Sure, they talk about out-of-this-world things like “mutual funds,” “annuities,” “peso-cost averaging” but really, financial advisors ain’t that scary. Nor do they mean to cause death-by-nosebleed.
I know the fight or flight instinct is very strong in us right-brain creative types when it comes to finance folks (the tailored suit and the sometimes unnatural speech can be frightful and alienating, indeed, but bear with them as they do know something pretty important and useful that most of us don't.)
So when someone introduces herself to you as a financial advisor, please contain the urge to run away screaming. I encourage you, instead, to take a deep breath and to stay put. Think happy thoughts, if you need to. You'll discover, as I have, that when you hear them out with a relaxed, open mind, much of what they have to say actually makes a lot of sense.
In fact, when received with the right attitude, financial advisors can be our most passionate enablers. Our dreams' biggest fans. Our supportive mothers on steroids.
Want to open your own bookshop and cafe?
Well, these folks are trained to create the financial roadmap to help us get from where we are to where we want to be.
We all know that we need to get ourselves, our families, our companies, our communities on the road to sustainable financial freedom and security. Often, though, we don’t know where or how to begin. (Kasi naman, hello, it’s not taught in our schools, unless you’re a business or economics major).
Well, I didn’t know how or where to begin. That is, until I decided to take Martiani or Martian-language classes (yes, nose bleedy at the beginning, but OK lang, guys. Kaya, kayaaaa…) to mine the treasures of that world—the financial world--and to make financial literacy (simply put, money smarts) work for me.
Start your film production company?
Set up that foundation?
Purchase your beach house/bed-and-breakfast?
Take that trip to the Mediterranean?
Sustain your advocacy?
Finally write that novel?
Or just take a year off to figure out what you want to do next?
Aaand still pay rent or the mortgage, send the kids to college, care for your aging parents, and prepare for your Second Act (known to most—but not you--as “retirement”)?
Well, these folks are trained to create the financial roadmap to help us get from where we are to where we want to be.
I really hope you can make it work for you, too. Be proactive and do your own research. Find out which companies offer financial planning services and which ones are reputed to do it well. Usually, the longer a company has been providing that service, the sturdier and more trustworthy it is.
Then you can actually invite the "alien" over for coffee or tea. You might find out how much more interesting life on Earth can be.
Right, Gertie? :)
