Christine Lagarde talks about Canada and the IMF

Christine Lagarde and Jacoline Loewen in Toronto 2016

It was an honour to spend time with Christine Lagarde, IMF, and hear her views on the world and the future. She touched on many topics such as Brexit, China and women in finance. She was also highly complimentary about the Canadians she had met and our finance ministers (she has worked with three ministers of finance).

The event was on the front page of the Financial Post:

Christine Lagarde, who spoke at an event hosted by The International Economic Forum of the Americas in Toronto Monday, said that the backlash against globalization represents one of the biggest threats to the global economy.

“Those who suffer from globalization need to be helped along the way, we cannot just have growth that benefits some and leaves many without skills, without retraining,” she told the audience.

“The first thing that is needed is to have some growth — my grandmother used to say that everything is better with butter,” said Lagarde. “If you have more growth, you can deal with your debt … more jobs are being created, it’s much easier.”

What is wealth management

Wealth management is a common term used by financial advisors in front of their clients, but is it understood? Most clients with portfolios over $2 million in accumulated wealth may be surprised to learn what is available to them now that they are millionaires. 

Jacoline Loewen, Business Development for Wealth Management

Forrbes magazine had a good article asking the question: 

What is wealth management?

Wealth management is very straightforward. From the affluent individual’s perspective, wealth management is simply the science of solving/enhancing his or her financial situation. From the financial advisor’s perspective, wealth management is the ability of an advisor or advisory team to deliver a full range of financial services and products to an affluent client in a consultative way.

Specialized expertise

Theoretically, a wealth manager can provide every single financial product in existence.  In reality most wealth managers specialize in services and products they have experienced. This is where a large wealth manager will be able to offer a more diverse service and be able to call in the expert teams around the different products sch as hedge funds, ETFs or structured products or PPNs.

It all starts with you

A further defining quality of wealth management is that it is delivered in a consultative manner. By being consultative, wealth managers are truly client-centered. A good wealth manager meets a client without any presupposition about what financial products or services are appropriate for that affluent individual.

While it is common for a wealthy individual to be sitting with a wealth manager to address a particular need (investment management, say), the consultative wealth manager’s overriding objective is to understand the person and find out what’s important and why. Then the wealth manager is able to bring in the appropriate experts and provide the appropriate financial products.

You can follow Jacoline Loewen on Twitter: @jacolineloewen

The 4 questions to maximize your business valuation

Profits are returning and owners interested in selling their businesses are watching industry cycles like hawks looking for the upswing, waiting to get the timing right. A critical question for these owners is “where is my own business in its cycle?”

Jacoline Loewen Director of Business Development 

For any business owner contemplating a sale in the next year, here are a few additional quesions to ask to boost their business valuation to increase their wealth after selling:

Does your business have solid management?

The owner may be leaving but buyers want to know whether there’s a team in place with big goals to drive the business forward with equal determination. Having a succession plan is critical, but it is estimated that fewer than 5 per cent have a written document with a strong operator or family member ready to take over. Owner-operators have built their lives around running their businesses and they do not want to let that go. This reluctance may prevent them from seeing the importance of planning for their own exit and they will get dinged on their company sale price for this omission.

Are your key processes institutionalized?

“There is the risk that the company incurs a fatal loss of knowledge and connections upon the exit of the owner,” the president of a manufacturing business told me. “The earn-out helps, but two to three years does not make up for 30 years experience in a company. One way to mitigate this risk is to bring in a guy like me.” Paying a high-quality CEO for a few years will help the owner of a windows manufacturer convert “in the head” knowledge to written processes. “We preserved the knowledge and demonstrated the existence of a reliable management team to a potential buyer,” the president added.

Do you know good buyers?

The sale price of a business is what buyers offer and when a company is in the growth part of its business cycle, there will be multiple offers and phone calls from all sorts of interested parties. “I know the ‘I’m comfortable with my business’ owners where the offers to buy have made great sense,” says succession planning coach Janice Lahiti . “The owners don’t do it because they think their ability to influence a variety of broader agendas will diminish.” As the business hits the mature stage of its life cycle, which often occurs in tandem with the owner’s life cycle, suddenly the pool of multiple bidders dries up and as Janice says: “The owner can no longer command the multiples they want.”
The owner may also miss the opportunity to sell to a buyer who will structure the sale so that the majority of the company is purchased but the owner can keep 20 per cent to 30 per cent with a fixed medium-term buyout schedule. They can also have limited management or board involvement. This structure keeps the owner involved mentally and financially in his or her ‘baby’ while taking some money off the table to free up time to pursue other interests.

What is your opportunity cost, really?

Melanie Kau exited her successful family business, Mobilia, to take on the challenge of running Le Naturiste. “The ‘what next’ after you have worked for 15 to 20 years in a business prevents people from asking themselves the cost of staying where they are because they are comfortable. I know what that feels like because I have just been through it. Therein lies a great deal of value with the experience the entrepreneur has built up: sometimes the business is more like a cage than a platform.”
While you may not plan to sell your business today, it is certainly wise to begin thinking about that day. Careful planning now will allow you to take advantage of opportunities promptly when they materialize. With a plan in place, you will be ready to act and know if you wish to keep making your money through your business - or do a partial or full sale of the business - you do want to reap the full monetary value of your hard work.

Next column, I will address what to consider as the entrepreneur becomes a wealth manager.

Originally published by The Globe and Mail.

For more information on  UBS financial advisors - please feel free to contact Jacoline Loewen.
Jacoline Loewen is director of business development of UBS Bank (Canada). She is also author of Money Magnet: How to Attract Investors to Your Business. You can follow her on Twitter @jacolineloewen.

Canoes, Housework and Hedge Funds

It’s that time in the summer to get in a canoe and head out across the lake.  How much more enjoyable when you know as you paddle peacefully, your wealth is organized securely for the long run?

Business owners have generally built their wealth by excelling in their chosen fields rather than through any particular investment expertise. While many of these self-made millionaires understand the importance of saving and investing for the long run, recent research by UBS Wealth Management Americas discovered that some have limited financial acumen on specific concepts and terminology.

For example, three out of ten understood the term “basis point” or “beta”. Six out of ten understood market capitalization. Seven out of ten understood liquidity.

What’s more, these self-made millionaires choose not to learn more about investing. The UBS Wealth Management research noted that these entrepreneurs rank researching and managing investments dead last on a list of how they choose to spend their time, even behind housework.

The millionaires cite information overload as one of the reasons for their disinterest. For example, researching hedge funds could leave entrepreneurs confused as they have a controversial history since they began to grow in popularity after 2001. Yet the traction of investing in specific hedge funds lies in their flexibility to pursue strategies not open to mutual funds or segregated funds. Having your own hedge fund or being part of a pool can bring a unique advantage. In addition, research on hedge funds will show that it would be too difficult to replicate the strategies as an individual investor because they would be prohibitively expensive and logistically impossible. What a pity to miss out on a valuable investment opportunity because of lack of expertise.

Ultimately, millionaires generally recognize their constraints and choose to work with a financial professional.

What does build confidence for these business owners? Our research shows it is the principle of financial discipline: setting specific objectives, developing a plan and sticking to it.

With your financial plan done and working with a UBS financial professional, you can have the peace of mind to get in the your canoe and relax on the lake this summer.

For more information on the UBS Wealth Management Americas survey, to request the full research report, or to find out more about UBS financial advisors - please feel free to contact me.

Jacoline Loewen is director of business development of UBS Bank (Canada). She is also author of Money Magnet: How to Attract Investors to Your Business. You can follow her on Twitter @jacolineloewen.

Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Mentor

Having just spent the past few weeks in the company of entrepreneurs, some at the beginning of their careers and most at the height of their success, I notice the one feature they have in common.  They have sought out a mentor.

Jacoline Loewen with Alumni of The Next 36

I was invited to The Next 36 reunion BBQ organized by Chenny Xia and caught up with the alumni who were mentored throughout their program. During our conversations, it struck me that as a result, these young women knew how to reach out for mentoring, they understood the high value of having a mentor and they knew it was not a waste of time but rather a way to catapult ahead. Kate Wallace talked about Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg’s controversial book "Lean Forward".  Sandberg's written advice was her way of mentoring on a large scale and she dedicated a full chapter to mentorship. She lists Larry Summers as her most important mentor.
No matter their paths to success, accomplished women can usually agree on one thing: That somewhere along the way, they found a mentor (or more) who boosted their career immeasurably. "It was serendipitous that I met my mentor. I was searching for employment and what came of it was one of the most influential people in my life," said Danielle Smith, graduate of The Next 36 and mentee of Claudia Hepburn, who helped to found The Next 36.
Many famous people had mentors: Self-made billionaire, Oprah Winfrey was mentored by celebrated author and poet, the late Maya Angelou. Alexander the Great was mentored by Aristotle, Warren Buffet was mentored by Benjamin Graham, and Warren went on to mentor Bill Gates.
Of course, the best fiction has stories of mentorship; some of my favourites are Luke Skywalker learning The Force with Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Mary Poppins showing Jane and Michael Banks how to break all the rules. Instead of staying safely inside, Poppins had them dancing on the rooftops with chimney sweeps. As a young girl, I took in this encouragement to "Lean Forward" - aka the Mary Poppins way.
How Will You Reach Out for a Mentor?
If you have an early stage company, you could try Futurepreneur. Futurpreneur Canada and Spin Master Corp. set up the Spin Master Innovation Fund created by Ronnen Harrary; to bring financing, mentoring to 10 entrepreneurs each year. Over the past six years, the Spin Master Innovation Fund has helped 42 businesses launch.
For women: The WXNWisdom Top 100 Mentoring Program matches high-performing female leaders with influential mentors.
If you are a business founder who has achieved the sale of your company, you can get mentored about how to invest your sudden wealth. Smart entrepreneurs get that concentrating all of their money back into Canadian-based investments may be only one choice to build long term financial wealth.
If you would like to find out more about how Canadian entrepreneurs are investing with UBS Bank (Canada) please get in touch. I can discuss with you the results for the entrepreneurs who choose to manage their wealth with us.


Jacoline Loewen is director of business development of UBS Bank (Canada) and can be reched at jacoline.loewen at ubs.com  She is also author of Money Magnet: How to Attract Investors to Your Business. You can follow her on Twitter @jacolineloewen

Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Mentor

Having just spent the past few weeks in the company of entrepreneurs, some at the beginning of their careers and most at the height of their success, I notice the one feature they have in common.  They have sought out a mentor.

Jacoline Loewen with Alumni of The Next 36

I was invited to The Next 36 reunion BBQ organized by Chenny Xia and caught up with the alumni who were mentored throughout their program. During our conversations, it struck me that as a result, these young women knew how to reach out for mentoring, they understood the high value of having a mentor and they knew it was not a waste of time but rather a way to catapult ahead. Kate Wallace talked about Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg’s controversial book "Lean Forward".  Sandberg's written advice was her way of mentoring on a large scale and she dedicated a full chapter to mentorship. She lists Larry Summers as her most important mentor.
No matter their paths to success, accomplished women can usually agree on one thing: That somewhere along the way, they found a mentor (or more) who boosted their career immeasurably. "It was serendipitous that I met my mentor. I was searching for employment and what came of it was one of the most influential people in my life," said Danielle Smith, graduate of The Next 36 and mentee of Claudia Hepburn, who helped to found The Next 36.
Many famous people had mentors: Self-made billionaire, Oprah Winfrey was mentored by celebrated author and poet, the late Maya Angelou. Alexander the Great was mentored by Aristotle, Warren Buffet was mentored by Benjamin Graham, and Warren went on to mentor Bill Gates.
Of course, the best fiction has stories of mentorship; some of my favourites are Luke Skywalker learning The Force with Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Mary Poppins showing Jane and Michael Banks how to break all the rules. Instead of staying safely inside, Poppins had them dancing on the rooftops with chimney sweeps. As a young girl, I took in this encouragement to "Lean Forward" - aka the Mary Poppins way.
How Will You Reach Out for a Mentor?
If you have an early stage company, you could try Futurepreneur. Futurpreneur Canada and Spin Master Corp. set up the Spin Master Innovation Fund created by Ronnen Harrary; to bring financing, mentoring to 10 entrepreneurs each year. Over the past six years, the Spin Master Innovation Fund has helped 42 businesses launch.
For women: The WXNWisdom Top 100 Mentoring Program matches high-performing female leaders with influential mentors.
If you are a business founder who has achieved the sale of your company, you can get mentored about how to invest your sudden wealth. Smart entrepreneurs get that concentrating all of their money back into Canadian-based investments may be only one choice to build long term financial wealth.
If you would like to find out more about how Canadian entrepreneurs are investing with UBS Bank (Canada) please get in touch. I can discuss with you the results for the entrepreneurs who choose to manage their wealth with us.


Jacoline Loewen is director of business development of UBS Bank (Canada) and can be reched at jacoline.loewen at ubs.com  She is also author of Money Magnet: How to Attract Investors to Your Business. You can follow her on Twitter @jacolineloewen

An evening with the Ballet Masters of Mad Hot Ballet

“Art gives you a chance to live in the life of another,”   said Lindsay Fischer, National Ballet Master and Artistic Director of the National Ballet of Canada. Lindsey told me during the Mad Hot Ballet evening, June 2016, how art has the power to take you to another world, another life. He spoke about how private lives can be shared through dance and  by using different senses, we can gain better understanding and can feel the emotions of others.

Mad Hot Ballet 2016

My mind was still back in my world of banking and ballet was far away from my thoughts, even though I loved dancing well into my teens.  Lindsey's words did get my attention and remind me that enjoying art is such a good human experience. The Mad Hot Ballet Fund Raiser had taken a drab hall and transformed it into a party place with views of Lake Ontario. If you look at the photos from the evening, yes, there were the big fashions but most of us were in business dress - plain black suit for me - so don't let that keep you away next year. 

I was fortunate enough to sit next to the two dance instructors who had organized the evening performances. Their story was remarkable. It began the the Royal Ballet School in London, England and one of the main ballerinas, Mandy-Jane Richardson, was too tall for the other male dancers. The company imported a suitable dancer from Amsterdam, an American called Lindsay Fischer .

It was love at first sight.

I asked them about the passion they must have felt during their performances as a  duet couple over the following year. My comment got peals of laughter and nods from Mandy-Jane, and a quiet, meaningful look from Lindsay. They are now married with children and obviously enjoying each other.

One of the performances that evening was to Bolero and what an incredible visual performance that stirred the senses. My two companions at the table were responsible for this piece and I could not help feel they had shared such a deeply private part of their obviously mutual respectful and loving relationship with all of us. 

I felt very lucky and, yes, art does give us the chance to feel parts of the lives of others. 

35 ReasonsToronto Tech is Booming

 Invitation to UBS Bank (Canada), Wealth Management, Technology Invitation

WHY 35 REASONS?

In a stunning year for Canadians in the technology industry, 2015 brought many success stories.  

We thought we would add more spark to the tech industry this year by bringing together a room of 35 like-minded tech entrepreneurs and investors as guests of UBS Bank (Canada). 

Sure enough, the energy flowed.

OUR PARTNERS: 

We were delighted to partner on the Technology Networking Evening withPwC Technology and The Entrepreneurship Society, as well as Blake, Cassels and Graydon.

OUR GUEST SPEAKER:

A special thank you to Randall Howard, Verdexus portfolio investments, who stepped in as guest speaker when Drew Green, Indochino, was unable to attend. Randall  is a senior serial technology executive committed to building the leading technology firms in Canada. Randall shared several critical take-way point for the evening:

1. Focus: When Randall and the founding group of his succesful tech buddies donated a large sum of cash to get Communitech off the ground, they did not have any idea how big it would get. Randall said, "It took a group of committed individuals to make the technology industry thrive in Canada." 
2. Important Partners on the Journey: By coincidence, in the room was the investment banker who figured out a new financial structure to raise the capital for Randall's first tech company. The banker was a Waterloo engineering graduate too. There were many Waterloo graduates in the room. They certainly have figured out the secret sauce for producing winners. Randall emphasized how the profesionalism of the banker made the big difference in his career.
3. Giving back: Having reached the heights of success in his business life, Randall is now focussed on giving. He has won Angel Investor of the Year which really underlines how seriousy he takes helping the emerging Canadian entrepreneurs. Randall is particularly interested in social impact investing and along with his corporate and university board responsiblities, he sits on boards of arts and drama groups too. 

The Fourth Revolution: The theme of the evening was the next stage of techology. Julien Favre, UBS, shared with our guests the white paper on the theme of this year's World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on January 20-23. The white paper is entitled Extreme automation and connectivity: The global, regional, and investment implications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It outlines:

• A brief history of the four industrial revolutions that have taken place since the late 18th century.
• It also explores the potential economic and investment consequences and likely regional winners and losers.
• If you also want to read the white paper - You can read the UBS White Paper HERE...

A special thank you to Sean Stanleigh, Julien Favre, Phaby Utomo, Matthias Kluser, Stephanie Baldouf, Quinn Lawson, Bill Hennessy, Ted Graham, Burzin Contractor and Andre Perey.

Can you afford to sell your business?