Can an adviser work remotely for a month?

Will Sheryl Rowling be truly able to work with all the wonderful distractions available?
JUN 10, 2014
I'm not as adventurous as Scott Leonard, author of “The Liberated CEO”, who sailed around the world with his family for two and a half years while running his RIA firm. However, I love traveling and want to be able to work while enjoying my life. So, the big experiment happens in May. I have rented an apartment in Paris for one month with my longtime friend/employee. We are planning to work remotely while enjoying all that Paris has to offer. The carrots: Paris, wine, crepes, museums, cafes, architecture, and, did I mention Paris? The pros: • There is high-speed Internet (wired and wireless) in the apartment. • We can remote into our computers. • Our work phone is VoIP, so phone communication will be “as usual.” • With the time zone difference, work will start at 4 pm – that's great for a night owl like me! • We have access to cool tools – cloud programs (TRX, MoneyGuidePro, etc.), GoToMeeting, and Skype. The cons • Will employees really feel connected to me and my colleague while we're in France? • Will clients adapt to Skype meetings? • Will I be truly able to work with all the wonderful distractions available? In keeping with Murphy's Law, life has added to other significant obstacles: One of my key employees has decided to move back to Boston in mid-May. And, I broke my foot on Thursday. The good news is that I don't need surgery. The bad news — I will have to maneuver through Paris on crutches or with my new knee scooter. Sheryl Rowling is chief executive of Total Rebalance Expert and principal at Rowling & Associates. She considers herself a non-techie user of technology.

Latest News

Veterans lead civilians on financial confidence, Wells Fargo survey finds
Veterans lead civilians on financial confidence, Wells Fargo survey finds

New data shows veterans report stronger financial security, legacy confidence and career earnings momentum than non-veterans.

CW Advisors adds $1.6B with triple acquisition push into Texas and beyond
CW Advisors adds $1.6B with triple acquisition push into Texas and beyond

Osaic subsidiary continues to forge new routes to US high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth people.

Client 360 is table stakes - wealth platforms must now deliver client intelligence
Client 360 is table stakes - wealth platforms must now deliver client intelligence

Capco's Matt Berkowitz tells InvestmentNews that aggregating client data is no longer enough.

Why inheritance should be treated as an allocation decision
Why inheritance should be treated as an allocation decision

The capital most families plan to pass on will likely arrive too late to change anything.

Mercer Advisors, Osaic deepen AI bets with Arch and Nitrogen deals
Mercer Advisors, Osaic deepen AI bets with Arch and Nitrogen deals

Arch claims 40% operating cost savings for Mercer as Nitrogen unlocks its agentic AI and tech suite to 10,000 Osaic advisors

SPONSORED Built on insurance experience to deliver on long-term promises

Knighthead Life entered the market with a competitive MYGA. A strong launch earned advisor confidence and paved the way for FIAs.

SPONSORED In the Age of AI, Trust Becomes the Advisor's Greatest Asset

As AI makes financial information more accessible than ever, Lana Hock explains why human judgment, trust, and empathy remain the qualities clients value most in a financial advisor