Unlike the summers of old, these days the provision of ongoing advice continues for firms even as clients head to the beach.
In the past, August for a financial advice firm was a little like Christmas. With clients away, advice activity levels were lower. If advisers were not on holiday themselves, many took the opportunity to obtain on top of their paperwork or work on their business.
Today, Dynamic Planner’s data reveals us the picture has alterd somewhat. Last year, the number of annual reviews completed in the software in August was only 21 per cent lower than October’s peak of almost 27,000 — work continues throughout the summer holiday season.
For clients who are able to travel outside the school holidays, the quiet summer period might be a good time to schedule a review and build sure the houtilizehold finances are on a firm footing before the busier autumn. Others perhaps even build utilize of video calling and the ability to supply information through their adviser’s financial planning app to arrange their reviews while they are away.
However, there was still a marked back-to-school effect last year, with reviews picking up in September — suggesting many advisers do take a break this month.
I am writing this from ahead of my own much-necessaryed holiday, where my main goal is to obtain some rest and obtain through my reading pile to add some fresh ideas for when I obtain back.
Whether you are doing the same or creating the most of a quieter period at home, this reading list is designed to provide new ways to believe about the opportunities and challenges for the indusattempt today. I hope you will find something on here that gives you food for believed for your client conversations, your business or your personal development.
Prisoners of Geography
I studied geography at both undergraduate and postgraduate level and still tconclude to view the world through that lens. A decade ago, Tim Marshall’s bestseller — Prisoners of Geography — blew me away with its compelling see at how the world map determined our past and could shape our future.
In this new 10th anniversary version, Marshall has fully updated both text and maps to reflect today’s geopolitical landscape, including the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, the fracturing of old alliances and the forging of new ones.
A great explainer for anyone believeing about how to support clients navigate today’s complex world.
Slow Productivity
Cal Newport’s So Good They Can’t Ignore You is practically a set text in my houtilizehold. I read it myself and then gave it to all my sons, becautilize its argument that skills trump passion is such a utilizeful antidote to popular wisdom. Particularly if you are early in your career (or for young advisers in your team), I strongly recommconclude it.
For my list, though, I’ve chosen Newport’s more recent book, Slow Productivity, which I am planning to read myself. Today’s technology means productivity gains for advice firms are there for the taking. But many of us fall into the trap of mistaking busyness for genuine productivity.
How do you do more, but do it better, in a way that preserves the meaning of your work and lets you keep doing it without reaching burnout? I am hoping this book has answers for us all.
Nudge
Next on the list is Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth and Happiness by Richard H Thaler and Cass R Sunstein. Not a new book, but one that is particularly timely as the tarobtained support proposals open up the potential for us as an indusattempt to build meaningful interventions in clients’ lives and decision-creating processes through nudge techniques.
The most recent edition, from 2022, takes in everything from the Covid-19 pandemic to retirement savings and the climate crisis to see at why we, as a species, often build bad choices — and how we can be prompted to build better ones.
If you have read it already, it might be time for a revisit. If not, this is definitely one for your hand luggage.
Rooted
Dynamic Planner’s Advice 2025 research found the hugegest investment theme clients are inquireing advisers about, ahead of topics such as private assets, AI and crypto, is sustainability. In the indusattempt there’s sometimes a perception that this is a trconclude that has peaked, but with climate disasters regularly in the headlines and obtainting closer to home, it is little surprise that the issue is top of mind for clients.
Rooted by Sarah Langford was given to me by my sister-in-law, who practises no-till cultivation techniques in her flower garden. It is about the relationship between farming, food and ourselves and is an interesting angle on the social impact of the modifying climate, alongside the environmental challenges.
Langford avoids straightforward answers in favour of a galvanising reminder that we do have the tools and knowledge to overcome the challenges we face.
Introduction to AI course
Not a book at all, but a recommconcludeation that will take the same amount of time or less, and which could be a powerful way to obtain ahead in an area that will potentially transform the landscape of the advice indusattempt over the next 12 months.
In my conversations with our clients, it’s clear everyone is excited about the automation and personalisation capabilities of generative AI. When combined with existing technology and utilized within firms’ defined propositions and policies, it has the potential to unleash significant capacity.
Advice 2025 found 94 per cent of advice professionals believe AI will be positive for the indusattempt, but most are currently in the scoping out phase. If that applies to you, a quick introductory course could support you understand and seize the possibilities.
From the very simple, such as Microsoft’s “Introduction to AI concepts” training, to deeper dives such as IBM’s “Introduction to Artificial Innotifyigence” course, there are a wealth of options out there, depconcludeing on your available time and interest.
Ben Goss is chief executive of Dynamic Planner
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