‘I am here to sell you a policy’

By Aldert Brink, Head of Retail Distribution Enablement at Momentum Investments

I have been fortunate enough to have a career spanning more than two decades in the financial services industry in various roles in amazing businesses in our industry.

My personal story highlights the value of financial advice. And as a business, we believe in the value of advice and the importance of professional guidance.

Being a financial adviser for a few years allowed me the privilege of being part of the life journey of my clients. I do, and with a big smile, clearly recall my first ever client visit.

It was six in the evening. I was early but drove around the block for 15 minutes to be right on time. I knew the client from social interactions, but we weren’t close friends. I nervously knocked on the door and was coldly greeted with: “Honey, the guy who wants to sell you a policy is here. And tell him to hurry up!”

The last year was a world in turmoil. In almost every social interaction you hear of a relative or friend affected by the pandemic from a health or a financial perspective. Household names like Greyhound and Musica is the latest of a long list of trusted brands that sadly won’t be here anymore. And behind all these stories are real people – families and businesses – and their daily struggle to survive this pandemic.

For me 2021 started with the loss of a relative that I deeply cared for and our family’s lives were turned upside down. On the one hand you have the cold reality of grieving the loss of a loved one and dealing with the pain. Then there is the task and honour of assisting your family with navigating piles of forms and paperwork dealing with the deceased’s estate.

The last few weeks has once again reminded me of the immeasurable value of financial advice and partnering with a financial adviser. During the last few days my wife and I made the effort of speaking to our financial adviser. We subsequently updated our wills, nominated beneficiaries, reviewed the plans for our children, as well as reviewed our plans and provisions for retirement. This included a discussion about our personal wishes for our own funerals with the full appreciation of how tough the first week can be when you lose a loved one.

Financial advisers can play an important role by mapping out a financial plan for every client’s unique needs – making sure that not only insurance and investments are in place, but also that clients’ wills and overall estate planning are in order.

At Momentum Investments, we see financial advisers as partners and provide them with the necessary practical tools, insights and customised solutions to help meet their clients’ financial needs and help them achieve their goals effectively. Our outcome-based investing lets advisers focus on the right conversation – your clients’ holistic financial wellness, by thinking beyond the benchmark and helping them achieve their investment goals. And we offer a diverse range of specialised services and investment units, providing advisers with comprehensive solutions, to help them to cater to their clients’ broad investment needs.

I salute all our health workers and medical professionals for serving our country over the last 12 months. But I also want to salute our financial planning professionals for the important work they are doing during these turbulent times.

Although I am still very much part of the financial services industry, I haven’t been a financial adviser for quite some time and lost contact with my first client and their life journey.

I now have a different role, but at Momentum Investments we understand everyone is different and your clients don’t invest for the sake of investing. They want to make their dreams and aspirations come to life.

With us, it is indeed personal.

Like that first ever client visit. I went home that evening with the knowledge that a family had a financial plan in place that would serve them well during troublesome times, like we are facing now. And yes, I can proudly say that I was the guy that also sold them a policy.

Momentum Investments is part of Momentum Metropolitan Life Limited, an authorised financial services and registered credit provider (FSP 6406).