Success as a Financial Advisor For Dummies

Chapter 1

Looking at the Big Picture

IN THIS CHAPTER

Deciding the kind of financial advisor you want to be

Conducting a quick self-assessment

Getting up to speed on the basics

Building and growing your client base

Making the leap to starting and running your own firm

Becoming a successful financial advisor is a process that involves deciding the kind of financial advisor you want to be, developing the personal and professional attributes that make you a natural for the job, obtaining the formal education and training required, gaining on-the-job experience, and then honing your skills as you build your practice.

The acid test is whether you consistently enable clients to achieve their financial goals. This test sounds easy enough, but like any marathon or triathlon, the path to victory is strewn with potential pitfalls. Success depends on your ability to carefully balance your clients’ risks and returns (their liabilities and assets) while keeping them from veering off course. To ...