Five times this year in five cities around the country, top women advisors gathered to boost their skills and get to know their peers at Women Advisors Forum events. They assembled for daylong meetings in Southern California and Florida, in Dallas, Chicago and New York. Watch for four more forums in the coming year.
"There is no better time to build a business than now," Kelly Rigas, a first vice president in the private client group of RBC Wealth Management, told attendees in Dallas in May. Women have a particular edge, she said: "Our natural inclinations are so well-suited for this business."
In fact, women represent 37% of high-net-worth investors in North America, according to a Schwab Advisor Services study released this year. Nearly half of them are self-made. Although only 20% of these women use advisors, 90% of the female investors surveyed said they want holistic advice that goes beyond portfolio management. Yet only half of firms surveyed have even a single female advisor.
A missed opportunity? Most likely - and one you can take advantage of. At every forum, attendees get tips from women with million-dollar practices, hear forecasts about domestic and international markets, and learn from experts in social media and compliance.
Hurricane Sandy forced the postponement of the Boston forum scheduled for Oct. 30. (It will soon be rescheduled.) To join the Women Advisors Forum community, and for more details on the rescheduled event and other 2013 forums, visit womenadvisorforum.ning.com.
CALENDAR
January
28-30 | OneVoice 2013
Financial Services Institute
Broker-Dealer Conference
San Diego (new location)
(888) 373-1840
financialservices.org
February
4-5 | IMCA
Investment Management Consultants Association
New York Consultants Conference
New York
imca.org
11-13 | T3
Technology Tools for Today
Miami
(303) 770-3377
technologytoolsfortoday.com
April
28-May 2 | NPC National Conference
National Planning Corp.
Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.
(800) 881-7174
joinnpc.com