough to wake up to my16 month-old boy Reggie.I’m on morning duty and as I start up my computer to get prepping for the week ahead, Reggie is in my arms getting his morning feed.
I tend to take my time in the mornings before heading to the office for an energetic day of client reviews/internal projects/administrative Q&A and investment decision – in no particular order. However, Mondays are different as they start with meetings with the various divisions.
Ascot Estate Planning is up first for our weekly catch-up, then straight into a sales meeting with the team in South Africa. Following that is a good hour with the head of marketing.
Before my mid-morning meeting with the investment committee, I take a moment to prep and make sure the agenda is well and ready.
The latter part of Monday is set aside for client review meetings, as well as making sure all human resource and company operations are intact and ready for the week ahead.
Tuesdays
Tuesdays are my days of client meetings and review meetings. As the company has come to a point of rapid expansion, I tend to put more adviser work onto my talented young advisers. This, for me, is a great turning point for both the company and the careers of the talented advisers at Ascot Wealth Management.
In saying this, a lot of my focus has turned into software development brand exposure, as well as new integrated systems and improved processes to take the company into the future of the industry.
Wednesday
Wednesday starts off with a weekly meeting catch-up with the business developments team. Here we make sure all Ascot Wealth Management (AWM) partnerships are moving forward and that there is constant communication between all relationships.
The afternoon is set aside for my clients and review meetings. Review meetings consist of a virtual meeting using videoconferencing, as well as a face-to-face meeting, in or out of the office. And they generally end up going well into the evening.
Thursdays
Client meetings take priority on Thursday afternoons, but before that I generally set up meetings with current or potential AWM partners.
With them I discuss future prospects or current business to make sure implementation is aligning with our business development strategy and our marketing and brand strategy.
Between meetings I get hold of marketing to see if they need anything from me. We are launching exciting ventures with the vision of taking the company into a digital marketing and advising space, so projects are becoming more demanding.
Friday:
Fridays are off to an early start, going straight into an investments operations meeting with the Cape Town team, who are two hours ahead of the UK time zone.
The meetings are set on targeted topics and include teaching sessions on the topics at hand. This meeting is an open invite to all staff and there is a good turn-out every week.
I like to keep my afternoons set aside for my clients, whether its reaching out to them, setting up meetings or attending review meetings.
Today is fully booked with back-to-back meetings and it’s well past 5pm before I finish accommodating busy clients.
Friday ends with a client meeting, then heading home to rest up for a busy Saturday in the office.
Mark Insley is managing director of Ascot Wealth Management
