John Cogswell of North Reading, Massachusetts, is the chief market strategist of Baystate Wealth. Emphasizing a diversified approach to equities, fixed income, options, and alternative investments, he excels at succession and retirement planning. Committed to generational wealth building, John P. Cogswell tailors portfolio holdings to clients’ specific timelines and risk tolerances and periodically evaluates and rebalances assets.
Mr. Cogswell is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter holder. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and international finance at Northeastern University in Boston, and is a longstanding member of CFA Society Boston (formerly the Boston Security Analysts Society).
In his free time, John P. Cogswell participates in outdoor activities such as golfing and skiing. He is also an avid home cook who enjoys trying new recipes.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
Get up, work out, eat while catching up on overnight news, and then follow the plan for the day.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Get help from the right people.
What’s one trend that excites you?
Artificial Intelligence
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Follow the calendar.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Schedule time for a personal life.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Exercise.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
Run or go for a walk.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Prioritize and enhance communication skills. This includes both verbal and written communication, active listening, and adapting your message to your audience.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Mismanaging time on a project, leading to a missed deadline. To overcome this, I learned to break down large tasks into smaller, manageable steps; prioritize effectively using tools like time management matrices; and communicate proactively with my team about potential roadblocks.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Bloomberg. [How do I use it?] Analysis.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
No books, just staying current in the industry by attending growth and management conferences.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
Shrinking.
Key learnings
- Keep learning.
- Be disciplined with time.
- Honesty, integrity and transparency go a long way.
- Effective communication skills are among the most important proficiencies for business success and career growth.