[OPINION] Is the risk industry at risk?

By John Milner - Collaborative Consulting Ltd

Sounding like a Pantene Shampoo ad - this decision didn’t happen overnight,  but it did happen. After working in financial services since 1988, I had enough of hearing the blood curdling shrills from risk advisers, having to climb the apparent Mount Everest of education – Level 5. I personally completed all strands of Level 5 in 2007, while working through to my CFP and CLU  designations. I consequently made Level 5 the minimum standard for my  business at the time, well before it became mandatory for AFAs.

By 2023, all advisers were required to be licensed under a FAP. I believe this was the turning point of my personal risk adviser’s career, who after 20 plus  years of acute amnesia, began actually emailing me. What a revelation.

He did know who I was after all, and he did care about my welfare. I then excitedly speculated on how he would fit 20 years of birthday cards in my mailbox. But alas, it wasn’t to be. I guess the renewal commission just didn’t cover such things like, you know, communication and stuff.