Why Protocol? First, it expresses convictions I hold firm. As a graduate of the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, England, I was thoroughly drilled in protocol – the correct way of proceeding in a given circumstance. Later, as a Royal Navy officer flying anti-submarine helicopters, there was ample opportunity to understand the real-life necessity of protocol and procedure.
The Joyce Protocol, then, evolved as a way to put the philosophy to work. How it works is immediately obvious in how we approach the needs of our clients.
One thing you can etch in stone: Life is complicated. What’s more, inevitably, life’s complexities can affect financial stability. For most people, there might merely be an occasional pothole; for others, the impact can turn out to be a gaping chasm – one that’s very difficult to climb out of. But either way, surviving financial challenges – and thriving – takes strategy, trust, strength, wisdom and a fair amount of plain old street smarts.
I used to wonder how it was that asset managers in highly respected firms could utterly fail to meet client needs. The more I observed, the more I learned. It wasn’t so much what they did, as literally what they failed to do. Many of the precepts of The Joyce Protocol have evolved from what we definitely did not want to be. Perhaps the best way to explain that is anecdotal.
One example. An individual brought me a 45-page presentation package prepared by an asset management company, which is world-renowned. Every page had tables of virtually indecipherable numbers. The person said, “They sent five account people to make this presentation. They took two hours talking about their company, their reputation, their history, their “team.” Then they gave me this five-pound package of information and left. I think I was supposed to be so impressed – or intimidated – that I’d just hand over my money, and let them get to it. They seemingly had no idea of me, my real needs or what my assets must do over the next 10 years.”
I have heard other people complain that their “money managers” offered set menu solutions. The Joyce Protocol considers each client’s needs to be as individual and unique as a thumbprint. All assets have a job to do, more than merely accumulate. We need to know the parameters of that job. Therefore, we design individual portfolios and seek to direct assets to the growth and reduced volatility the client requires.
I look forward to the opportunity of meeting with interested prospects and examining together how we might put The Joyce Protocol to work.
Best regards,
Alan Joyce
