This last month, I’ve been reminded how great a community we have in Financial Planning.

We are not professionals solely due to our care for our clients. We are professionals because we care about the future of our profession. That does sound a bit grand, but what I mean is that we want the best not just for our clients, but for all clients. We want to help others deliver the best outcomes.

In the Paraplanning community, the Paraplanners PowWow has been one hub of activity (especially through The Big Tent forum). In 2018 (so far) we’ve had online HowWows (webinars for ‘traditionalists’) covering subjects as diverse as report writing to tax and DB transfers to running a team. There have also been ‘face to face’ gatherings (local PowWows) across the length and breadth of the country. Several of these events have sold out and the national PowWow (the one with the tee-pees) sold out in just over two weeks.

Whilst the Paraplanners PowWow has been a key movement and contributor to the Paraplanning community, it’s not the only one. The main professional bodies have continued to put together events dedicated to Paraplanners. The PFS’ Purely Paraplanning roadshow recently branched out to have a live stream and the CISI Paraplanner Interest Group ran another successful conference in June. A growing number of product providers have also started to get involved and now run their own events for Paraplanners.

But it’s not just about being together at the same time in one physical (or electronic) place. Online communities have developed with different degrees of formality. I’ve been able to bounce ideas off people from different firms and together explore how we each approach things. It’s also provided the opportunity to talk directly with individuals about the challenges being faced.

The thing that ties these things together is people. We could have the best events in the most beautiful locations, the most technically able articulate speakers from the most prestigious places, but without an audience interacting with each other it’s missing the sparkle. Are you talking to people, are you sharing, are you seeking to be a part of the conversation? Are you making a positive contribution?

Dan Atkinson FPFS MCSI APP is a Chartered Financial Planner and is head of technical at EQ Investors in London. @DanAtkinsonUK. e: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.