Free Lectures on Financial Planning
About 3 months ago I decided that I will not do free or subsidized lectures at all. Does not matter who wants it. Just will not do it. Makes no sense. Most of the people who come have been pulled to attend the class. If they are young, they believe Retirement is too far away, and Goal Based Investing is too difficult to understand.
Their bosses feel they are doing ME a favor by allowing me to talk to them. It involves some travel, stay, etc. that too not really at the Prime places, but at ok places. Not cribbing, just saying.
Yes many of them are in a Noble Profession – I know – however that should not entitle them to expect anything free. Actually I am willing to do free advice for teachers…provided they implement it. Most of them do not. Defeats the purpose, does it not?
Many people who want a lecture or book free…will normally not use it. My time, energy, and book get wasted. I meet people in high places, big companies, CEO, as well as ordinary people. Funnily it is big organisations, high profile people, etc. who ask for ‘Free’ lectures. I say no politely. Politely, I think. If they get offended I would be surprised. I just do not do the lecture – somehow they ask once. If I don’t respond or say “that date does not suit me” they do not come back. Surely, the need for the lecture is not so high.
One of the high profile Management Institutes asked me for a free lecture. They were giving me the honor of speaking to their students, were they not? I said no. They got back saying ‘we will bear the airfare and taxi charges…and stay will be free of course”. I said No. I said “I don’t need the money does not mean that the students should get used to asking for free things”. I then asked them to donate money to a charity. They did.
I started the lecture by saying “all you guys ARE about to earn (next week was placement) Rs. 25L on an average…why do you need a subsidy”
Honestly they did not have an answer.
So, clearly, no free lectures. Either you pay me, or pay to a charity I nominate.
Simple, no?
Alroy Raj
True, it is the bigger companies that pay a pittance. Similar with bigger universities trying to get free services.
That said, my takeaway from your post, is that unless the students pay from their pocket, they have no interest in learning as ‘they have nothing to lose’. Even something as low as Rs 80 (a price of a budget biriyani) will work.
People act as if financial services are always a free service, it’s time people wake up.
Srijan R Shetty
‘If you’re free at something don’t do it for free’. Good financial education is hard to find and it makes no sense for you to provide it for free. Companies have no excuse to not to pay. Colleges fund start-up events, it only makes sense that colleges fund such events.
Rajnikant Gajjar
If it does not induce you pain,you will never perceive pleasure.
Let it be a price paid in money or otherwise.
Pleasure has to be preceded by pains.
No charge,No respects.
I do not hold rights to benefit all & everyone.
So far in 31 years of my Professional practice as Anaesthesiologist,hardly ever poor patients have been a matter of regrets for me,but lot many affording patients are there,I regret,I should not have touched them.
HSM
I was once asked to speak in a reputed MBA college in Mumbai. The head of the institute gave an assurance to the sales team that he would be recommending ‘some’ of the publishers books to the students in the next academic year. The sales team organised it and they arranged for my stay, travel and all arrangements. They did not pay me. I delivered the lecture and when the sales team reached out to them, this gentleman refused. From then on, i decided not to do any sessions for anyone for ‘free’.