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UnCANNed – Nick’s Pick of the News

UnCANNed is a regular but light-hearted feature brought to you from Nick Cann, CEO, at the IFP. Well known for his forthright views and straight talking, UnCANNed is Nick’s new weekly update bringing you his thoughts on a topical Financial Planning issue in true Nick Cann style.

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Blog #40 Half term Nonsense - 02/11/2009

Half term week and a great opportunity to spend time with the family oh yes and find a new PA and fit in an FT award dinner in London on Tuesday night as well. I am sure it would have seemed more like a holiday if we had gone away and conveniently forgotten the blackberry! Well some of the above achieved with a new PA, Jenna, who will start on 9^th November. She has a big act to follow because Amy has done a great job for the IFP and has shown what can be achieved if you set your mind to something.

Recruitment is key for any business and the IFP is blessed with two great relationships to help with this process. Many moan about the costs and benefits of using a firm but I have to say that we see strong benefit and value from both relationships. On a local basis in Bristol, we use a mad woman called Jackie Boulding from Spec Recruitment in Bristol (www.specrecruitment.co.uk). She understands our business and always sends a really good choice of relevant candidates. On a professional basis I can never speak too highly of the work that Justina Williams of Evolve Consulting (www.e-volveconsulting.co.uk) does to find Certified Financial Planner professionals for Financial Planning and Wealth Management businesses.

It was a great treat for me as well as a big worry to take my 15 year old daughter Jemma to the FT new breed adviser awards on Tuesday night. All went well and she was particularly interested to meet Barry Horner (she thought that his name was Barry Horney) and to find out that he had a “fit” son of a similar age who does modelling for one of the top stores! Perhaps this is a thought for the future if we want to find more young people for the profession – “Bring a child along to a dinner” and find out what an exciting career you could have in Financial Planning. It was a great privilege to receive a “lifetime achievement award” on behalf of Paul Etheridge FIFP, CFP. Highly deserved and slightly amusing because I was photographed receiving the award! The pictures will also show a number of different front rows because the guest was Declan Curry and the Editor was Padraig Floyd who despite being lovely blokes both look like prop forwards.

With the excitement surrounding X factor, I thought that I would challenge my daughter Bec at Singstar. She was able to choose the music and outrageously, she chose ABBA songs which I have to say don’t necessarily suit my voice. This was proved when despite us being so very close, she just managed to win 10-3! However, I was brilliant at SOS (probably because I needed help).

Despite this humiliation, I was able to thrash my son Rhys at Pool on a regular basis (he did win occasionally when I potted the black at the wrong time!). I also managed to win at tennis! I also realise that at some stage this trend will change and so therefore must make the most of these victory stories!

To round off the week, we managed to become a two horse family despite my better judgement! I have become the owner of a racehorse. The only problem is that the horse is 13 and finished racing 8 years ago! I think that I could now be as fast over 5 furlongs!

Anyway packing my bags now ready for a week in Dublin at the FPSB CFP Council meeting. Much to report on next week providing that I can remember what has happened assuming the Irish hospitality is up to normal standards. Have a good week; my journey began at 4.30am this morning!

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