Coaching, Consulting, and Presenting
Sharp-eyed people who hang about on the RetireJapan site (are there any?) may have noticed we have a new page.
A few people have asked me to help them with specific problems like getting started with personal finance, setting up a broker account, or working out what kind of portfolio they want, so I have been doing a bit of paid coaching this year. So far it’s been fun and fulfilling for me, the clients seem satisfied, and I’ve learnt a lot more about specific people’s situations.
I’ve also been talking to some companies about doing staff training for them in personal finance, and of course remain very happy to hear from groups who would like to book me to come and talk to their members.
If you are interested in any of these, please check out the new Consulting page on the RetireJapan site.
We’re launching with introductory rates, but once those slots fill up prices will go up. If you would like more personal help or would like to arrange a RetireJapan workshop, lecture, or seminar, get in touch and see if we can help (initial enquiries are of course free of charge).
The website and forum will remain free for anyone to use and we hope to expand the range of resources on the site alongside our upcoming site redesign. Please do share RetireJapan with friends or colleagues that might benefit from the information.
Any suggestions as to content or features for the new site most welcome 🙂
This post makes me feel a bit reluctant to post on the blog and the forum regardless if you keep them free for anyone to use.
Why is that? The paid services are an add-on that hopefully will be useful to some people/groups.
The site/blog will continue providing as much content as possible for free, as it has until now.
I was in a meeting today and was asked how RetireJapan made money. “It doesn’t”, I said, “I see it as a public service”. The person I was talking to had trouble getting their head around that 😉
It is just not why I have read your blog and forum with pleasure, so far.
Fair enough! Don’t understand your reasoning, but hope you’ll reconsider 🙂
Why don’t you understand the reasoning?
I must say I don’t follow the reasoning either. These services will be useful to people and don’t affect the blog or forum in any way. Why would such services make you less inclined to post? I might be missing something but it seems a bit odd to me.
Because you haven’t set it out clearly enough to be understood?
As far as I’m concerned, good luck – if you can bring in a little extra and still privide a place that helps people with sorting out financial matters in Japan, why not. Wouldn’t make use of it myself, as I’m not generally keen on paying for info that I can research myself, but if it’s useful to others and yourself, that’s all good.
Thanks arty!
I think a lot of people can read the site, read a couple of books from the Further Reading page, and ask questions in the forum. No need to pay 🙂
And some people might want some personalised attention. Either way, I hope we can help.
It just comes off as being on the pushy side of things to me, especially the line about raising prices once slots fill up.
Good for you!
I’m happy to hear that your services are being recognized and that your expanding your influence.
I always get a lot of very beneficial information from your site, and I wish the best for you!
-a satisfied reader
Thanks, Kaylor! Much appreciated 🙂
Retire Japan is offering so much great information and resources for free, I don’t understand “Anonymous” comments at all. This is just an additional service for someone (or groups) who needs more specific help, everything else is still free.
I’ve actually asked RJ to help me with my specific situation and it has been extremely valuable and solved my issue in much less time than expected. I can highly recommend his consulting service and wish him all the best.
I’m sure this service could be really valuable for some people who are stuck. There are very few people who can advise on specific financial/investing matters in Japan (and in English language!). I also think getting personalized advice at the indicated rate is a very reasonable offer.
Bento, great for you that you got the help you needed.
Good luck with the consulting. Its about time you get paid for that. The free website wont change so no one can complain. If you want more help its natural that one can pay for that. I wish you all the best.
Considering the fact that you can get all the information for free and buy guides to NISA & IDECO for about ¥1,000, if you can make a little money on the side out of it then best of luck.
More than a fair trade for all the good (free) work RJ does.
I’m with those who think you’re doing a great thing. I love the website and info you provide, it’s a wonderful public service. Whereas it takes a lot of work to explain investment products along the lines of your NISA and IDECO booklets, so it’s appropriate to charge for those.
Thanks, Tedley! Very kind of you 🙂
The guides take 2-3 months to write… I’m planning the next couple to be about mortgages and life insurance, but those topics are even more technical so I think they’ll take longer…