Read the review of 2021 and plans for 2022, alongside insights on the Plan de Ahorro Regular RL360<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What have I learned in the last year in business, life, and investing, and what are my plans for this year? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Firstly, let’s start with the things learned <\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Business won\u2019t return to \u201cnormal\u201d. <\/strong>Even though people have become used to Covid and want to go back to \u201cnormality\u201d, the number of people wanting to do business online has only increased. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Considering we were going into a digital world long period Covid arrived, the pandemic merely pressed the fast-forward button on this existing trend. Regardless of the pandemic, I expect the digital trend to accelerate in the coming year. People want the speed, convenience, and transparency that the digital world provides. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We were relatively early into the “online game”, by going completely remote in 2018, becoming one of the first in our niche to do so. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This has served us very well in the last few years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Covid-19 has accelerated other trends too. <\/strong>Speaking about Covid accelerating existing trends, environmental and social governance (ESG) investing is here to stay. I was delighted to announce our ESG push via Business Wire <\/a>a few weeks ago. During my 2021 client event with Kevin O\u2019Leary,<\/a> it became clear that many people are taking this trend seriously, despite the risks which exist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Big is not beautiful. <\/strong>2021 was another record for us, growing by over 42% in the process, but we have fewer staff members compared to a year ago. Service levels can go up with a more nimble team. An insanely productive 12-person team can easily beat an unproductive 200-person team. It is easier to move a well-performing speed boat compared to a huge, old, oil tanker. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. Most of the things we worry about never happen<\/strong>. We need to think about risks because complacency is a disease. Often time, though, taking quick action is less risky in the long-term, rather than maintaining the status quo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 6. It is better to not compromise on certain things.<\/strong> We are an online company that needs to deal with investment providers that make our client’s life easy. Our model is simple – we give guidance and can make trades on behalf of clients but we don\u2019t hold the money ourselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We depend on external providers for that. We need providers who make our client’s life easy in terms of paperwork. Those that don\u2019t annoy both myself and my clients. Even the best solutions in the world aren’t viable if the processes are too difficult. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I am, therefore, always on the lookout for new investment partners who keep to the principle of “ease of business”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 7. We need (some) balance in life.<\/strong> If you want to have a true \u201cwork-life balance\u201d then starting your own business isn\u2019t the best decision for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, taking care of your health and relationships is also important. A mixture between spending time alone, with loved ones, working and on fitness is best for most business owners, even if work will usually take over your life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 8. Africa is a huge growth area for businesses. <\/strong>In 2020, we saw a big increase in business coming from the African continent versus in 2019, but it was still a relatively small portion of the pie. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2021, Africa became our second biggest region. What is more, many of these clients were locals looking for international solutions, and not necessarily expats. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This brings me back to one of my first points. Despite the fact that the pandemic hasn\u2019t affected many African countries as much as the rest of the world in terms of illness and death, the Covid-endued digital movement has also swept through this region as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 9. A crisis is a true test. <\/strong>Anybody can be a good friend during good times. Likewise, anybody can make a great businessperson during \u201cnormal\u201d and especially prosperous times. The tests come when things go wrong. <\/p>\n\n\n\n An even bigger test is when something goes wrong, and doesn’t get fixed, for a long period of time. Friends who can stay with you during these times are worth their weight in gold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Likewise, businesses that can still grow despite obstacles, are much more robust than those who have never faced them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 10. Listen to our instinct.<\/strong> A reasonable proportion of the above things points were things I understood twelve months ago, or in some cases, many years ago. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, the temptation is always to compromise, but it is always best to not try to fit round pegs in square holes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Future plans <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In terms of plans for 2022, I would like to announce the following <\/p>\n\n\n\n I would like to thank all readers, staff, and clients for their continuous support. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00bfLe duele la indecisi\u00f3n financiera? \u00bfQuiere invertir con Adam?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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