Mike’s thoughts – Summer 2022

Over the last 3 years, we have been inundated with attention-grabbing headlines. 2020 to 2021 was the health scare with the pandemic. In 2022 the headline has shifted, rightfully so to the humanitarian crisis created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The atrocities are numerous and vividly disturbing. They are a reaffirmation that violence ordered by country leaders is not something we just read about in history class. We are also witnessing them in real-time.

 

On the financial side, supply chain challenges initiated by the pandemic and further exasperated by the war have caused major backlogs, resulting in delays and price increases. At the time of writing Crude oil and gasoline are up 67% and 80% respectively. There is no doubt that the cost of living has increased, creating one additional headline – inflation. Wow, there is a lot going on. So, let’s pause for a moment and ponder the things we don’t know:

  • No one knows for certain what will be the outcome of the Russia/Ukraine war or when the war itself will end.
  • No one knows when the supply chain will normalize,
  • No one knows whether prices will decline, and inflation will follow suit. Neither, when the supply chain does normalize.
  • No one knows whether housing prices will continue to increase or decline.

 

With all the uncertainty and no control or reliable predictive knowledge of what will happen, what should we do?

I would suggest we focus on:

  1. Things that we can control
  2. Those things that are important to you

 

Here’s a quick story for reflection. When I was at the gym a few days ago, a “regular morning” retiree came in and I asked him “How is your day going so far?” He said, “Well I ordered two chairs in my living room, they are now six months late, and I ordered floor tiles for my bathroom and the retailer does not know when they will arrive. Gas prices are ridiculous, and the stock market is down…. long pause…. I think when I get home my wife and I will go for a long drive through the countryside as it’s a wonderful day out.” I thought that was a great answer. On one hand, he didn’t shy away from his right to complain. On the other hand, he opted to take action by doing something that would take his mind off what he couldn’t control and do something he enjoyed that he could control.

Over the years I’ve learned personally and professionally that market uncertainty is never comfortable. Yet, uncertainty drives opportunity. What we need to remember is that the “daily headlines” are what heightens anxiety and that these periods are temporary. The fact is that uncertainty is cyclical: Today’s uncertainty around the war, inflation, supply chain etc. will subside, businesses will grow, stock markets will increase and eventually another period of uncertainty will return. Maintaining a strong belief system, focusing on what you can control, and doing those things that are important to you with people that are important to you will allow you to prosper even in turbulent times.

 

The Andrews Group News:

Thanks to our outside professional relationships and introductions from clients, our business continue to grow. We are not immune to the employment challenges faced by all businesses today. In spite of these challenges, we have been fortunate in finding talented individuals.

Lee Bowman joined The Andrews Group in February. Lee comes from an advisory role at a major Canadian bank and will be working closely with Chad and studying to attain securities licensing. Welcome, Lee!

Chris Horn, who has been with The Andrews Group for the last five years recently attained his Certified Financial Planner certification. The CFP is the industry’s leading recognized designation. Moreover, Chris and his fiancé Michelle have finalized their wedding arrangements and are just waiting for the big day on September 10th. Congratulations Chris!

Chad, who has been on the team for over 13 years, has taken on more operational and leadership responsibilities in addition to his advisory role. On the personal front, he tells us great stories of raising their two young children. Recently his son, who is 3 was a little angry with dad and to Chad’s surprise locked him out of the house. The fun is just beginning. Enjoy Chad!

In addition to my advisory role, I have been focusing on enhancing services to our clients and adding specific services to our business owner families. We will be reconfiguring the advisory team responsibilities and introducing you to the expanded advisory team in your upcoming meetings. My partner, Sayra and I will be enjoying some camping holidays this summer and I will be hopefully joining her for a conference in Lyon, France. She’s a speaker at this conference. While she will be focusing on sharing with the European scientific community her fascinating research about high-performing teams, I will be trying to find a good mountain bike trail. My youngest daughter recently completed her BBA from Laurier University; instead of a graduation gift, we are doing a graduation “experience” as I did with my oldest daughter. We are launching off on June the 5th for two weeks to explore Iceland and do some mountaineering in Switzerland.

Even though Madalena, our Client Service Associate, has verbalized her admiration for our team, for our value-added services, and for the mentoring she has received, she has found her heart lies in teaching so she will be leaving in September to attend teachers’ college. Good luck Madalena! Madalena also was recently engaged and she and her fiancé, Joe is in the process of buying their first house.

Tatenda, our administrative associate continues to balance the busy life of two young boys and a professional career. While doing that, she has also found time to introduce us to a few Zimbabwe cultural dishes.

Currently, The Andrews Group is in the process of hiring one and potentially two positions for the office. We are currently interviewing potential candidates and if you know of anyone who shares our values and commitment to service, professionalism, and impact, please have them reach out to me.

Life is short, dreams are big, and time is scarce, which only leads to one conclusion “Your Time is Now.”

You won’t be able to, nor should you totally block out all the headlines and sensationalized reporting, but I do encourage you to take this summer to do the things that are important to you, with people that are important to you.  And ENJOY because before you know it, I’ll be writing the year-end letter.

All the best,

 

 

 

Mike

Mike Andrews
Wealth Advisor
Assante Capital Management Ltd.

 

This material is provided for general information and is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to compile this material from reliable sources however no warranty can be made as to its accuracy or completeness. Before acting on any of the above, please make sure to see a professional advisor for individual financial advice based on your personal circumstances.

Assante Capital Management Ltd. is a Member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada.