Caroline Stuart and Melissa Kidd have partnered to launch a new initiative called The Co-Laboratory.
Aimed at financial services professionals and with an emphasis on developing day-to-day communication and ‘human’ skills, the founders say the initiative will provide an opportunity for people to learn and share their expertise.
Melissa and Caroline say they have started the Co-Laboratory to develop the ‘human’ side of finance, as historically, the profession has tended to focus on technical exams and capabilities, often overshadowing the people skills.
Caroline says: “The Consumer Duty will require us all to make sure that clients understand our communications, especially those relating to advice and recommendations. This means it’s crucial our reports are as clear, simple, and as client friendly as possible. We’ve noticed that there seems to be a perception compliance gets in the way of writing client friendly reports. I don’t believe that though, as no compliance person I’ve ever spoken to has asked me to make my reports longer and more complicated.”
The Co-Laboratory will be offering practical support and solutions to these kinds of common challenges.
Melissa has a background in psychology and over twenty years’ experience in communications, while Caroline has spent over twenty years’ working in financial planning and paraplanning, bringing technical and compliance knowledge, as well as many years’ experience of training and mentoring paraplanners and financial planners.
Melissa adds: “We want the Co-Lab to be a lively community of change-makers, where everyone can share ideas and expertise, helping us all enhance our knowledge and skills so we can make clients’ lives easier.”
The first ‘Co-Lab’ session is on April 19th at 1pm- 2pm and will focus on Difficult Dialogues. It’s free to attend but with limited places. Book your place here.
