Advocis conference preview: Taking stock a little early with association’s chair

By John Craig | June 10, 2003 | Last updated on June 10, 2003
3 min read
  • “Bold and aggressive” plan unveiled to reposition regulatory model
  • Insider tips on buying a book of business
  • Panel discusses economics, investment, U.S. and good times ahead for Canada
  • Speaker outlines tips to take client events from average to awesome
  • BONUS TOOL: Your client communications guide for the last six months of 2003 Back to Advocis conference wrap-up main page

    BM: I think there’s several things. First of all, continuing education is available from a wide variety of sources, but I like to think that credible continuing education is available from a limited number of sources, and we’re one of those sources. I think you can get credible continuing education [through Advocis] that can help you run your practice, help you interface with your clients and help you deal with the problems and present solutions in today’s environment. Secondly, I think what you’re going to want to see is that this organization represents your viewpoint as an advisor to the industry and to the regulators.

    Advisor.ca:Speaking of regulators, the Advocis conference features the first offering of the “Compliance Seminar Series for Advisors” in special pre-conference workshops. Is compliance occupying more and more space on the radar screens of advisors?

    BM: I can’t give you quantitative data, but anecdotally, when I travel across this country, the number-one complaint that I get is the amount of time advisors are being asked to invest in meeting their compliance burden. I guess the problem is that a lot of advisors and a lot of consumers are just not seeing any benefit from it.

    Advisor.ca: What are the principal items on the agenda for this year’s annual general meeting?

    BM: The principle thing on the agenda this year is our whole advocacy positioning and the tactical positioning of the organization going forward. It will clearly annunciate where we fit into the landscape of the financial services industry. That’s going to be a major announcement.

    Advisor.ca: Inevitably at these types of conferences, some keynote speaker will say that there has never been a better time to be a financial advisor. Do you agree with this statement in the context of the present environment?

    BM: It’s not as simple as agree or disagree. Time is fluid. Being a financial advisor is a very good thing, but there are times when it’s better to be one than others and I would suggest right now that it’s challenging. You have a crisis of confidence in consumers, increasing compliance burden from the regulators, complexity in terms of product, design and implementation — it’s challenging.

    Advisor.ca: But is there some opportunity in there somewhere?

    BM: You’ve got to hope so.

    • • •

    Advocis is Canada’s largest association of financial advisors, with members in 50 chapters across the country. For more details on Advocis or to view the full session lineup for the upcoming conference, please click here.

    • • •

    Filed by John Craig, Advisor.ca, jcraig@advisor.ca.

    (06/10/03)

    John Craig

  • Association elects new national board for 2003-2004
  • “Bold and aggressive” plan unveiled to reposition regulatory model
  • Insider tips on buying a book of business
  • Panel discusses economics, investment, U.S. and good times ahead for Canada
  • Speaker outlines tips to take client events from average to awesome
  • BONUS TOOL: Your client communications guide for the last six months of 2003 Back to Advocis conference wrap-up main page

    BM: I think there’s several things. First of all, continuing education is available from a wide variety of sources, but I like to think that credible continuing education is available from a limited number of sources, and we’re one of those sources. I think you can get credible continuing education [through Advocis] that can help you run your practice, help you interface with your clients and help you deal with the problems and present solutions in today’s environment. Secondly, I think what you’re going to want to see is that this organization represents your viewpoint as an advisor to the industry and to the regulators.

    Advisor.ca:Speaking of regulators, the Advocis conference features the first offering of the “Compliance Seminar Series for Advisors” in special pre-conference workshops. Is compliance occupying more and more space on the radar screens of advisors?

    BM: I can’t give you quantitative data, but anecdotally, when I travel across this country, the number-one complaint that I get is the amount of time advisors are being asked to invest in meeting their compliance burden. I guess the problem is that a lot of advisors and a lot of consumers are just not seeing any benefit from it.

    Advisor.ca: What are the principal items on the agenda for this year’s annual general meeting?

    BM: The principle thing on the agenda this year is our whole advocacy positioning and the tactical positioning of the organization going forward. It will clearly annunciate where we fit into the landscape of the financial services industry. That’s going to be a major announcement.

    Advisor.ca: Inevitably at these types of conferences, some keynote speaker will say that there has never been a better time to be a financial advisor. Do you agree with this statement in the context of the present environment?

    BM: It’s not as simple as agree or disagree. Time is fluid. Being a financial advisor is a very good thing, but there are times when it’s better to be one than others and I would suggest right now that it’s challenging. You have a crisis of confidence in consumers, increasing compliance burden from the regulators, complexity in terms of product, design and implementation — it’s challenging.

    Advisor.ca: But is there some opportunity in there somewhere?

    BM: You’ve got to hope so.

    • • •

    Advocis is Canada’s largest association of financial advisors, with members in 50 chapters across the country. For more details on Advocis or to view the full session lineup for the upcoming conference, please click here.

    • • •

    Filed by John Craig, Advisor.ca, jcraig@advisor.ca.

    (06/10/03)