It was amazing seeing so many of you at ILTM in Cannes. This is by far our favorite international show, not because we get to see you but also because we get to enjoy Cannes all lit up for the holidays. It looks like something straight from a postcard. The weather has been more forgiving this year, not as cold, however the light snowfall is definitely missed.
That said there are two main reasons I love coming here. First, I get to see all of you, and I get to be in Cannes. The yearly ritual of pizza on the final night at Le Vesuvio is a tradition started by my friends and advisor partners, Sandy, Ena, and Melissa. Though they were not in Cannes this year, the tradition lived on with a lively spirit and plenty of laughter so much that I’m sure the wait staff couldn’t wait for us to leave. Second, the macaroons, which are not for me. Let me explain. My wife and my early teen daughter eagerly look forward to the French macaroons I pick while transiting through Paris. The packaging keeps them fresh while amazing advisor partners like Alyson Nash help translate into French what I can barely say in English, “Keep these on ice. I will be back to pick them up, so they stay fresh for the trip home.” Thanks to all these wonderful people and more who helped me feel at home in Cannes.
This year might have been our most productive yet. Thanks to the digital avatar platform my friend Dr Jill Schiefelbein helped connect us with, daily videos of Flat Ash (yes he is back), are being sent to each day’s meeting attendees along with a landing page that helps continue the conversation. That means we finally break the cycle of sending those dreaded “I wanted to follow up with you” emails that we all know don’t get read. Instead, we are providing instant access that is both efficient and respectable of our advisor partners’ valuable time.
You can check out that video and landing page here – The Big Five Effect
As Cannes wraps up, the annual migration to Egypt begins as the 2025 Egypt Educational starts in the next few days with incredible advisor partners joining us for what will be an unforgettable journey. Stay tuned for that dispatch.
In the mean time, Au plaisir de vous revoir. Next stop, Cairo!
I first visited Singapore when I was 17 years old, technically I visited when I was one, but that doesn’t really count as I was apparently being babysat by a flight crew while held in quarantine (long story).
At 17, I remember walking through the main areas and seeing open land, wondering if any kind of urban development would ever take shape. Many of the buildings you see today did not exist back then. Fast forward to the age of 23, I was beginning year one of a three-year Chartered Financial Analyst exam process, at a time when only 7,200 CFA holders existed in the world. The plan was to finish three years, pass all three exams, and move to either Hong Kong or Singapore.
Well life had a different path for me, and I now have a fun job, getting to still play with numbers, and most importantly, I get to spend time with all of you.
That’s what made this year’s ILTM Asia in Singapore such a smashing success for us. It brought me back to Singapore, allowed me to walk along the famed F1 track on my way from the hotel to the expo center, and gave me a chance to see all the changes. At our exhibit booth, I was also able to spend time with our advisor partners from Australia, New Zealand and India, having excellent meetings with them on everything, ranging from East Africa to Peru. Our BDM team, Trish in Sydney and Bhrigu in India will have plenty to do in the coming weeks building on these amazing conversations with you all.
But it wasn’t just the show. Can I take a minute and talk about the food stalls? Between the hot pots, Indian food, and the noodles, I was in heaven, and I even perfected the use of the Grab app, which for the record, works way better than the Uber app!
Enjoy this week’s video, featuring the sights and sounds of Singapore and ILTM Asia.
I look forward to seeing many of you again in Las Vegas or Cannes for the next ILTM.
One of my favorite weeks in December has been epic, once again, in lovely Cannes France. That’s right, time for ILTM, a show we have been exhibiting at for years. With a combination of conversations with amazing partners that seem to build further into relationships each year, and the city’s beauty lit up for the holidays, what’s not to love? Even the weather is cooperating.
As is the case every year, there are some memorable moments. This year, there was a story of the “missing” salad restaurant I normally visit every year. The establishment was renamed, and we walked past it, at minimum, 3 times before realizing it was closed. While looking for a replacement, we stumbled upon an Indian restaurant offering home cooking with a French twist.
Then there is the moment that likely should have ended with me in the hospital. Have you ever called someone by name looking at the back of their head, only to realize it wasn’t that person? Well I bear-hugged someone thinking it was the infamous David Kolner, only to realize, it wasn’t. The look of death followed as my life flashed before my eyes. Thanks, David! Well despite that, the week has been amazing.
This year the order is a bit different. Normally, I have an adventure in one of my favorite places in Africa before coming to Cannes.
This time around we are doing it in reverse, so stay tuned for my dispatch coming next week.
