This week ...
Monday
The working week, after a bowl of porridge and navigating the chaos which is Monday mornings in the Daems house, starts with a 15-minute walk to the office.
Once everyone is settled in, coffees have been made and emails have been checked, the team huddles together for our Monday morning project planning meeting. This usually involves talking through the tasks we need to complete on behalf of our existing clients, where we are with the on-boarding process for new clients and where we are with the projects designed to work 'on' and not just 'in' the business.
Once we understand what we need to do for the day I focus on turning all emails off (apart from twice in the day) and focusing on completing the most urgent tasks on my to do list. A late lunch is a lovely salad with plenty of olives and a chunky soup.
After eating I write a couple of articles. One for our website and one which I have been asked to complete for a trade publication. Then, after a couple of client calls, it's the short walk home to spend some family time with my wife Cassie and my daughters, Sophie and Charlotte.
Tuesday
The morning starts with a staff review in our Essex office and then a train to our office in London to see a couple of clients.
Firstly, it is a new corporate client looking to review their employee benefits package.
They spend a pretty penny on their current package but do not feel that it is particularly valued by their staff. We talk about how benefits are communicated, the demographics of the business, future plans and what the ideal outcome might be before promising to come back with a fully costed scope of work and a framework for a project plan.
The second client is a retired ex architect whose been a client for a number of years. We talk about music, film, travel, architecture, and a bit about their money.
Wednesday
Wednesday starts with a 9am meeting in London with a potential new recruit for our business. He is a great guy but we decide that he is not the right fit for us currently. However it is always encouraging to meet young people coming into our profession.
Then it is a call with an existing client where we discuss the project plan and recommendations I had sent to him the previous week. We agree on most points, while on others he has a few more questions on some of the recommendations. We agree to take action on most of the actions which are time sensitive and agree to defer a couple of actions until some of the more urgent ones are completed
Then I am meeting with an accountant introducer of mine for a catch up but also to collaborate on two pieces of work for our mutual clients.
I find myself leaving London at exactly the wrong time and I found myself squeezed a little too tightly on a tube for a few stops before I get a seat (and the opportunity to read my book).
Thursday
The morning starts with meeting one of our insurance broker introducers in London. We talk about families, business and a potential joint venture we are considering with the firm in question.
Then I call the Essex office for a catch up on 'the board' (the spreadsheet which provides an overview with all of our new and existing clients work) to see what work still needs to be completed.
Then it is a couple of calls, some urgent client tasks and a run through on a presentation I am giving tonight. Then it is time to travel to the event I am speaking at.
I arrive early and there's no-one in the room but this soon changes and I find myself presenting for half an hour on subjects as diverse as marshmallows, the Cookie Monster and Tom Hiddleston, and try to relate it back to behavioral finance and making smart decisions with money.
I arrive home just in time to watch the last episode of 'Hunted'.
Friday
I am up early presenting at an event for my local chamber of commerce.
Today I am talking about what employers should do to ensure they have benefits designed to recruit, reward and retain the right people for their business. I am joined by another speaker, the UK's premier Basil Fawlty impersonator. I can not decide whether this is a particular low or high point in my career.
Then it is back to the office until 1pm, at which point I head home. I finish early on a Friday and spend some time studying. I am trying to ensure I am chartered by the end of the year so while some are hitting golf balls on a Friday afternoon, I am hitting the books.
Then it is ready for a long drive up to see the in laws in Scotland for a lovely break with the family.
Chris Daems is a director of Rainham-based Cervello Financial Planning
