For Jayaraj Kadam, retirement was just a break before the next innings

He now bats for sound financial planning

Once you’ve made your life comfortable, it takes a special talent to make others’ lives also a little easier. Jayaraj Kadam had, by all measures, led a very successful life. He studied metallurgical engineering and went on to work with large conglomerates. He had reached the General Manager’s post when, in his mid-50s, he decided to call it a day. This was in 2002 and he felt he had done enough in this line of work. Moreover, he had more or less fulfilled his duties as a family man.

He has three daughters whom he has settled successfully: one is a computer engineer in a banking conglomorate, one a doctor and the third an architect. Of the three, one is settled in the US. After opting for the voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) at his company, he spent six months with her, and this break from all the day-to-day managing and decision-making gave him plenty of time to think how he could make himself useful.

People with drive always have that itch to be productive and Jayaraj is no exception. As soon as he returned to India, he was already obsessing about how he could continue to contribute to society. There are times when life itself shows the way. A friend approached him asking if he could consider joining Kotak Life as an advisor. This was fortuitous, as Jayaraj had always been greatly interested in finance ever since he spent some time working in the finance department during his corporate tenure.

Everyone can do with that little extra contribution for the nest egg but not all know how to go about it. Right through his career, he had always planned well financially, but he was all too aware that many former colleagues had not done so, leaving them in a precarious state. He had observed painfully large gaps in their financial security and this did not bode well for them. He then knew that using his vast corporate experience and overview, he could contribute by helping people plan for their future, just as he himself had successfully done.

Jayaraj began his second innings when he received his advisor licence with Kotak. He already had the background for his second innings and after due mandatory training, he plunged headlong into yet another exciting world. His dynamism prompted him to diversify into other financial instruments as well so as to increase his offerings to clients. His grateful clients were advised on investing in life insurance, general Insurance (health, vehicle, house and so on), mutual funds, company deposits, infra bonds, financial planning, valuation of accounts, portfolio management and so on, all affording them the opportunity to increase their financial security.

Today, he prides himself in being able to provide a one-stop financial solution for all his clients. He defines the key to his success as DNSR: dedication, need-based selling, service and references. That he has been successful with his advice is evident by the fact that close to 60 per cent of his client base is from references of his previous clients.

Jayaraj’s sound knowledge and energy led to his started working in financial services because he was energetic and wanted to keep himself occupied while contributing to society. Today, that drive has led to him becoming a Court of the Table (COT) member in the prestigious Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) conference for 2018. This is one of the highest honours for an insurance professional globally. Prior to that, he had proudly represented Kotak Life and India at the MDRT Meet in Orlando Florida, in June 2016.

What sets him apart from other financial advisers is the range and depth of services he provides to his clients. He goes the extra mile, often accompanying them during important stages such as health check-ups for insurance eligibility and the like. He believes it is his duty to provide the best experience for his clients. As he puts it, “Service is the key. It is what will set you apart from everyone else and be the foundation of a lifelong trust and relationship with your clients.”

His sincerity draws the highest praise from his colleagues at Kotak Life, where he is regarded as a role model. Ask him to share his success mantra with prospective Kotak Life Advisors and he says, “Kotak Life has always emphasised the value of service, and that is what will lead you to become successful.”

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