Why the wealthy are not satisfied with their money

Jacoline Loewen

A business owner and her husband recently sold her family business for $50 million. When we met a few months after the sale, we talked about how her life was unfolding. Keep in mind that she and her husband had worked together for thirty years in their business.  Their favourite saying was, "When the client says JUMP, we say, how high?" You can gather that this couple were A type personalities and the level of adrenaline they created in their business had been enjoyable to them as a couple.  Now that pressure was completely removed. They could also now afford anything they wanted. All those trips they had postponed to keep their business humming were now available and they had the time.

The family went on a high-end cruise which sounds wonderful, but there was not a business for them with its pressures and its processes and people to great them after a relaxation period.  They had not replaced their busy and high pressured lives yet. Hopefully, they will find a new journey to challenge them.

This dissatisfaction with the new wealth and the freedom it brings can also amplify boredom and lack of purpose in people's lives. It is common with people who make sudden wealth. Money magnifies who they are.  If they were workoholics, it will be a while to find new ventures and challenges.

At a certain point, another million dollars doesn’t make anything newly affordable. That’s when other motivations take over.

This article in The Atlantic sums up this man's issue perfectly.

Excerpt:

As the number of millionaires and billionaires in the world climbs ever higher, there are a growing number of people who possess more money than they could ever reasonably spend on even the lushest goods.

But at a certain level of wealth, the next million isn’t going to suddenly revolutionize their lifestyle. What drives people, once they’ve reached that point, to keep pursuing more?

There are some good explanations, I found, after talking to a few people who’ve spent significant amounts of time in the presence of and/or researching the really, really rich. Michael Norton, a Harvard Business School professor who has studied the connections between happiness and wealth, had a particularly elegant model for understanding this pattern of behavior.


This article in The Atlantic

These 29 Retirement Tips May Surprise You

Tip #12: Beware of Annuities

My clients do not to have annuities in their portfolios, and with good reason. These complicated, lengthy contracts favour the companies that write them, not you. Annuity sales people get high commissions that come straight off the top of your investment savings. You can manage your retirement-income security needs in ways that'll cost you less. Said simply, if someone's going to guarantee you an income in an uncertain world, they're going to charge you enough to ensure the odds are in their favor - not yours.

Jacoline Loewen and Team

Annuities are for those who do not have a clue about how to manage their wealth and do not have a client advisor to assist them.  

If you would like a copy of the 29 Retirement Tips book, send me an email and I will forward you a copy.

 

Gain unique insight on a range of retirement topics, from investing and financial planning to travel and lifestyle, based on decades of experience working with successful retirees. This entertaining 31-page guide is chock-full of information to help you get the most out of your retirement, including:

•Tips to help you maximize your nest egg and avoid running out of money in retirement

•Ideas for making the most of time with your family and friends

•Methods to generate income in retirement

•Activities to keep your mind sharp and your body active

•Estate-planning steps so you can relax and enjoy life

Created for investors with $2,000,000+ in investible assets 29 Retirement Tips from Jacoline Loewen are for retirees and those planning for retirement. In addition to the tip above, other tips include:

•Tip #11: Living abroad can be great

•Tip #16: How to discuss your asset allocation and plans with your family

•Tip #20: Consider new fields other than the career you retired from

•Tip #24: Be diversified, but not too diversified

 

How many of these tips do you already know? Don’t miss this informative and frequently requested guide!

Jacoline Loewen Can Help You Plan for a Successful Retirement

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Loyd Chalmers Prize for Excellence in Journalism 2018



Megan Honan and Jacoline Loewen, Loyd Chalmers Prize for Business Journalism

I was delighted to award the Loyd Chalmers Prize for Excellence in Business Journalism 2018 at Ryerson to Megan Honan, a recent graduate. Megan Honan chose the flower industry of Ontario and how it has developed into a leader in the world. The article, “Growing an industry, one seed at a time.”

The Ticker Club dedicates The Goldring and Chalmers annual award to the memory of one of its founding members in 1929, Floyd Chalmers, former publisher and editor-in-chief of the Financial Post. The prize is available to students in clear academic standing who are enrolled in the bachelor of journalism program in the School of Journalism.

This award celebrates the life and career of Floyd Chalmers and is presented by the Ticker Club. Chalmers became a reporter at the Toronto News when he was only 17. By the time he was 27, he was editor-in-chief of the Financial Post. He became president of Maclean Hunter, which published the Post and Maclean’s,  in 1952, and chairman in 1969. He and his wife Jean helped set up the Canadian Opera Company and the Stratford Festival, commissioned Harry Somers’ opera Louis Riel and set up the Floyd S. Chalmers Foundation in support of the arts.

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How to put purpose in your portfolio with Michael Baldinger

Michael Baldinger, Sustainable Investing with Jacoline Loewen

We were fortunate enough to have Michael Baldinger, expert on Sustainable and Impact Investing, visit Toronto and speak in front of a wide variation of interest groups - ranging from MaRS Capital, the family offices and pension funds wanting to make an impact, ultra-high net worth investors during a private dinner, and finally, The Ticker Club whose members are the leaders of asset management in Canada.

"How to put purpose in your portfolio" was the theme Michael Baldinger tackled at MaRS, The Social Finance Forum, Canada’s leading event for people who believe profits should be paired with purpose.

Every day, billions of dollars are invested with the sole intention of making more dollars, while life-changing social programs and vital environmental initiatives struggle for funding. Impact investing is the fast-growing movement that’s closing that gap by promoting profitable investments in programs and ventures that power progress.

Now in its 11th year, the Social Finance Forum, organized and convened by the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing, attracted more than 600 investors, entrepreneurs, finance professionals, charity leaders and public service visionaries who are reshaping markets and ensuring that every dollar makes a difference.

Later, at a private dinner at The National Club, Michael addressed 40 investors. He made the case that by using new eyes, we can invest to make the world a better place. But what is sustainable? This word lacks a common definition which can make it less attractive for investors who think their charity should be donating to anything sustainable, not as a serious investment case.

Talking about the confusion around the word sustainable, Michael chose to not use green on the cover photos of the sustainable investing white papers.

" It is not just about 50 Shades of Green," quips Michael. "It is about going beyond the public numbers to non-material data. that shows which companies are operating with the best interests of society, but also making the returns our investors seek."

At the Ticker Club, Michael spoke about how to invest, but with the sustainable filter.

Michael Baldinger is a former Wall Street trader intent on making UBS' $800 billion in asset management money greener and more socially responsible.

Since 2016, Michael Baldinger has served as Global Head of Sustainable and Impact Investing at UBS Asset Management (UBS). There, Michael leads a team of investment professionals focused on research and stewardship, client solutions and business strategy. And he is responsible for establishing world-class social and environmental impact investing across asset classes.
With 30 years in the financial services industry and a decade as an investor in sustainability, Michael brings a wealth of experience to all projects. Before joining UBS, Michael served as Chairman and CEO of RobecoSAM’s executive committee. 

What are the fees for sale of your business?

For all of you entrepreneurs and business owners who are thinking about an exit, I am excited to tell you that the new M&A Fee Guide 2018-19 report by Firmex and Divestopedia is a must-read. After checking out this report, Founders and Owners will benefit from having a realistic and up-to-date overview of the fees for a proper advisor (not your accountant). Facts make you confident in selecting an expert. 

Over the years, I have observed how the fear of fees can be a block to exploring the wide range of ways to grow the business or exit. I have seen many owners think that fees will be too much.  Then they try and do by themselves - this most emotional job of all.  Don't be cheap on this part and don't think your accountant alone is the right expert. Get the facts. I think most owners will be surprised.  

Also, I have certainly seen that by using an advisor, you attract a better quality of buyer and end up with a sale price that fits expectations. Do check out this report and don't let fear of fees cost you lost profits.

Success fees, work fees, break fees…. M&A advisory fees can be structured in various ways and can differ greatly from region to region and city to city. I highly recommend checking out this free report to get a true assessment of fees for your sale of your business. Based on a survey of 480 M&A advisors – AKA the experts who will go out and find qualified buyers for your company and help negotiate the sale – this guide provides valuable data on what advisors charge their clients and why.

An exit can put owners in an uncomfortable position. While you know how to run your business better than anyone, this doesn’t necessarily mean you know how to sell it. When owners seek the expertise of advisors to help with a sale, they aren’t always familiar with how the process works or the fees that are being proposed. This report will provide the inside scoop you need to negotiate fees and terms for the sale of your business with confidence that you’ve done your homework.

I have personally partnered with my company with BDO and appreciate their ability to work with Canadian companies and their unique circumstances. Adam Mallon, the Managing Director of Transaction Advisory Services, for the mid-market, is someone who can read the situation and give clear and fair feedback to the founder as if it were his own business. Adam is one of the sponsors of the report which is an indicator of the accuracy.  

What I enjoy about Adam is that he does not waste time and gets to the real issues quickly. Adam says, 

“Sale mandates are complicated and, as this research shows, the associated fees can be calculated in many different ways. While price is an important element, is not the most important one. When selling a business, engagements can be long, intense, and often emotional. Business owners should make sure that their advisor is experienced, qualified, and a good fit personally.” 

Great advice for anyone who’s gearing up for a sale!

Get the Full Report
To download your free copy of the M&A Fee Guide 2018-19, click here.