I originally drew these to share with other advisors. I’ve always thought the we are too competitive and not as fraternal as other professions. We are reluctant to show our vulnerabilities amongst one another. The comics created affinity as we could laugh about situations we’ve all experienced.
They were also a way to push back. It seemed like everyone was coming at us. There were lots of new regulations and tv commercials criticizing our fees making caricatures of us. It felt like we needed to show the other side that they have their quirks too. I believe that we should be able to laugh at almost anything. Taking care of money is serious business, but it’s ok to pause and get a chuckle once in a while.
But more than anything, it’s about discipline. I think as advisors, our biggest challenge is to keep people on strategy. Human nature and investor psychology will always try to pull away. A great advisor understands a client’s sensibilities and values and knows how bring them back on plan. Sometimes the most tactful way to do that is stop, smile, scratch your head and point out where their thinking is taking them. You’ll both have a laugh and get back the strategy, in a serious way of course.
