From the Editor: 2018 Changing Tides
Q4 | December 2018
Topic: Inside Nexus
December 17, 2018
Image used with permission: iStock/PRImageFactory
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Q4 | December 2018
Headlines in 2018 have been dominated by trade tensions and rising interest rates. Volatility has returned to the equity market, which is not unexpected. We are also entering the 10th year of a bull market and we don’t have a crystal ball to see how long the current market cycle will last. While the world continues to be a troubling place, and no one can predict the future, we continue to focus on the things we have always focused on: a quality, disciplined investment approach, coupled with financial planning for clients.
In November this year, our annual client presentation celebrated the firm’s 30th anniversary. 1988 was the year Bill Berghuis decided to begin, from the ground up, what is now Nexus. You can read more about our founder and his illustrious career in this edition of Nexus Notes, as Alex Jemetz had the opportunity to interview Bill. In the presentation we decided to describe two periods of crisis that marked the last 30 years: the technology boom and bust of 1999/2000 and the 2008/2009 financial crisis. You don’t grow a business like ours without learning a few things along the way and managing through these crises helped confirm some of our core beliefs, which still guide us today. These core beliefs will help us tackle both the opportunities and challenges we face in the future. After all, history doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme! We also looked into the future to highlight where we see opportunities and challenges in the changing world we live in. While there are many, we focused on the impact of the growing and aging world population, which we dubbed “Planet of the Aged”. The presentation finished with a discussion on “Strategies for Success”. In a world of overwhelming change and uncertainty, we feel that it is more critical than ever to have a long-term financial plan in place.
If you missed our presentation, you can view a shortened version on our website here. The presentation ended with an opportunity for clients to ask questions. In this edition of Nexus Notes, we have shared a few of those questions along with our answers. We have included a question about the recent volatility and what changes we have made in the portfolio given the current environment. It was no surprise to get asked a question about cannabis companies in Canada and our thoughts on this early stage industry. Finally, we were asked if we had any regrets and the lessons learned over the years.
As a client service business, Nexus is defined by its people and its clients. It is no secret that Nexus would not be where it is today without our clients. So thank you for your support and remarkable loyalty. All of us here at Nexus wish you and yours a healthy, happy holiday season.