Happy Family Day! The team at AdvisorFlow strongly values family in our practice and service. Family day is important to us because it provides an opportunity for families to spend time together and strengthen their relationships. It promotes a sense of belonging and security and can help to create memories that will last a lifetime. Additionally, spending time with loved ones can help to reduce stress and promote overall well-being, something advisors need from time to time.
Cooper Millard is the current Director of Advisor Relations at The Gryphin Advantage and is an expert in process mapping, financial advising, consulting, relationship building, and more. A graduate of Brock University, Cooper maintains his connection and contribution to the community to support others, and he's also been a director at Advocis for almost four years. He values the importance of relationships with family, friends, and colleagues and strives to support them around the clock.
In his work, he continues his father's legacy of building meaningful relationships, enhancing the community, and curating the growth of the Gryphin Advantage value proposition. In his downtime, he enjoys anything fun, and even better when done with his family, which includes "looking for my golf balls in the trees," according to Cooper
AdvisorFlow had the opportunity to ask Cooper some questions about his family, work, and personal experience in the industry as well as insights for young aspiring professionals.
Working at the Gryphin Advantage has been a privilege. I’ve said it a few times now (in jest), but it took a 24-year interview before finally being hired on to work at ‘Gryphin’ in 2014! Therefore, the most special moment to date is my first day, and first opportunity to work with my Father to further build upon his legacy; a legacy of relationships, MGA value proposition growth, and more important still, cultivating the vibrant community the Gryphin Advantage represents and serves.
For as long as I can remember, my family have worked to support Advisors, service their business needs, and nurture relationships across the financial services industry. From events like our Fall Fair, to initiatives like our Advisor appreciation programs, and recent work on our digital infrastructure… everything we do is catered to enhancing the Advisor experience. So, since that first day, it’s fair to say that each and every opportunity we get to make a difference in the lives of Advisors and their clients is uniquely special.
As for my supportive family, we currently have three Millard family members working at ‘Gryphin’ and more extended family joining the business! Working in this industry means more than just 9-5. It means supporting Advisors and friends around the clock. It means going above and beyond to identify new opportunities for discourse, networking, and showing our appreciation. Advisors don’t work traditional hours, and neither do we.
It’s been rewarding to take this challenge on while spending time with my family. The cliché of a “family feel” is thrown around a little too frequently, however, this is one of those rare cases where it rings true!
In our case, our family is growing at a rapid pace, and schedules are filling up! Sometimes it’s disheartening when you can’t find time to get together. The most important way that we seek to support our family is to prioritize time for the little things; birthdays, calls and any excuse for a visit. Whether for a special occasion, or just to check in… never lose sight of who your family is, and how they’re doing! It’s so easy to get caught up in your day-to-day, and in this industry, work late into the evening. Sometimes making time for that overdue walk, backyard drink or playtime with the kids is all it takes.
Candidly, we don’t have plans for family day quite yet. However, I’m certain that once we do, it will be filled with hotly contested debates about the Toronto Maple Leafs, about work, and will invariably involve some form of competition (euchre, sports, or anything else we can come up with)!
Some of the most gratifying experiences of my career thus far have come as a result of working with new Advisors to the business. Whether a multi-generational family practice, or re-tooling from a related field and starting a new career… each Advisor’s ascension is unique. Therefore, advice on ‘how to start’ will vary.
However, one fact remains true for all: ‘activity’ is of the utmost importance. Purposeful, focused activity. Developing centres of influence, understanding the systems and means of distribution, staying current on products and financial planning concepts, and of course… prospecting new clients.
An independent Financial Advisor is also first and foremost, an entrepreneur. Tirelessly build your practice! This means challenging your existing processes, and pressure test your practice management. What is your value proposition? What makes you different? How do you consistently deliver your chosen service?
Lastly, when starting out in this business, be curious! Ask questions and ensure that you take the time to listen to established professionals while leveraging your distribution partners for training. That’s one of the most endearing facets of our MGA community; we have countless individuals (Advisors, employees, and partners) who are keen to share their knowledge, successes and yes… failures! Never be afraid of failure, so long as it’s seen as an opportunity to learn.
Given the essay above, I hope it’s clear that we at the Gryphin Advantage are passionate about this industry, about Advisor development, and excited for the future! We are constantly adapting and remain in contact with Advisors and industry partners to curate the best possible value proposition for our constituents. We recognize that Advisor success helps to drive growth for our organization. Therefore, Advisors’ opinions and input are integral to developing our strategic plans. A balance must be struck between touchpoints, human interaction, and the promotion of business efficiency (where appropriate) through digitization. The evolving needs of the Canadian consumer, expanding our offering for compliance and practice management and investing in our Staff are all focuses for Q1, 2023.
What I enjoy most about this industry, and my chosen career, is the ability to help good people, help people. To be able to cater our boutique service to dynamic entrepreneurs across Canada, help their chosen market niche. That may sound cheesy to readers, but it’s true. It’s a big industry out there, and the purchasing power of an individual can feel limiting. It’s fulfilling to be able to advocate for Advisors, assist in escalation, help train young Advisors, and promote exciting new programs that have been designed internally. The variability of our day-to-day life keeps things interesting, and the organizational culture we employ is fulfilling. Can’t imagine doing anything else!
