A jungle safari guide's honest answer about managing expectations has a lot in common with the financial advisor's business.
Tejas Shah
Proprietor of Silicon One and Silicon Systems, AMFI-registered Mutual Fund Distributor since 2004, based in Vadodara.
Before hiring a guide for a jungle safari in the Satpura foothills, we asked what we could expect to see. His answer is something every Stock Market or Mutual Fund customer can learn from: "Sir, it's a jungle. We will show you what is possible." No tall claims, no big promises — just the plain truth, the best way to manage expectations.
The jungle is neutral — so are the markets
Very often investors build unrealistic expectations from financial advisors, assuming that hiring an expert guarantees only positive returns with no risk. But the jungle does not care how much you paid the guide, or your name, title or position — you may spot an animal, or you may not. Financial markets are the same: they don't care about your pocket size or your qualifications. You still have to follow the rules — buy low, sell high; plan well and stay the course; do independent research instead of following the crowd. Simple to state, difficult to follow.
The financial advisor's role is like the guide's: to help clients prepare for the unforeseen and position their portfolio to benefit from opportunities when they arrive. As someone has said, "You cannot direct the winds, but you can adjust the sails." Remember, the jungle is neutral — and so are the financial markets.
