Independence Day

Today I went to meet up with an Independent Financial Advisor's company.

What is an Independent FA? Independent Financial Advisers or IFAs are professionals who offer independent advice on financial matters to their clients and recommend suitable financial products from the whole of the market

as opposed to a normal services consultant or Agent which represents a single agency, could you imagine what possibilities that could lead to?! endless combinations of each and every product for every different purpose, perfect equilibrium of budget versus availability, total elimination of that age old question - why should i buy with (insert company name here).

i was really contemplating it, long and hard. should i switch so that i can offer my clients the best products of the market? should i stay so that i will be able to service claims efficiently? what would my clients say, what would my prospects say! what would my boss say!!!

my district is having an overseas "meeting" cum team-building session in Hong Kong, I've already put down deposits for the tickets. I'm sure my boss has invested innumerable hours of time and money on me.  I've already committed myself to so many potential clients that i would be around for them any time they needed ask a question on insurance, much less about digging out product information and servicing claims. what am i going to look like to all the people that told me "no one really STAYS in the insurance industry" if i just leave my company of choice after 3 months?

i feel immensely blessed that i have friends that have already supported me in my short time in AIA. they trust me completely to package products in a portfolio that best suits their needs and purely because they are my friends that they have chosen to support me.

i made a promise to these most important people, that i would try my best to be there when they needed my help (with AIA related issues or not).

coming across this opportunity to represent a myriad of other product providers really sucked the wind out of me. did i make a wrong decision in deciding to join an agency instead of an independent firm?

i had to do some serious soul-searching. i think that i am actually pretty easily brainwashed. gullible, naive and sometimes all too-trusting. i believe in things a little too easily and sometimes that makes me feel insecure about my decisions.

the only thing that i say gives me courage to propose a product or to go ahead with a particular configuration of products is knowing that my job is to help people.

why then am i so worried about what product am i selling, or whether the company is the right fit, or even the culture of the office is right?

one person i spoke to who has been in the industry for a fair number of years told me: no matter where you choose to go, people are going to see you for who you are. why do you want to give them a smoke screen full of products. if you're going to plan the best that you can plan for someone, that's really all that matters; you'll do well anyway.

and those are words to live by. hearing that restores my faith in myself. and i know for sure that i'm staying put and no matter what it takes, living up to my promise to be there as long as my clients need me, putting myself in their shoes and offering them the best i can possibly offer.

renewed and rejuvenated,
Jessica