SERGIU HIRTESCU, CFP®, FCSI®, CIM®, Division Manager, IG Wealth Management, Richmond Hill. Ontario
SERGIU HIRTESCU
"A solid building needs a good plan"
Sergiu Hirtescu, CFP & Division Manager, IG Wealth Management doesn’t like to talk about himself. Despite his many successes, he is a very humble man. He has a genuine curiosity. When meeting someone for the first time, Serge (as he’s known) is far more likely to ask questions than drone on about himself.
He’s a lifelong learner, devouring content on any topic, from books to Ted talks. The more he learns about the perspectives of others, “the better I can understand myself.”
Serge’s introspection is refreshing; by deeply understanding himself and his own motivations, he can better support a wide variety of clients and ask the right questions to ensure he thoroughly understands a client’s needs and goals.
Persistence and discipline
When Serge was nine, he had a paper route. “They gave them to nine-year-olds, back then,” Serge said jokingly as he recounted the story. He loved it; preparing the papers for delivery, organizing the flyers, and getting up early to deliver them.
He took the money and saved most of it (he was clearly a planner from a very early age) and spent wisely, otherwise.
Serge just loved the work.
He scheduled his paper route around his homework, of course, because had his grades slipped, he wouldn’t have been allowed to continue working. It wasn’t an incredible amount of money, but for a nine-year-old? It was the motherlode.
Serge’s paper route also taught him a valuable lesson, that would benefit him as he sought to build a business for himself: you get out what you put in.
It was something of which he was reminded in university. He took a job as a garbage collector. It wasn’t a glamorous job but it had potential if one worked hard. Serge became something of an outcast because he wanted to work quickly, but many of his compatriots didn’t love his zeal for the work.
Serge got called back every summer. A lot of others didn’t.
It reinforced what he already believed to be true. You get out what you put in.
Good advice
There is no shortage of financial information available to clients these days. More and more of it is being shared online and can be easily found if one knew where to look.
But good planning isn’t just about the numbers. It’s about looking at the whole picture and developing an honest connection with the client.
Of course, people get a lot of calls. There is no shortage of Advisors looking for new clients. That’s where Serge is different. He’s looking to engage with people to learn their stories, and to understand what drives them. If he can learn what drives them, he learns more about himself.
Sometimes, prospective clients ask Serge what the secret to a good financial future is. His answer is simple, “spend less than you earn. That’s it. Sometimes we try and make it more complicated in our industry, but it’s really so simple. If you’re disciplined and spend less than you earn, and you take the time to plan effectively, you’ll build a solid financial footing for yourself.”
The plan needs to be comprehensive and consider many different elements to be effective including taxation, estate planning, risk management, investments, and more.
“If you spend less than you earn, and build a good plan, you’ll be well set up for what’s to come.”
Building something
As a Division Manager, one of Serge’s main responsibilities is talking to qualified candidates about joining IG Wealth Management. But he isn’t just recruiting Advisors. He’s building a team.
Serge provides coaching and mentorship to Advisors who are looking to operate a business under one of the premier banners in Canada.
It’s something he recognizes isn’t for everyone, but for people with the right mindset, the potential is limitless.
“For an entrepreneurial person, there is no better place to build a business than IG Wealth Management. We have industry-leading tools, proven solutions, and a well-respected brand that’s recognized coast to coast. But it takes the right person to recognize there isn’t a paycheque; there’s income based on business success. If you’re willing to put in the work, we have the right support system in place so you can excel.”
There are a lot of advantages to working with IG Wealth Management, primarily the autonomy, and the freedom for an Advisor to build a practice that aligns with their vision.
With a welcoming corporate culture, more and more Advisors are joining the team every month.
Change for the better
Serge is passionate about physical fitness. He usually walks 10 kilometres, rain or shine, and mixes in jogging and swimming. He finds exercise focuses his mind and offers clarity he appreciates.
For a long time, while Serge worked in retail banking, he was extremely sales oriented. There was a keen focus on how much product he was selling, how many clients he was bringing in, and how many leads he was generating.
It wasn’t until he got to IG Wealth Management that he really understood what running a business really means; the sweat equity that goes into building something from nothing, and the unrivaled feeling of accomplishment as one watches their hard work pay off.
Now, as he comes up on the first anniversary of his appointment as Division Manager, Serge is reflective on the high-quality team of professionals he’s been able to bring into the fold at IG Wealth Management.
“When I started at the company, I didn’t know what to expect. Coming to IG Wealth Management was a big step for me because I really wanted to build something. I’ve always done my best to make a difference for clients, but the move gave me the freedom to really help shape a client’s financial plan. As a business owner, it’s been great. Now, as a Division Manager, I’m giving other entrepreneurs the opportunity to join us and experience the change that I did; it’s motivating and inspiring. I look forward to going to work every single day.”
When working with a new Advisor, Serge always starts by sharing what he discovered at the age of nine: you get out what you put in.
Gary Milakovic is a veteran writer with more than a decade in the public sector and corporate communications. He has covered a wide spectrum of topics and his work has been featured by large and small organizations across Canada. Gary is passionate about communication, his writing often focuses on uncovering the “story behind the story.”
Sergiu Hirtescu CFP®, CIM®, FCSI®
Division Manager IG Wealth Management
201-1595 16th Avenue,
Richmond Hill, ON L4B 3N9
905-886-3850
sergiu.hirtescu@ig.ca
Investors Group Financial Services Inc.