Today is the best time to join the Financial Services business!

1. Clients are unhappy. If you call a prospective client with a simple and safe investment such as a deposit, they will listen and give you an appointment, because their current financial adviser has either stopped calling, or is explaining why portfolio values are down. They might switch, but 2 years ago, it would have been impossible to compare yourself against their broker’s success with the client portfolio.
2. The advice you give today , and the products you recommend today, are more likely to make clients $ tomorrow. The most successful brokers, planners and advisers don’t try and pick winners, they follow a system and rely on others to make those tough decisions. Fact is whoever is selecting and packaging product for you today has a better chance of being right, as the tide of the market rises.  The investments that focus on the stock market, which is currently low after a 50% correction, will likely do well in coming years.
3. Where you work is important! Who you know, historical performance, projections no longer carry much weight with clients. What counts is knowing you are personally service-oriented, that you can be trusted, and that the company you work for has survived the credit crunch and is getting stronger, (not just barely surviving or still losing money)
4. The potential market is huge! Most people have trouble saving money. They carry credit card balances at very high interest rates, and they have the wrong kind of life insurance. Ignore the tv commercials about wealth management; the vast majority of clients need basic help to solve these problems.
5. Hard work and honesty is respected today. Today, financial success is measured in lowering your risk and credit exposure, eliminating debt, understanding exactly what you are investing in, saving carefully for your future, and having independence. If you are ready to work hard and be straight with people… Today is the best time to join the Financial Services business!

- Frank Abrams is the founder of zenPeak Inc. , helping companies find and retain peak performers for high-trust and high-integrity positions.