3 inspiring lessons David Bowie can teach your clients about reinventing themselves
Any David Bowie fan would tell you that between 1973 and 1983, the artist underwent a serious transformation.
Shifting from the odd, uncanny persona he developed for his 1973 album, Aladdin Sane, to his dancefloor-filling 1983 release, Let’s Dance, Bowie proved himself as somewhat of a chameleon. The change received mixed responses from critics and fans alike. As a Guardian reviewer reflects looking back on Let’s Dance: “Where was the mystery?”
Yet despite the protestations of some, his constant reinvention allowed David Bowie to remain consistent in his freshness. Nobody could anticipate what came next, allowing him to carve out new trends rather than follow them.
After the unprecedented events of the past few years, your clients could be looking to reinvent their lives – be it relocating, changing careers, retiring altogether, or starting their own business. If so, we can help them dance to the beat of their own drum – with a little help from the Thin White Duke himself.
Read on to find out three inspiring lessons David Bowie could teach your clients about reinventing themselves.
1. It’s never too late for your clients to take their careers in a new direction
Listen to Aladdin Sane and Let’s Dance back to back, and you’ll hear Bowie’s departing from the purposefully odd to the joyfully upbeat.
If the last few years have made your clients realise they want to change direction in their own career, they aren’t alone. In 2021, Aviva reported 60% of people were planning a career change, up from 53% in 2020.
However, as already successful people, your clients could be reluctant to branch out. They might feel worried about leaving their comfort zone, particularly in a somewhat economically unstable time.
Nevertheless, by looking to Bowie for inspiration, your clients could feel empowered to take a new path. While their old life might have worked for them before, it could now be time to venture into something new – be it retirement, a new career entirely, or setting up a new business in their current industry.
Just as Bowie stayed ahead of the curve while surfing the genres, so too can your clients find another route that, with the help of a financial planner, could take their wealth to new heights.
2. Moving with the times is no bad thing
While some criticised Bowie for leaning into the upbeat, more “mainstream” sounds of the 80s with Let’s Dance, others recognised the shift for what it was: an adaptation to a changing culture.
With regards to your clients’ finances, there are new opportunities arising all the time. In recent years, your clients might have pursued new avenues with their wealth, including:
- Investing their money through tax-efficient Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs)
- Using online wealth tools, including cashflow modelling software, to pinpoint their financial circumstances more accurately
- Learned more about the protection available to them online, including using comparison websites
- Digitising their day-to-day banking, making their account statements, balances, and outgoings accessible 24 hours a day.
In addition, there could be new challenges on the horizon in the coming years.
Just as Bowie faced critics who shouted down his vision, your clients could have concerns about factors that could affect their wealth now and in the future, including:
- Inflation dampening the spending power of their income
- The Corporation Tax rise set to come into place in April, if they are business owners.
One crucial thing a financial planner can emphasise to your clients is: there is no harm in moving with the times. Their comfort zone may be preventing them from forming powerful objectives that could transform their finances in the long term.
Luckily, working with us at WKM can help your clients believe in ‘Modern Love’ and keep pace with the changing times.
3. While your clients’ moves may change, their goals and values can remain strong
While David Bowie’s look and sound changed a number of times throughout his 50-year career, his core values never did.
No matter the makeup, clothing, or sound he was leaning into in any given decade, Bowie’s relationship with his fans, his love of music, and his dedication to his career remained unwavering.
Similarly, while your clients’ careers and life events may change over the years, their core goals and values don’t have to.
We can help your clients take a new route in life, while keeping the foundational factors of their financial plan rock-solid. These factors could include:
- Their ambitions to help the next generation
- The age at which they want to retire
- Investment goals they have for later life, such as buying a second home.
This combination of versatility and a foundational plan can help your clients pursue whichever changes they desire, without compromising their sense of security.
Get in touch
If your clients want to spend their ‘Time’ on something new, but aren’t sure how to proceed, put them in touch with us. Email info@wkmwealth.co.uk or call 0116 403 0138.
Please note
This blog is for general information only and does not constitute advice. Please do not act based on anything you might read in this article. All contents are based on our understanding of HMRC legislation, which is subject to change.
