A senior investment advisor from HollisWealth talks to WP about dealing with market upheaval and gives his view on social media
“I never planned on entering the financial planning profession.” It’s a common line to hear from seasoned advisors, and it’s a statement that relates directly to Robert W. Redman, too.
It was back in 1992 when Redman finished his accounting studies and was looking for a job in his chosen field in Ottawa, but no opportunities stood out. Redman had no idea that the dearth in accounting jobs would lead to a 25+ year career in the advisory business; a career he has come to cherish. There have been plenty of ups and downs along the way, but it’s obvious that Redman has no regrets about his decision.
Now a senior investment advisor with HollisWealth, Redman started out in the business as an advisor at a Money Concepts franchise in Ottawa.
“My time in the industry has been fantastic; I love working with clients,” says Redman, who operates under the branch name Johnson & Redman Wealth Management. “I’ve been in the business so long now that I’ve taken people from saving for retirement to transition to retirement to now doing estate planning work for their children and grandchildren. It’s neat to help people through all of those different stages, and it’s been very rewarding.”
Redman’s 25 years in the industry have definitely not been uneventful. The Asian banking crisis of 1997, the tech meltdown of 2000, the 911 attacks, and, of course, the credit crisis in 2008 – 2009; it’s been a period of upheaval and significant cultural and political change.
Despite all of these massive world events, Redman believes another factor has had the biggest impact on the advisory industry: the changing regulatory environment. “Things have changed dramatically since I started and I don’t bemoan it, we have to adapt,” Redman says. “Whether it’s new forms, disclosures or just taking better notes, we have to keep up.”
Technology has also played a key role in changing how advisors operate, and although Redman likes to keep up with changes, he knows he isn’t as dedicated to utilizing technology as some of his industry counterparts.
“Things like social media are not a big part of my operation, but I know a lot of advisors use it successfully; it’s a new way to market,” Redman says. “When I got into the business you would buy a list of leads or open the yellow pages and start calling associations. Nowadays, you are not allowed to do that, so you have to find different ways to get your name out there and social media seems to be the way.”
“But I have been able to continually grow my business almost entirely through referrals. I don’t do a lot of marketing, I just serve my existing clients well and hope they tell people about me.”
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It was back in 1992 when Redman finished his accounting studies and was looking for a job in his chosen field in Ottawa, but no opportunities stood out. Redman had no idea that the dearth in accounting jobs would lead to a 25+ year career in the advisory business; a career he has come to cherish. There have been plenty of ups and downs along the way, but it’s obvious that Redman has no regrets about his decision.
Now a senior investment advisor with HollisWealth, Redman started out in the business as an advisor at a Money Concepts franchise in Ottawa.
“My time in the industry has been fantastic; I love working with clients,” says Redman, who operates under the branch name Johnson & Redman Wealth Management. “I’ve been in the business so long now that I’ve taken people from saving for retirement to transition to retirement to now doing estate planning work for their children and grandchildren. It’s neat to help people through all of those different stages, and it’s been very rewarding.”
Redman’s 25 years in the industry have definitely not been uneventful. The Asian banking crisis of 1997, the tech meltdown of 2000, the 911 attacks, and, of course, the credit crisis in 2008 – 2009; it’s been a period of upheaval and significant cultural and political change.
Despite all of these massive world events, Redman believes another factor has had the biggest impact on the advisory industry: the changing regulatory environment. “Things have changed dramatically since I started and I don’t bemoan it, we have to adapt,” Redman says. “Whether it’s new forms, disclosures or just taking better notes, we have to keep up.”
Technology has also played a key role in changing how advisors operate, and although Redman likes to keep up with changes, he knows he isn’t as dedicated to utilizing technology as some of his industry counterparts.
“Things like social media are not a big part of my operation, but I know a lot of advisors use it successfully; it’s a new way to market,” Redman says. “When I got into the business you would buy a list of leads or open the yellow pages and start calling associations. Nowadays, you are not allowed to do that, so you have to find different ways to get your name out there and social media seems to be the way.”
“But I have been able to continually grow my business almost entirely through referrals. I don’t do a lot of marketing, I just serve my existing clients well and hope they tell people about me.”
Related stories:
Former advisor slapped with $200,000 fine and lifetime ban
How CRM2 is changing the advisor-client relationship
