CMG AdvisorCentral

Tactical investing news, views and resources for financial advisors

Archives for August 2014

“Would you please show me the path”

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Michael F. Sciortino, Sr. Executive Vice President, Managing Director, Head of Distribution, CMG Capital Management Group

Michael F. Sciortino, Sr.
Executive Vice President, Managing Director, Head of Distribution
CMG

How would you like to be the one who shows your client the path to realizing their goals? What would that path look like? Like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz was shown the path, ” Follow the yellowbrick road”, what clients are constantly telling their advisors is, “show me the path to achieve my goals.” Show me “how to” successfully move from where I am today to where I want to be down the road. Every financial goal your clients will ultimately achieve depends on the day to day small steps they take under your guidance. Clients simply want relief from worry. They are desperately seeking a clear, disciplined and decisive plan of action.

Our biggest challenge as advisors is to help clients examine their dreams and goals carefully to find the right path suitable for them. Think about it. Isn’t your role awesome. Every single day your client has 24 hours to move forward along their path toward achieving their dreams and goals. It is simply up to you to help them make a little progress each day. What an opportunity!

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Blumenthal in Bloomberg on Bond Trends

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bloomberg-logoCMG Capital Management Group CEO Steve Blumenthal spoke to Bloomberg News about about trends in the bond market.  The story by By Sridhar Natarajan and Matt Robinson, Junk Bonds Overtaken by High Grade as 2014’s Favored Bet, begins:

Bonds sold by investment-grade companies worldwide are on pace to deliver something they’ve managed only twice in the past 17 years: annual returns of at least 10 percent.

The debt has become a sweet spot for investors who see little threat of rising interest rates while avoiding the rush into higher-yielding junk bonds that last month handed buyers their biggest losses in a year. High-grade securities, on pace for an eighth straight monthly gain, have returned 6.5 percent since the end of 2013, according to the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Corporate Index.

The article hits on Yellen’s recent backing of investment-grade bonds, the duration of junk vs. high grade bonds and the high withdrawal levels in junk bonds this year.

‘Ultimately,’ CMG CEO Blumenthal says, ‘The question is if the Fed is going to suppress rates longer than anyone expected. Yellen is broadcasting that things are weaker than what everybody might think and that means rates are likely to remain suppressed.'”

What is the Greatest Risk of All?

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Michael F. Sciortino, Sr. Executive Vice President, Managing Director, Head of Distribution, CMG Capital Management Group

Michael F. Sciortino, Sr. Executive Vice President, Managing Director, Head of Distribution, CMG

“I never worry about action, but only about inaction.” – Winston Churchill

Yes, inaction is the greatest risk of all. What might this be costing your clients financially and emotionally to postpone action on implementing a plan for their long term financial security? Early on in my career I had a sales manager who used to say, “There’s never a wrong time to do the right thing. Believing anything else is a risk.” Moving forward toward the achievement of goals requires change, perceived by some as risk. Sure change can be disruptive. You have to change anyway.

This desire to change requires a disciplined commitment and determination to follow through while resisting the temptation to return to old outdated and ineffective strategies. As advisors, we have to ask ourselves, will my client be better off 10 years from now taking action or not taking action? Many fortunes have been amassed over the long term by taking smart calculated risks.

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CMG in Coronado for IFG National Conference

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IFG National ConferenceThe CMG team arrived on the West Coast yesterday morning for the start of the 10th annual Independent Financial Group (IFG) National Conference. Taking place at the historic Hotel del Coronado, this event will definitely be one to remember.

If you are in town for the conference, please make a quick stop by CMG’s booth (#106) and introduce yourself to our representatives:

Jim McFadden VP Institutional Sales

Jim McFadden
VP Institutional Sales

Avi Rutstein VP Institutional Sales

Avi Rutstein
VP Institutional Sales

Avi Rutstein, VP Institutional Sales. With over 10 years of experience in the financial services industry, Avi is a relationship guy.  He talks to advisors in the field every day and helps them to grow their practice, implement new ideas and talk to their clients on a broad spectrum of investment topics.

Jim McFadden, VP Institutional Sales. As one of CMG’s newest team members, Jim is eager to learn about your practice and find ways that CMG can work with you to build your portfolio through the integration of our innovative tactical solutions.

CMG also held a breakout session today, Tuesday, August 19, “Tactical Investments for Bull and Bear Markets”. During the presentation, Avi Rutstein shared some ideas to help you grow your practice and help your clients stay on track with their investment goals. If you’d like to learn more about the presentation and find our how you can implement some of these strategies at your practice, please let us know at advisors@cmgwealth.com. 

We hope your week is off to a great start! We know Avi and Jim look forward to talking to some more great advisors and enjoying the beautiful scenery at the IFG National Conference in Coronado this week!

Avi

Three Tips for a More Successful Advisor Practice

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Michael F. Sciortino, Sr. Executive Vice President, Managing Director, Head of Distribution, CMG Capital Management Group

Michael F. Sciortino, Sr. Executive Vice President, Managing Director, Head of Distribution, CMG

I was really pleased by the enthusiasm and engagement of all the advisors who attended my “Time Blocking” presentation at the Cambridge Ignite 2014 gathering in Chicago last week.

Working with all sorts of advisors since the mid-80s, I’ve learned that successful advisors are constantly seeking knowledge that will improve their lives and their practice. As a simple rule, we are a measure of our habits. Studying and adopting the habits of successful advisors can help you be more profitable in business and happier in life.

I was particularly impressed with the high value that Cambridge places on its people and its nurturing culture. I’ve never seen an organization that lists “Kindness” as one of its core values but it’s entirely fitting with Cambridge. Finding and maintaining an appropriate work/life balance is a prime pursuit for advisors, as it should be, and Cambridge fully understands that.

CMG Sponsored Fun Run at Cambridge Ignite 2014

CMG Sponsored Fun Run at Cambridge Ignite

We were also pleased to sponsor the Cambridge Ignite Fun Run to benefit Glenwood Academy. I’ve been an avid runner for many years. Besides helping me to stay in good physical shape, running gives me the opportunity to focus my thoughts and block out my day. On today’s run I came up with three tips for a more successful practice for financial advisors.

  1. No matter what, do one thing every day to bring in new business. A phone call, email, letter, or connection through social media. Get in the habit. Every day.
  2. Time block “Focus Fridays” out of the office. Spend the time working on your business instead of being in your business. Once a week may be difficult for some advisors. Start with one Friday per month. I’ve found that advisors find this so productive that they progress to 2 – 3 times a month and then every week.
  3. Stay true to the core task of your position and delegate the rest.

Let me know if you’d like a copy of my “Time Blocking” presentation. I’d be glad to send it to you. Email me at michaels@cmgwealth.com.   Follow my blog posts here and connect with me on LinkedIn. I look forward to seeing you at the Financial Planning Association Conference in Seattle September 20 – 22. – Mike Sciortino

Blumenthal in Bloomberg On Boosting Debt Bets

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BloombergBoosting debt bets could lead to a repeat of 2008 financial crisis, CMG Capital Management Group CEO Steve Blumenthal tells Bloomberg. Derivatives that helped inflate the 2007 credit bubble are being remade for a new generation, writes Sridhar Natarajan and Alastair Marsh in Bloomberg yesterday. The story, titled JPMorgan Joins Goldman in Designing Derivatives for a New Generation, quotes industry insiders, including CMG CEO Blumenthal.

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China Flashing Red

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Confucius

Confucius

PJ Grzywacz President, Chief Compliance Officer, CMG Capital Management Group

PJ Grzywacz
President & CCO
CMG

“I hear and I forget.  I see and I remember.  I do and I understand” – Confucius

Confucius was full of wisdom.  The ancient Chinese philosopher and scholar continues to impact society today with his aphorisms and proverbs, the most famous of which is the “Golden Rule” which most of us learned as children (his version read “Never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself.”)

The quote above reflects man’s inability to learn from hearing or seeing – only by experiencing an event, does man understand.  This teaching is particularly relevant to financial markets:  business cycles, debt cycles, financial crisis, economic policies and investor behavior.  Despite a wealth of financial history at our fingertips, in aggregate, investors tend to repeat the same mistakes over and over again, always thinking “this time is different”.

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Join CMG For Cambridge Ignite Fun Run

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CMG Capital Management Group Sponsors the Fun Run at Cambridge Ignite 2014Want to start your morning right for the last day of Cambridge Ignite in Chicago? Join us for the 5K Fun Run. It starts tomorrow morning, Friday, August 8, at 6:30 AM. Can’t make it that early? Sign up and get the T Shirt that says “I Slept Through The Fun Run.” All proceeds benefit the Glenwood Academy, Chicago area’s only boarding academy for disadvantaged children.

T-shirt that says “I Slept Through The Fun Run.” All proceeds benefit the Glenwood Academy, Chicago area’s only boarding academy for disadvantaged children. – See more at: http://advisorcentral.cmgwealth.com/#sthash.hR6ez7gO.dpuf

CMG is proud to sponsor this annual Cambridge Ignite event. We hope to see you there! Cambridge founder, Eric Schwartz says that the purpoise of a business is to make the world a better place. Here at CMG, we absolutely support that!

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Time Blocking At Cambridge Ignite 2014

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cambridge_ignite Mike Sciortino‘s presentation tomorrow at #CambridgeIgnite conference in Chicago is called  “Time Blocking – Your Path to Success”.

Mike’s quick hint: It’s really all about the basic blocking and tackling.

To illustrate, what do Bill Belichick and Nick Saban have in common? Championships? Yes. Rings? Yes. But how did they reach the pinnacles of their profession? By executing a well thought out Game Plan. Why did a Game Plan work? It kept the players focused, laid out the path to success and eliminated distractions. Will a Game Plan work for you? Absolutely! This helps you focus on your best talents and strengths.

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See You In Chicago At Cambridge Ignite 2014

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cambridge_igniteThe CMG team is on the way to Cambridge Ignite 2014 in Chicago.

Stop in to see us at Booth #27 in the Money Managers section for your free White Paper on Tactical Investing. If you’re at the conference make sure you block out time to attend Mike Sciortino’s presentation on “Time Blocking.”  Mike is a master at helping advisors build a more efficient, productive practice. The presentation is Thursday, August 7, 11:30 AM in the “Chicago 10” room.

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