Monday
I get up at 5am to run 10k before heading to the office.
No I do not, do I look stupid?
I drive the less than one mile to arrive at the office at 9.05am in time for our 9.15am ‘start the week’ meeting.
We discuss the events of the week ahead and consider the ‘wins’ and ‘roadblocks’ from last week.
Our managing director presents the figures from the dashboard we use to measure a variety of business metrics. Things are looking good.
I meet with a long-standing client for a review and listen to the wonderful story of the property they are renovating in Somerset. I envy the location, but not their weekly commute to and from London.
Tuesday
I have two client review meetings in London. The commute from Cranleigh to Guildford is the worst part.
So much new housing adding to the traffic in South East England, that a 15-minute drive now takes 45 minutes.
But the clients make up for it.
The first couple tell me about their visit to Knepp Castle in West Sussex: a huge swathe of failing agricultural land that has been returned to nature with spectacular results.
My second client in north London is an author and tells me about her plans to visit Russia to write a second book.
Her son is present at the meeting and I take delight as an ‘old person’ in showing him how to use the microphone button on his iPhone to dictate emails and text messages.
In the evening I outsprint 15 of my under-eights football team the whole length of the pitch. The pain in my joints is made bearable by the enjoyment these youngsters get out of playing football.
Wednesday
I have a client meeting in Midhurst with a couple who, 20 minutes before I arrive, decide they will now sell their business and retire.
We celebrate with tea and chocolate biscuits – it is a tough job, but someone has to do it.
A short trip from Midhurst to our new office in Petersfield for a meeting with our new retirement income planning director so that we can schedule his clients into our review strategy. I am beginning to like Petersfield; it is a lovely little town with a great feel.
Thursday
I meet with our senior paraplanner to run through the financial planning cash flow she has prepared for a client couple who have included in their ‘what if’ strategy list one intriguingly entitled ‘stuff it’: a scenario where they both quit work now, take their pensions and go off on a camper van adventure for a year.
I cross my fingers and hope this is indeed what they do.
I meet with the financial planning team to run through our client-facing systems and processes and reaffirm our standard operating procedures. The most important question we debate is: “How can we make the client experience better?”
Friday
At lunchtime I coach the local primary school Year Twos at football. It is like herding cats. They are having great fun though, and the only time they stand still is when I tell them the gross story about being kicked in the eye when playing in my youth.
They ask me to tell the story again.
Then on to a client review meeting to present an update of their financial plan. I particularly like the scenario about renting out their home in Cranleigh and then renting a home in Cornwall for a year.
Nick Bamford is a chartered financial planner at Informed Choice
If you would like to write a week in your life as a financial adviser, please contact: melanie.tringham@ft.com
