Informed Choice executive director Nick Bamford was invited to participate in an online interview this morning, as part of the IFA Lives series from IFA social networking website IFA Life.
The interview took place on Twitter (a ‘twinterview’) which meant questions and answers were limited to 140 characters.
Here are the 14 questions posed by IFA Life and the answers from Nick.
IFALife: First Nick, can you either check in to where you are on Foursquare or tweet a pic of your immediate surroundings #IFAlives
Nick: I’m at Sundial House, 20 High Street, Cranleigh, Surrey GU6 8AE http://yfrog.com/h7kc2elj #IFAlives
IFALife: Hi Nick – where are you based and what do you do for a living? #IFAlives
Nick: Chartered Financial Planner, live & work in Cranleigh, largest village in England. Originally a Bristolian #IFAlives
IFALife: How did you get into financial advice in the first place Nick? #IFAlives
Nick: Left school at 18, the British Army didn’t want me! Went for interview practice & ended up a Life Underwriting Clerk #IFAlives
IFALife: What do you enjoy most about your work? #IFAlives
Nick: It’s a family business, so I get to spend time with my family & clients. Solving problems is the best part #IFAlives
IFALife: Who has most influenced your career and how? #IFAlives
Nick: Ron Blackhurst, my 1st boss in 1973. He taught me I should create solutions to my own problems, not leave it to others #IFAlives
IFALife: If you hadn’t become an IFA, what would have been your ideal job? #IFAlives
Nick: My wife says I could have become a professional footballer, but she’s wrong. Zoo keeper would have been my choice! #IFAlives
IFALife: Question 6 for @nickbamford Nick, what do you think about this RDR thing? #IFAlives
Nick: Best thing that has ever happened to IFAs & consumers, but it needs a little tweaking #IFAlives
IFALife: @nickbamford, if you could change one thing about this industry/profession, what would it be? #IFAlives
Nick: More regulation! #justkidding Ask for a more open minded approach from the participants #IFAlives
IFALife: Who do you admire most in this industry? #IFAlives
Nick: Steve Jones, the Exec Deputy Chairman of Avelo (previously N4 Solutions) Most focused bloke you can find but great fun #IFAlives
IFALife: Six questions to go @nickbamford Outside work Nick, what are you really good at that we should know about? #IFAlives
Nick: Fishing, watching sport on Sky, drinking red wine. Retaining really useless facts about stuff #IFAlives
IFALife: What is your favourite motivational quote? #IFAlives
Nick: Two quotes if I may “Change is the nickname used by opportunity” and “A life lived in fear is half a life”#IFAlives
IFALife: What’s your favourite book and what are you reading at the moment? #IFAlives
Nick: The God Delusion by Richard Hawkins. Currently reading The Language of Genes by Steve Jones (a different Steve Jones) #IFAlives
IFALife: And what’s on your iPod/MP3 right now? #IFAlives
Nick: Martin, what is an iPod/MP3? Is it like my iPad? Oh, in that case it’s Foo Fighters Wasting Light (that’s cool, right?) #IFAlives
IFALife: What advice would you give to other IFAs that will help them to thrive post RDR #IFAlives
Nick: Embrace change and don’t fear it #IFAlives
IFALife: OK, final question @nickbamford Your Twitter profile says you are a Bristol Rovers supporter – that can’t be correct surely? #IFAlives
Nick: True. I am indeed a “Gashead” Love them but we are truly rubbish!!! (at the moment) #IFAlives
To get more of an insight into the team at Informed Choice, please keep an eye open for An Informed Day on Twitter, on Tuesday 24th May 2011.
You can follow @aninformedday or watch the hashtag #informedday.
