The year 2001 was just ending

When Money Matters began

9/11, tech bubble was trending

Would this start-up be an also-ran?

The early days were supposed to be tough

But since the business purpose was clear

The focus was sharp enough —

Educate clients; don’t prey on their fear.

I wish I’d known at the age of 28

The concept of saving & investing —

But it was only when I was 38

That I first heard of financial planning.

Clients asked me in year one

“Shouldn’t you be charging a fee?”

That’s how the thoughts begun

Of what indeed was meant to be.

I was new to this industry

Wasn’t running a business for long

No one else gave me company

No choice, I had to be strong.

The concept was new

The year 2003

My time now had value

The business model was based on a fee.

I needed to find the reason

Why the money was being invested

It had to span many a season

As their patience was often tested.

Then came the advent of CFP

What I was doing, it did match

Soon it was time to “Yippee!”

I was in India’s first convocation batch.

The fee models changed often enough;

The problem clearly was in my mind;

I thought the going would be rough;

That acceptance of the new fee would be a grind.

I realised soon enough though

I had to show the value

When the client shelled out dough

And deliver what was due.

What stood out indeed clearly

Clients paid their fees – they must

Markets good or bad – yearly

Only if you’d gained their trust.

For knowledge, I had a deep yearning

Leaving no stone unturned

To ensure perpetual learning

Even if the midnight oil was burnt.

Numbers indeed were a fascination

Whether it was for 401k or a Plan529

To do a dollar-based calculation

I thought the client had to be only mine.

What dawned on me after a while

Was that I just didn’t know enough

(We spoke in kilometre, they in mile)

 Making recommendations there, I could muff.

That’s when I jumped over the fence

And changed my approach internationally

Connecting with their local advisors made sense

For the overseas client if I thought rationally.

The objective was clients’ interest first

Followed by our team’s learning

That was enough to quench our thirst –

The focus wasn’t first on our earning.

The number stuff was getting boring

I needed to understand investor behaviour

Calculations were easy to do even while snoring

The CeFT course was indeed a saviour.

Human behaviour remains the same

Across geography, culture or race

Understand the mental wireframe

Is what excites me – now in first place.

Coming to the end of the poetry

What you’re possibly wondering

“What’s the moral of this story?”

Or is it just aimless meandering?

I’m happy I started 18 years ago –

(You possibly think that I ramble)

Think – I had nobody else to follow

No choice but to lead by example.

 

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