Career

Boutique, bank battle rages on

The turn of the 21st century was a time of opportunity for boutique advisory firms. Independent firms targeting mass affluent clients and their advisors, boutiques had a proposition they thought the banks couldn’t beat: a less bureaucratic culture and a focus on client service over transaction volume. What made this more attractive was the banks […]

By Scot Blythe |February 1, 2011

10 min read

Planning and Advice

An advisory group instead of a team

A career in financial services is probably the unlikeliest of gifts a boyfriend can get, but perhaps one of the greatest, as Angus Watt, managing director, individual investor services, Angus Watt Advisory Group, National Bank Financial, discovered.

By Vikram Barhat |February 1, 2011

3 min read

Planning and Advice

YOU need a social media strategy, not your business

In the late 1990s, legendary management consultant Tom Peters had a prescient idea. No longer would business be dominated by established mega-brands. The future would be dominated, trumpeted Peters, by The Brand Called You.

By Jay Palter |January 26, 2011

2 min read

Planning and Advice

Leveraging your networks

The investment business is built heavily on relationships, and in such a business, the benefits of a professional network simply can’t be overstated. The value to clients of a one-stop shop is matched only by the benefits it brings to the advisors themselves —of specialized legal, financial or tax advice for their clients; of new […]

By Nancy Turner |December 24, 2010

3 min read

Blowing the whistle

Let’s set the scene: You’re at an industry gathering, the wine flowing freely, when another advisor boasts about getting his most conservative clients into a portfolio of emerging market equities. Or maybe you’re walking past your colleague’s open office door, on your way to a client meeting, when you overhear her placing an order you’re […]

8 min read

Dressing for success

For all the knowledge and savvy needed to climb the corporate ladder, it’s a hard truth that work ethic is often judged by attire. A woman could spend weeks preparing a top notch presentation for colleagues, but if her appearance is lacklustre – or even sloppy – it will degrade her work in others’ eyes.

By Kate Kennedy |December 23, 2010

3 min read

Best Practices: Building teams, growing your business

Wondering how to best manage your team or grow your client list? Not sure how to deal with a particular client? If these questions are on your mind, reach out to Advisor.ca and our columnist, Joanne Ferguson.

5 min read