Last week, I talked about how a movie, The Intern, helped me to explain what Doescher Advisors does (Advisor or Coach? What is Doescher Advisors? Part One). In this post, I will provide examples. Hopefully I won’t ruin the movie for you, but the following are takeaways from the movie that correlate to what we aspire to bring to our clients as we serve them:

1. Jules was thriving without Ben. She didn’t need him.
   Our clients are talented, successful executives leading great companies, and they will be successful with or without us.
2. Ben was comfortable in his own skin. He wore a business suit and tie every day, and carried a classic briefcase. He didn’t try to be a 20-year-old, but acted his own age.
   We recognize our “seasoned” state, and don’t try to pretend we’re younger than we are, although we do use Apple products.
   
3. Ben was willing to learn. He observed and asked a lot of questions of many different team members.
   We are committed to being lifelong learners.
   
4. Ben earned the respect of team members by the way he behaved. He tried to help and give to everyone, and not hog the limelight.
   We look for unique ways to add to our clients’ businesses. And we’re not looking to take credit for suggestions that work out.
   
5. Ben wasn’t a “know-it-all,” although in the startup environment he could have acted that way.
   We don’t understand our clients’ businesses like they do. We look for gaps where we can add a new idea or two.
6. Ben wanted the best for Jules, based on her definition of best.
   Our advice is based on our clients’ business and personal goals, not ours.
7. Ben was willing to take calculated risks, like hacking into Jules’ mother’s computer (this was a great and hilarious scene).
   ΩIf we believe something is an opportunity for our clients’ business, we will bring it to them — even if it’s an idea that is way out there and nontraditional (i.e., out of the box).

I will continue the list of what I learned from Ben next week.