Yesterday, I wrote a LinkedIn post about an offer to help and I thought I should write the same message to our clients.
Sunday night, I read a post from a friend I know to be of strong character. He said he cut and pasted his post from a friend who wrote it (or maybe he cut/pasted too) and they both encouraged others to cut/paste the message. As I read my friend’s post, I thought to myself, “I need to do the same”. So I did on LinkedIn and here it is on our new website (my first written blog…hope it works). The message was simple – I am happy to help those who may find themselves needing some sort of help due to the virus and it’s effects.
These are hard times for everyone. This virus has changed everyone’s life to some degree, some more serious than others, but we are all feeling the effects of the virus and going on one year.
I would include myself and my family as being fortunate. We are healthy, we have our jobs, we have the use of technology to stay in touch with friends and family and we have a roof over our heads. Heck, my only daily change is I work out in our basement gym every morning (never going back to a public gym) and I drive to work vs taking the subway. Not much change for me. Sure, I miss spending more time with friends and family but there are ways of at least staying in touch…like actually making a phone call. Technology is so advanced, you can ride your bike in the house on a trainer with specific software that enables you to ride with friends close or far (you can race against someone across the globe if you like). Anyway, I feel blessed in many ways.
For others, their life may have changed dramatically. Sickness due to the virus, dealing with older parents who are alone and possibly exposed, losing a job, struggling running a business, etc. Some charts on the effects of the virus outside of the physical effects are mindboggling.
For those who have been hurt by this virus, I make an offer to help anyway I can. It would likely be more on the networking/business side of things as I am obviously not a trained therapist (but am happy to talk).
I honestly love networking and connecting people. There is no ulterior motive to it…I just love doing it. Pre-Covid, I would be across the street at the Lavazza coffee shop 3 days a week (sometimes multiple times per day) meeting people. I would meet with friends, business associates, new contacts, children of friends who were interested in business or specifically my path…anyone. For the past year, I would say my coffee intake has dropped substantially (truth be told I have only been drinking espresso for 3yrs so I am not a real coffee drinker).
But I am still networking – today I had a one hour call with a guy I did not know but he was given my name by a mutual friend. He is starting his own Portfolio Management company and wanted to pick my brain on how I started High Rock, some of the service providers we use, etc. I didn’t hold back much info and, this guy could be a competitor. Happy to help him as people helped me when I started over 10yrs ago.
Tomorrow I have a call with another guy starting his own firm. Then I have a call with a UBC BComm student looking for a summer job (I already told him we could not hire him but I would be happy to speak with him). You get the picture.
So my offer of Help is the following:
- In between successes and want to network to see where it leads?
- Starting your own firm?
- Looking for a new challenge? Re-tooling your skillset?
- Have a child interested in Finance and want some perspective on different schools and paths to follow? (I use to have kids in at the office quite frequently and talk their ears off…now that would be via Teams/Zoom but happy to do it)
Want to get into road biking and want info on what type of bike or indoor trainer (no, not a Peleton) to buy?
My offer is sincere. I remember what it is like. When I left Merrill Lynch in 2008, I was in need of reaching out to people for help so I remember the importance of building a network (ongoing for life) and getting some help along the way.
Reach out. Happy to Help.
Paul