Although the hospitality and finance industries are very different, I believe that successful hotel general managers have a lot in common with financial planners in terms of what is needed to excel in the field. In this article, I explore some of the parallels between the two roles.
I love finding out about the various jobs that my clients do. I have worked with several hotel general managers over the years, helping them to put in place a comprehensive financial plan to build and protect their wealth. Chatting with them about their role and the challenges they face is always fascinating.
I recently came across an article outlining the 10 habits of a successful hotel manager and it got me thinking about some of the key prerequisites required to do that job that are also necessary for me to stand out in my role as a financial planner.
These are some of the elements that I bring to the party every time that I work with a client on their financial planning.
A financial planner needs to be decisive
The challenges I come up against day-to-day are very different from those that hotel general managers face but one thing we have in common is the need to be decisive.
The point of financial planning is to help clients put in place a strategy to achieve their financial goals. That involves defining specific objectives with the client and then proposing solutions to achieve them.
My clients appreciate my decisive thinking which helps them navigate a constantly evolving and extremely complex financial landscape. It gives them peace of mind that the products and strategies they choose are aligned with their tolerance to risk.
A financial planner needs a supportive team
A hotel manager relies on their team for the smooth running of a hotel. I too, rely on a team of support staff to help me consistently deliver first-class customer service.
My clients appreciate the fact that I am their dedicated financial adviser, providing consistent guidance on financial planning and wealth management over the long term. However, I couldn’t do it without the assistance of Infinity’s incredible client servicing team who do the administrative legwork to support me. They deal with any issues and provide fast and accurate responses to client inquiries.
A financial planner needs the right technology
Technology is transforming every industry and hotel management is no different. A hotel manager will use technological tools to streamline bookings, manage the guest experience, and train employees.
Technology has also brought huge benefits to me and my clients.
Infinity has invested in cutting-edge tools to deliver the best possible financial planning solutions to our clients. These include a sophisticated risk profiling tool to establish our client’s tolerance to risk and cash modeling software to enable real-time calculations for shortfall planning.
Our bespoke data management system, Wealthcraft, is a ground-breaking secure investment portal that houses all elements of the financial planning process including proposals, client communications, tracking, their investment portal, compliance information, and documents in one robust and secure system. Clients have 24/7 password-protected access to all the data that concerns them.
Are you a hotel general manager looking for financial planning advice?
If you are a hotel general manager in South East Asia and you are looking for a Chartered Financial Planner to work with you to help you manage your wealth and secure your financial future, feel free to set up an initial meeting with me to find out if we are a good fit.
Chartered Financial Planner
It is my fundamental belief that financial planning makes life better. I enjoy helping my clients work towards their financial goals to give them freedom and choice.
