50 Washington Street
9th Floor
Norwalk, CT 06854
-
Why Write a Book?
- by: Hank Berkowitz
- October 22, 2025
No CommentsNow is the time of year when financial professionals start planning and budgeting for 2026. Many of you have told me you’re “finally ready to buckle down” and write the book you’ve been contemplating for so many years. That’s great. Contrary to what you might think, people are still reading plenty of books even in
-
You Can Never Be Too Clear
- by: Hank Berkowitz
- June 10, 2025
Early in my career I worked in business development. I once asked my boss if I was following up too often with a prospect. Her answer: “If I was being too aggressive the prospect would let me know.” I feel the same way when it comes to clarity in your writing and communication. You can
-
Are You Forgetting ‘For Example’ When Writing and Presenting?
- by: Hank Berkowitz
- May 19, 2025
One of the great things about our business is that we get to work with some of the smartest minds in accounting, wealth management and estate planning. But all too often the “curse of knowledge” trips them up when they’re writing, presenting or being interviewed. Having encyclopedic knowledge of your subject area has many benefits
-
This Word Literally Cramps Your Credibility
- by: Hank Berkowitz
- March 26, 2025
Standing in the coffee shop line the other day, I couldn’t help overhearing these cringeworthy conversations around me: “OMG. I literally died laughing!” (No, you’re very much alive, I thought to myself. That’s unfortunate for those of us around you). “I’m literally freezing.” (You’re probably just cold and under-dressed I thought). “The dude’s business literally
-
Long Live the Whiteboard
- by: Hank Berkowitz
- February 26, 2025
My last post (The Power of Writing Things Down) generated more comments than usual. Many of you were intrigued by research showing how writing things down by hand improves retention, clarity and commitment and also reduces stress. There’s also the accountability factor. If we take the time to write down our goals or obligations rather
-
The Power of Writing Things Down
- by: Hank Berkowitz
- January 23, 2025
When I’m rushing out the door late for an appointment, my wife inevitably asks me to pick up some skim milk, real butter and jumbo eggs on the way home. “Three items. Nothing unusual. I’ve got this,” I tell myself and commit the task to memory. But then come the pesky addendums to the list
-
Don’t Be a Wise Guy (or Gal)
- by: Hank Berkowitz
- December 20, 2024
Lately I’ve been hearing more and more abuse of the suffix “wise” by people trying to make themselves sound more important. During the recent World Series, a TV announcer reassured us that New York Yankees ace pitcher Gerrit Cole hadn’t changed “demeanor-wise” after giving up a game changing grand slam to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
-
Ditch the Duplicatives
- by: Hank Berkowitz
- November 27, 2024
Just when I thought we were eradicating cliches like “space” and “low-hanging fruit” and “it is what it is” from business communication, a new scourge has surfaced – the duplicative. That’s when you add redundant words to a simple phrase to make it sound more important. Stop doing it! I don’t have stats to back
-
Suffer from Completion Anxiety?
- by: Hank Berkowitz
- October 15, 2024
During the peak of my marathon running days, there were plenty of times I’d be facing a 20-mile training run on a humid Sunday morning. My legs were still heavy from my Friday speed workout, plus I often had a slight hangover and some annoying minor injuries. Sweating out the next 2-1/2 hours alone with
-
What March Madness Teaches About Our Biases
- by: Hank Berkowitz
- March 25, 2024
With the first week of the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament (aka #MarchMadness) in the books, many of you are lamenting your “busted brackets.” Don’t feel bad. An estimated 30 million people painstakingly fill out their tournament picks every year, and there has never been a verified perfect bracket. The closest to perfection came in 2019, when a