On management changes

“Head office is entirely filled with screw-ups and nincompoops. [Goepel] McDermid was great, heavenly. The improvements needed here are dramatic.” A Raymond James broker

 

On ethics

“I’ve been with banks that like to tell everyone how ethical they are. We’re at least a couple of slices above the other firms I’ve worked for.” A Raymond James broker

 

On research

“We’ve got one guy whom we actually end up using as sort of a contrary indicator. This guy’s always wrong. Last year he put Cisco and Nortel at the top.” A Raymond James broker

 

On head office client communication

“It infuriates me. Just because some geek at head office says ‘now’s the time to be buying bonds,’ I’ve got all these clients telling me to buy bonds.” A Raymond James broker

 

On industry consolidation

“I hate banks, including my own.” A National Bank Financial broker

 

Firm’s strategic focus

“I have no idea. They are looking to copy others. Everything we learn, we learn from the newspapers.” A National Bank Financial broker

 

What motivates you?

“The excitement of creating something, of finding a gem in the rough and bringing it to fruition — the personal side of business.” A National Bank Financial broker

 

On the trend to fee-based

“I’m moving towards fee-based. There’s a conflict of interest with commissions, I’m more comfortable being paid for performing than for transacting.” A National Bank Financial broker

 

On client account statements

“I think they don’t get to see them often enough. By the time a client gets his statement, which could be as seldom as quarterly, they forget how to read them.” An Edward Jones advisor

 

On stability

“It is something we don’t appreciate enough.” An Edward Jones broker