ES: Please tell us anything on your business or processes which you believe makes you stand out from the other IFAs in the industry? How has it helped you in making your business more successful?

Deepak: Being in the financial industry for the last 16 years, I have noticed that the biggest mistake we financial advisors make that is we classify our clients into ‘Class’ and ‘Mass’.

So firstly, I believe that every client of mine, whether he belongs to the HNI segment or the lower middle-class segment, requires proper financial planning. In fact, clients from the lower segment need more care and awareness in investment strategies. My clients range from big corporate houses to a roadside Chaiwala vendor, the CEO of a company to the office boy of that company. I treat them all equally in terms of financial planning and management.

Secondly, I generally try to market mutual funds in the B30 city segment, where I believe the awareness of mutual funds is yet to be reached. Though the scenario has drastically changed in the past couple of years. The knowledge and understanding of mutual funds are still needed. There need to be more awareness on mutual funds and the reason why “mutual funds Sahi hai”

ES: In the last Dhanteras SIP Login day, you had registered great success. Please tell us about what your strategy was and the activities you did to make the SIP Login Day successful.

Deepak: Diwali and Dhanteras are considered very auspicious days in Hindu families. It is believed that buying something precious in the form of gold and silver will bring prosperity to the family. The idea of Dhanteras SIP day was for the same reason, only to bring prosperity to your family by means of investment in mutual funds.

Few days before D Day, I conveyed the same message to all my clients and showed them the last 20 years return of investment in gold and silver vis-a-vis the return of a diversified mutual fund.

I was fortunate that my clients bought the idea and I was able to bag No.1 partner in the zone on that particular day

ES: Please tell us of your preferred method /strategy to promote SIP investments today which has been giving good results. Can you share any valuable suggestion /piece of advice to our Partners to be successful in promoting SIPs?

Deepak: As we know that we can't have a rainy season all year. We have to go through the dry season. So the idea is to be well prepared in advance for that dry phase. I generally focus on client acquisition on that particular of time no matter whether I get investments from them or not. I just focus that at least they have opened an Ewealth account with us. As I said earlier that I don’t differentiate my clients in terms of their financial status. So I acquire enough clients, open an Ewealth account for them and thereafter send them the videos and images from NJ Bizmall which focuses on benefits of SIP. I think NJ India invest is taking pretty good initiative promoting SIP. I along with my Branch Head organize various client meets where we educate them about the benefits of SIP. Our strategy is clear - open as much as Ewealth accounts as possible. By means of Ewealth account, I am able to cater services to my clients who reside even out of my city Kolkata. Otherwise, it would not be possible for me to get business from them through physical mode. So, the digitalization of the process has been really helpful to me and my clients.

ES: Lastly, please share any mantra or guiding philosophy or any personal habits that you follow in your life or business to be successful.

Deepak: The mantra is simple- hard work and perseverance. In our business perseverance is really required as the scenarios around us change frequently. Added to it client acquisition should be the major focus. Our joint MD Neeraj bhai conducted a session on client acquisition during last PBC held in Mumbai 2018 and I was thoroughly inspired by him. So, I follow the same funda and gather as much as clients as possible irrespective of the financial strata they belong to.

Mr. Manoj Mani Agarwal

ES: Please tell us anything on your business or processes which you believe makes you stand out from the other IFAs in the industry? How has it helped you in making your business more successful?
Manoj: I believe that keeping your clients aligned to their financial goals is of utmost importance. I have continuously tried to make my clients aware of the market volatility risks and how to turn them in their favour. So client awareness is my mantra of success.

ES: In the last Dhanteras SIP Login day, you had registered great success. Please tell us about what your strategy was and the activities you did to make the SIP Login Day successful.
Manoj: Any SIP begun at anytime can turn into a valuable asset for the investors. Period of Dhanteras is considered to be an auspicious time for new investments. Therefore putting both the philosophy together we urged all our clients to increase their SIP and most of them followed our suggestions.

ES: Please tell us of your preferred method /strategy to promote SIP investments today which has been giving good results. Can you share any valuable suggestion /piece of advise to our Partners to be successful in promoting SIPs?
Manoj: It's a myth that SIP is only good for fixed income investors like the salaried ones. We have explained to self employed persons that they can always invest lump sum in short tenure funds and use them to fund their SIP. Almost all have liked the idea of SWP with SIP attached. The benefit being that even when those funds get exhausted the clients are willing to keep funding such SIP which would not happened with STP.

ES: Lastly, please share any mantra or guiding philosophy or any personal habits that you follow in your life or business to be successful.
Manoj: Learning about client behavior is attending seminars and Meetings of NJ and partner AMC, regularly reading of financial market analysis on various reputed websites and last but not the least never to repeat mistakes in investment which we made in past.

ES: Please tell us anything on your business or processes which you believe makes you stand out from the other IFAs in the industry? How has it helped you in making your business more successful?
Barun:With my past experience and ideas in sales and development, joined in sep.2017 with this industry.

Below are the few things I believe is important to stand out in the business:

• Know your business very well with purpose and process.
• Which business will give you continuous revenue on a long term basis and will take care of your retirement solution with the family legacy.
• Focus on your client growth, not your growth. If the client grows automatically you will grow.
• Open your own office and create your own band value with strong support systems i.e. who are you?
• Strong your back office that is your client support system.
• Set your own goal with S.M.A.R.T way. Dream big and deliver it in a daring way with the process.

ES: In the last Dhanteras SIP Login day, you had registered great success. Please tell us about what your strategy was and the activities you did to make the SIP Login Day successful.
Barun:I always prefer NJ due to the on-line platform it offers and the main that I associated with the NJ. Because on-line platform will help you immensely to scale your business and will help you to give proper service to your client, otherwise it becomes laborious and costly in a long run. As far as Dhanteras login day is concern the main and only thing I did is to make them aware. I successfully managed to create a hype among my clients about ”DHANTARAS DAY” by calling them, mailing about it, and sent whatsapp images etc. The rest is done by the NJ digital platform, it helps me immensely to achieve my goal.

ES: Please tell us of your preferred method /strategy to promote SIP investments today which has been giving good results. Can you share any valuable suggestion /piece of advice to our Partners to be successful in promoting SIPs?
Barun:I have simple offering in terms of MF investments and insurance. I always try to convince the client to have these 3 things with them / family. This is my belief and experience, the same thing I wanted to have for my clients.

Generally, after setting goals/family needs or after doing any investment analysis when you come to conclusion that one needs to invest certain amount of money on monthly basis and on lumpsum to achieve that goal then it always easy for an investor to decide. And monthly investment mode is the mode always preferred by the most investors as its quite difficult or sometime even impossible to invest a big amount in lumpsum.

The other thing is, market never have single side movement (upside), its always have ups and down. The market volatility is good to beat by the SIP, rather than one-time investment in the long run and client will always reap the benefits of rupee cost averaging – the inherent feature of the SIP.

I always try to educate the customer about SIP and many a times help them to google about SIP history on their mobile only. That is my only success.

ES: Lastly, please share any mantra or guiding philosophy or any personal habits that you follow in your life or business to be successful.
Barun:My Mantra in my life as well as my business.

• Clear your Vision.
• Set your own goal with the time frame.
• Make your disciplined habit and follow the process ethically with P.A.P.S.D.R.

P= Prospecting Habit.
A= appointment booking with calling habit.
P= problem identification that is need analysis/ goal setting habit .
S= find out the solution habit
D= decision making habit
R= Refer lead habit

That is my success mantra.

Mr. Arvind Shrikrishna Latkar
Kolhapur

I am a Post graduate in commerce from Shivaji University Kolhapur. Born & brought up in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, I started my career in a local company as a Costing Analyst. Then in 1992, I joined a Co-operative Bank. In 2004 I started Insurance advisory with LIC, and reached at ZM Club member level within 4 years. After 15 years of successful service in the Bank, in Dec 2006, I resigned from Branch Manager position with a view to become a full time Financial Advisor. In the year 2008, I started my own venture, ARVIND INVESTMENTS, a complete financial planning and investment centre and our tagline was Securing Life Creating Wealth.

ES: Please introduce yourself and also share your vision and mission or goals in life.

Arvind: I belong to Kolhapur, and am a Post graduate in Commerce from Shivaji University Kolhapur. After working in a local company as a costing analyst, then as a banker in a co-operative bank for 15 years, I switched to full time financial advisory business. I started ARVIND INVESTMENTS - “Securing Life Creating Wealth” in the year 2008. The ideology was and has always remained being client centric and focus is on comprehensive financial planning for clients.

My vision is to make maximum number of families financially secure & wealthy, so that they live free from financial worries., in line with our tagline - Securing Life Creating Wealth.

My mission is reaching an AUM of Rs. 1,000 Cr. by 2028.

ES: What inspired you to choose the career of a financial advisor/distributor?

Arvind: While working in the Bank, in 2001 I got an opportunity to develop a new Branch as a Branch Manager. I grabbed the opportunity, worked very hard in building and maintaining customer relationships and within 2 years, I was able to gain a sizeable business for the Bank. While interacting with the Bank customers I realized that many people do have money but they are not investing it properly. Most of them are not thinking beyond short term, and don’t know of any investment other than the traditional Bank FD's, Post Office saving schemes & LIC. Some of them are only fascinated by returns earned by other people from Stock Markets, Mutual Funds but were afraid to invest their own money in Equity. At the same time, I was investing in Stocks & Mutual Funds since 2001 and had earned good returns, so I realized that it’s a powerful investment tool for creating wealth. Also, since college days I wanted to do something of my own, hence I decided to become a financial advisor and use my knowledge & experience to help people take the right investment decisions.

ES:What made you to join NJ as an NJ Partner ?

Arvind: When I started my advisory practice, I was of a strong view to include Mutual Funds as an investment tool in my product offerings. I was searching for the right opportunity and in July 2007, NJ started its branch in Kolhapur. I approached the NJ Branch Manager and sought details on the business model, support, working platform etc., and decided to become an NJ Partner. I am proud to be the FIRST PARTNER of NJ KOLHAPUR Branch. Since Sep 2007, I am associated with NJ as a Partner.

ES: Do you promote the idea of savings through MF SIP among your clients?

Arvind: SIP is the best way to invest in a Mutual Fund. With its unique step by step investment model, it silently contributes to creating huge wealth for Investors. It’s the best method to achieve one's financial goals. Hence, I always promote SIP for all terms in various types of Mutual Funds. NJ’s GAP presentations and Financial Planning Tool, have been very helpful to me in understanding the SIP model and the benefits offered.

ES: Client communications is an integral part of your business. Please share any best practices / services related to communications adopted by you.

Arvind: Proper communication with clients is important to build conviction and confidence. Hence since last 10 years I am arranging client meets regularly, in recent years, I have increased the frequency to 4 meetings in Kolhapur and 1 in Pune. I also share investing concepts, and the impact of economic changes with my clients. I generally have one to one meets with HNI clients. NJ’s MCS, Bizmall products are very helpful communication tools. Courier activity helps to be in touch with clients. Addressing the clients in tough Market / Economic situations is more important than in good market conditions.

ES: How much importance do you give to Insurance in your advisory practice?

Arvind: Sampoorna Suraksha is important. Insurance covers financial losses due to unexpected emergencies in life. Hence, my product basket comprises Insurance and I advise my clients that they should take adequate insurances to cover most risks.

ES:How do you educate and convince your clients for mutual funds, especially the first time investors?

Arvind: To begin with, I try to educate investors and show to them how Mutual Fund investments have fared as compared to Bank FD's, Post Office schemes, LIC, PPF, etc. The idea is to make them aware about the impact of inflation, taxation, interest rate fluctuations etc., on their future life. I show to the investors a comparison between the returns from various asset classes and explain how different types of Mutual Funds can help them achieve various goals in life. NJ's financial tools are of immense use in the above exercise.

ES: Your experience with NJ's technology initiatives in terms of various Desks for Clients & Partners ?

Arvind: We propagate the concept of `Your Investment passbook at your finger tips’ using NJ's Client Desk Mobile App, It has helped me in adding a number of new clients. Financial needs analysis tool is the best feature of the desk to evaluate the goals achievement status of clients, and take appropriate investment decisions to achieve the targets in time. Opening of E-Wealth account through Mobile phone is really a revolutionary step by NJ. You can add new clients any time and from anywhere.

ES: What advantages do you feel NJ E-Wealth offers to both Clients and Partners?

Arvind: With NJ E-Wealth Account, our business is free from all geographical barriers. We can get clients onboard easily and quickly, the client can do all types of MF transactions in minutes, and all of this can be done through a mobile phone. The processes are very simple and hassle free, thus E-Wealth has made ours as well as the investor's life simple.

ES: What type of a boss / leader do you see yourself as? What is the image of the ideal boss that you aspire to become?

Arvind: I am of the thought process that a boss should know all details of the work, right from the root, but he should not do things that his employees can do. He should have the skill to get the work done from staff properly. I always share my vision of the business with my staff, so that they are familiar with what we want to achieve, it gives them a sense of direction. We always communicate that their growth depends on the business' growth, so the employees work hard to support the business' growth.

ES: Can you share any incident /event which has had a lasting impact on you or your business as a financial advisor /distributor?

Arvind: In 2014, some NJ partners of Kolhapur Branch formed a group `THINK BIG’ with the concept ‘Come together, Grow together’, where people shared their knowledge and experiences to help each other and grow together. Also, over my career I met some successful NJ Partners who inspired me for consistent and dedicated hard work. I realized that in business, knowledge sharing is important, and can take you miles ahead in a short period of time.

ES: How do you assess /see the future of financial advisory business in India? How can Partners be ready / prepared to make the most of it?

Arvind: There is immense scope for mutual fund business in non metro cities and villages. There is a pressing need to reach there and educate people to convince them to invest in Mutual Funds.

We, as NJ Partners can convince them that “Mutual fund sahi hai bhai tumhare liye bhi” and we should grab this untapped market. Technology can help you grow manifold in this endeavour.

ES: Self evaluation and assessment is something we all should do regularly. How do you assess yourself and/or your business? Are there any specific parameters you refer to?

Arvind: Self evaluation is an important part of my development. I always discuss about my developments, targets, changing business scenarios, etc., with my wife Mrinal to get a third party perspective. Our NJ Kolhapur Branch Manager, Shrikant Gabale is also very keen in this regard, he consistently tracks my progress & keeps me updated. I also seek guidance from our Regional Manager, Mr. Swapnil Admane from time to time.

ES: How much importance do you give to Asset Allocation & Risk Profiling while offering solutions to clients needs?

Arvind: These are the key factors that go into taking investment decisions. Asset allocation and risk profiling ensures the investment plan is in line with the financial position, needs and goals of the investors.

ES: Winning the trust of a client is not an easy task. How do you think you can win the trust of Clients?

Arvind: My client centric approach has helped me a lot in winning clients' trust. They are confident that Arvind Investments is a one stop solution for all of their investment needs. I don’t force clients into investments, rather I give them time to take a sound decision, after taking into consideration all factors.

ES: What suggestion / advice would you like to give to new partners who have not yet established themselves in the business?

Arvind: Dedication, Hard work and Loyalty towards clients is the Key to Success. Don’t lose your patience and keep doing the good work.

ES: Could you please share your short term and long term targets for your business.

Arvind: Current AUM is Rs 54 Cr. & Live SIP is Rs 58 lakh. As Neeraj Sir and Jignesh Sir always say, my Long term Goal is Rs. 1000 Cr AUM.