I had a great conversation, initially face to face and followed by WhatsApp messages, with a unit trust agent lately. Let's name her Nancy, OK? OK, Nancy has a full time job. At the same time, she has her own dream. She hold a part time job as unit trust agent to get more income.
One fine day, we WhatsApp and chat about career as a independent financial planner. The idea of uninterruptible passive income through managing clients' funds caught her. As an independent financial planner, we are not bound by any company to produce sales or to maintain quota. We only proposed the most suitable product according to client's need, and not to maintain quota.
As compared, agents under direct agency system will need to produce sales to maintain their contracts. The strong point is, some agents will produce excellent sales. The weak point is, elder agents will have problems keeping up with the pressure.
So, Nancy likes the idea of uninterruptible passive income. She is a degrees holder, so she qualifies to enroll into CFP program. The best thing is, since she already has passed unit trust exam, she further qualifies to skip Module 1 of CFP program. She only need to attend a Tax Planning workshop and be on the way to enroll into Module 2 of CFP. IF everything goes well, she will complete her CFP in 1.5 years and be ready to join a financial planning firm to practice.
She has some fears.
She fears the financial planning firm will terminate if she doesn't produce enough. She fears she cannot cope two responsibilities. She fears her present unit trust company will also go into financial planning business so her career will hang in between. She fears her present unit trust company will terminate her contract if they find out she's taking up a CFP program.
But at the same time, she doesn't want to be like her agency manager. Her manager is in the 50s. But she still has to rush her and there to recruit and do sales. She pities her.
I can clearly see she has mental block. I tried to let her see she doesn't has to depend on her present unit trust company. A true excellent corporate should allow and encourage their agents to excel; give them the tools needed as we move into highly competitive world. I shared the market changes in Singapore, Australia and India. Those markets are moving into low or nil commission environment; encouraging agents to switch to provide advisory service to be remunerated.
Frankly, I once fear - just like her. But now, I know change is here to stay. Single business agency system will face greater challenges in future. I believe financial planning advisory will slowly gain ground. Therefore, I think she doesn't has to fear anything. If she excel in financial planning business, she can leave any job.
We all must leave our comfort zone. The more we stay in there, the more unwilling we are to leave. The more unwilling we are to leave, the more we will place ourselves in a difficult situation. A vicious cycle. We are in charge of our life. It should not be in another company's hand.
I hope she will slowly move on. One step a time, slowly. Let's move on together.
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我有幸跟一位年轻的信托基金代理员进行有趣的对话，先是面对面的交谈，尔后是在WhatApp里。我们暂时称她为南丝好了。南丝有一份全职工作。她有自己的梦想。因此，她兼了一份信托基金代理员的工作来增加收入。
有一天，我们在WhatsApp里聊到了以独立理财规划师的事业。其中不间断的被动收入深深的吸引她。独立理财规划师不被任何公司规定须提交业绩。我们仅需依据顾客的需要来建议最适合的理财产品，而非依据公司的要求。
比较起来，代理员制度下的代理员必须提交业绩以持续成为该公司的代理员。这里的好处是代理员可以提交高业绩，而弱点则是年纪稍大的代理员可能会面对这方面的压力。
南丝是喜欢不间歇被动收入的。她拥有学士学位，因此符合参加理财规划课程的学术条件。更妙的是，她即已经通过了信托基金考试更可以免读理财规划课程的第一个课程。她仅需参加一个所得税的讲解会就可以直接进入第二个课程。如果一切顺利的话，她在一年半后就可以读完整个课程。
但是她有所惧怕。
她怕理财公司会以销售额不足来中断合约。她怕不能兼顾两个职责。她怕她所代表的基金公司也可能发展理财业务。她怕该基金公司会因为进修理财课程而中断合约。
于此同时，她又不想像她的组织经理一样。年届五旬的经理依然必须冲上冲下的增员及行销。她挺可怜她的经理的。
可以看出她面临思想瓶颈。我尝试让她了解她无需以来现在的基金公司。成功的企业应该允许甚至鼓励代理员精益求精、给与代理员更多武器来面对充满挑战的世界。我也分享新加坡、澳洲及印度的发展。这些国家已经进入低佣金甚至零佣金的环境来鼓励代理员转型提供理财咨询服务来获取收入。
老实说，我也曾经一样害怕。但如今，我知道改变是实在必行的。代理员制度将面临很大的挑战。我相信理财咨询这一行将逐渐受欢迎。因此，我认为她无需感到害怕。如果她真的在理财领域大放色彩的话，那她是可以离开任何工作的。
我们都应该离开我们的舒适区域。我们越是停在那里，越是不想离开。越是不想离开，就越会把自己摆在困扰的环境里。这是一个恶性循环。负责我们人生的是我们自己，并不是其他的公司。
我希望她将慢慢踏出，一步一步慢慢的。让我们一起加油。
