FMG ’s Post

📣 Exciting News! 🎉 We just wrapped up an incredible Journey event in Dallas that left us feeling inspired and motivated! Sharing business ideas truly leads to everyone's success. 💪💼 🌟 Our recent Journey event brought together some of the brightest minds in the financial industry, creating an atmosphere buzzing with creativity and innovation. 🤝🌍 🔑 We had the privilege of hosting renowned financial advisors who generously shared their expertise, insights, and success stories. From cutting-edge investment strategies to effective marketing techniques, sales processes, and live workshop presentations, attendees were treated to a wealth of knowledge! 💡💼 💡 The Journey event was a hub of inspiration, where advisor professionals networked and exchanged ideas, fostering collaboration and growth. We firmly believe that when we come together to share our experiences and learn from one another, we elevate the entire industry. ✨🚀 🙌 We are immensely grateful to all the advisors, participants, sponsors and the @advisorsexcel team members who made this event a resounding success. Your enthusiasm and dedication to improving the financial advisor community are truly commendable! 🎊 🌐 Stay tuned as we continue to share key takeaways and insights from The Journey event. We want to ensure that everyone benefits from the incredible knowledge and strategies shared. Together, we can reach new heights in our businesses and provide exceptional service to our clients! 🚀💼 🗓️ @advisorsexcel fosters an environment of learning, collaboration, and growth where we never forget our mission: To help good advisors become great business owners so they can help their clients enjoy amazing retirements. Remember, success is better when shared! Let's continue to inspire and uplift one another. 💪🌟 #FinancialAdvisorEvent #SharingSuccess #Inspiration #Growth #Collaboration

I didn't want to clutter Jim's thread with my comments on the topical issues, congratulations, by the way, on a phenomenal job getting it done, James M.. I've been harping the exact issues you belabor for decades now, first in IT, then in Internet, and lately in Infosec. It's a common thread throughout modern business development. The hot new bait flavor brings in all the predatory feeders. Always has. An observer can tell when a market segment has peaked by the feeding frenzy. Initially, we have a lovely new technology ecosystem thriving and healthy, growing organically, but then the sharks start showing up, backing one fish, good or bad, based on the profit they can get cashing out, and throw dollars at the market to make it happen, even if the poor thing can't survive the change in depths, just like a real fish in a real ocean. The results are not entirely bad, since it becomes a frenzy and many good fish either survive or get eaten by bad fish and become better. Some bad fish thrive, however, and that is where short term investors distort the real market. Consumers, the fishermen in the metaphor, have a big role to play by picking the best fish, but because of the distorted market created by the sharks, awards, and analysts, don't contribute as much to natural selection as they could. Better purchasing practices would help; we know how, but it takes a strong spine to hold the line and reel in the better fish when so many easy fish are being thrown in our face by the distorted marketing machine. We have sharks that throw money around to distort the market and distract, frequently via awards and analysts, acting in collusion, but who cannot ultimately make a consumer buy their product. Awards bottom feeders, some of which are fair, and some are bought and paid for. Analysts, many of whom are bought and paid for. And a market of consumers with bad purchasing practices and governance. It's the perfect storm for mediocrity. In many ways, it's understandable. Most managers these days are completely ignorant of best purchasing practices and anyone that tries to inject sensibility gets stifled in the name of progress. Influence peddlers are quick to point out how taking an extra month to evaluate a purchase is a month of production gains lost, but utterly dismiss the ensuing year of failed targets because the product stinks. We don't use long term performance outcomes as a metric for business change anymore because it's hard and irritates short term investors. It all comes back to the same simple rules defined so long ago: define the business needs, evaluate solutions based on that, and use a feedback loop on personnel and business practices to achieve better outcomes long term.

This is a superb article outlining the shift in mindsets around capital-markets days and investor events. As we enter the New Year, it's good to have an excellent summary of the latest options forming part of the investor-engagement programme. #investorrelations

I’ve been quiet on LinkedIn this summer. Despite the relentless heat and humidity, summer always holds a special place in my heart. Maybe it’s because my birthday is in June, or because I was in school for way too long. Perhaps it is because summer holds the peak of the year. And, the months that follow always “Fall”(literally & figuratively) quickly, down a slippery slope. Well, we made it to the other side! Friday marks the start of Q4. It’s a great time to dust off those 2023 business goals. Here are Intention 2 Impact, Inc.'s: 1. FINANCE 💸 : Finalize, use, and adhere to annual budget  ✅ 2. OPERATIONS 🏗 : Increase team size  ✅ (we’re up to 4 FTEs, 2 part-time, and 8 current contractors! Kathleen Doll, PhD, we're DOIN' IT!) 3. PRODUCTS & SERVICES 📊 : Develop cohort training program ✅ (in the development and pilot phase!) 4. MARKETING 💫 : Launch lead magnets ❌ (during our H1 review, we scrapped this plan and we’re leaning into a brand message refresh & multi-media strategy instead) 5. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT 🤝 : Immerse ourselves in relevant communities of practice ✅ (Joining Emergent Learning Community Project was a game changer & we are looking forward to Opportunity Collaboration in October!) How are you doing on your 2023 business goals? Q4 is a perfect time to bring it home or pivot and set yourself up for 2024! ——— EDIT: I made this cute Q4 graphic & post... and leave it to our CFO (Kristen West, CPA) CPA (CPA Alan S. Helfer) to remind us that Q4 starts in October... 😂😂😂 WHOOPS.... we’ve got another month y’all! Sorry if I caused any preemptive panic!! 😇 #socialimpact #socialimpactbusiness #womenownedbusiness #evaluation #philanthropy

In business and in life, you gotta love an unexpected plot twist! Recently I sat down to interview the very first corporate client who ever reached out to me here on LinkedIn (YES the fun does happen in the DMs and NO corporate clients aren't scary...they are actual people). Back then I had no idea that we were both planning B2B pivots! When Olanike decided to quit her very good job and leave behind a Chief of Staff role in #tech at a Fortune 50 global #financialservices firm, I was thrilled that she chose Swagger School as the place to go for guidance on expanding her workplace equity consulting practice. If you're a busy corporate exec with a consulting side hustle, you know that your time is money. But building a biz without burnout requires you to ditch the guesswork and leverage a proven path so you can work smarter without hustling harder. Watch the interview from our heart to heart chat for a behind the scenes view about what it really takes to make a big bet on yourself: -Why negotiating with your current employer is the first step -When knowing your numbers is not enough if you lack profit margins, aren't paying yourself and have a team to take care of -How leveraging your intellectual capital is the fastest way to stop trading time for dollars when serving corporate clients -Why taking career risks as a child of immigrants requires you to make bold moves while building firm business foundations for greater financial stability -How applying values aligned B2B sales strategies can accelerate business growth without compromising your integrity To watch the full episode see link to the latest blog article in comments for tips on how to ensure your unique brilliance is bankable. Need help identifying the missing puzzle pieces to create a more profitable corporate pitch? DM me to book a call if you're planning a powerhouse pivot and already know you desire more corporate clients but need a #B2BBusinessCoach so you can make bold moves with plenty of swagger...

Learn how Investor AB leveraged our #IR Event Platform to create high-impact earnings calls and tell their best investment story. Read more ➡️ https://ow.ly/YWru50Pvb9L #InvestorRelations #EarningsCalls #Webcasts

My Hot Take of the Week 2023 isn't what I imagined it to be when it comes to growing and marketing a business. Everywhere I turn, I see a clear delineation between those who've got the big VC bucks backing them and those of us trying to grow organically and honestly. It's tough out there. Analyst firms? Most seem to have a "pay-to-play" approach (they say they don't, but really, we all know that is not true, also lots of interplay between VCs and these analyst groups). And let’s not even get started on these so-called “awards.” I've noticed a trend where many awards seem to favor those with deeper pockets. It's disheartening. Attending large conferences used to be about networking and learning. Now? It's like a display competition, where companies with vast funds dominate the show floor, leaving most businesses like mine in the proverbial shadows. I've been advised over the years to resort to boiler room style cold calling or mass emailing. But that's just not me. Spamming isn't a route I want for my brand. This journey, free from the snares of shortcuts and quick fixes, has been both a challenge and a testament to our resilience. It's about staying true to our principles, innovating, and building an authentic connection with our audience. The road is long and steep, but I believe in the unique value and integrity we bring to the table. In 16 years, we have seen so many other firms in our industry come and go.

Had an amazing time at the Future Proof Retreat last week seeing old friends and meeting new ones! Excited for where the wealth management industry is headed and all the ways advisors are looking to enhance the way they serve their clients. Some top takeaways: 1. The fastest growing advisors are adding more comprehensive and differentiated services. Think estate planning, alternative investments and tax planning strategies. 2. There is massive growth for advisors looking at next-gen inheritors (Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z) who are receiving over $1.5 trillion a year currently with this number accelerating. 3. There is a shift in how next-gen clients want to interact with advisors. They want a more digital experience, increased engagement and understanding on what they own as well as the advisor to act like a "coach" for their financial choices, guiding them through decision-making processes with a more hands-on, educational perspective. Looking forward to Future Proof in the fall! #wealthmanagement #FutureProof #

Looking to put on a Compelling Investor Day in 2024? Check out Tim Human's article in IR Magazine featuring our own David Calusdian. “Investors don’t want to go and hear the same old thing. If you establish a reputation for providing value, success will breed success and people will go the following year.” #SharonMerrillIR #InvestorRelations #InvestorDays

🎉 Happy New Year from Curious Insights! 🎉 As we welcome 2024, we at Curious Insights are filled with gratitude and excitement. This past year has been an incredible journey, and it's all thanks to our amazing clients, partners, and the dedicated team behind the scenes. 🙏 A Heartfelt Thank You To our esteemed clients - your trust in us is the cornerstone of our success. Your diverse needs and perspectives have enriched our expertise, pushing us to constantly evolve and innovate. Thank you for choosing Curious Insights as your research partner. 🚀 Looking Ahead to 2024 As we step into the new year, we're excited to continue this journey of discovery and growth. We're committed to providing even more in-depth analyses, customized solutions, and strategic insights to help your businesses thrive in an ever-changing market. Whether you're a long-time partner or new to the Curious Insights family, we're here to support your goals and aspirations. Here's to a prosperous and insightful New Year! 🌟 #Collaboration #MarketResearch #CuriousInsights🚀🔍🎊 Manish Bahl