How lucky am I to meet with successful businessmen and entrepreneurs on a monthly basis? Have you ever received advice or picked the brain of a successful businessmen from outside your own country?
Well, I have. It was not in a situation where one would pay to attend a key note speaker surrounded by hundreds of other attendees. It was in his own home. Sitting on his couch, next to him. Sharing Arabic coffee, dates, and homemade sweets.
Having experienced both, it is easy to say that one is much more at ease sitting in his den rather than in front of a crowd, no matter how successful one can be.
I never even dreamed of the opportunity to speak privately with people of such stature (wealth managers, business owners, etc.). When I joined TIMC, no one mentioned this would be one of the incredible opportunities afforded to me as an advisor. It is, however, safe to say that one creates their own opportunities by being curious and interested.
These people that I meet are clients. We know each other because of a transaction, and a common goal, technically. However, the value relies in what you make of the meeting. Some people refer to as the “small talk” before discussing business. I strongly disagree. The small talk is for those who are uninterested. For those who have a narrow vision.
This is how I see it: I have the chance to sit one on one with an ultra high net worth individual, in his own home. I am a young businessman, building my career. Now is the time to ask. You realize that people love speaking about their achievements, especially to those who are genuinely curious, like me. Over the last few years, I have learned so much about myself, but also about the realities that make somebody successful. Everyone has their own path, yet there always seems to be a few things that these people have in common.
One of these things is determination and drive. Luckily, it seems like I have these qualities and they inspire me to become a better version of myself; full of positive energy and hope that I can make the world a better place and accomplish my career objectives.
I thought it was important to share this benefit. Very few people can say this about their job. After all, this is quite a unique business model and as an advisor, we have everything to gain from it.
Cultivating the relationships with our clients is enlightening and inspiring. A few of them, I would even call mentors and friends today.