As a financial advisor, I have worked with individuals to support and guide them with their financial and investing decisions. Every client has led to a different experience, a different conversation, and a different story from which to learn. This is the story of a client who had a special request.
For me, it’s all about the client. It’s about your goals, concerns, story, and expected outcomes.
Finding someone you can confide in with your assets and the growth of your investments is not a job for just anyone. Thinking about whom you hire to join you on your financial journey might make your stomach turn and your imagination take over. Ideally, you want to entrust this job to someone who affords you the ability to lay back and order a piña colada on a beautiful beach. To make this dream a reality, not only do you want to work with a certified professional, but you want your financial goals and assets to be managed prudently by a fiduciary advisor.
My mission is simple: I want to deliver solutions and strategies that put each client in a better position than when we first met. Sometimes that means going the extra mile.
A few weeks ago, a referred client, Michelle, asked me to help her family. Their children are recent college graduates and will soon be transitioning into a new and very different stage in life. While they do not yet have the account balances to support an advisory relationship, I am committed to helping my clients with what’s important to them. With her unique financial situation in mind, I knew I could deliver on this challenge.
I wanted to prepare for this meeting to make sure what I communicated was of high value to Michelle’s family members.
What do they want to learn? What will be helpful for them? What information will enable the greatest amount of understanding?
Most importantly, people don’t know what they don’t know. There is a whole financial world to which they have yet to be exposed. New goal unlocked: Familiarize them with this world of personal finances and remove all scary predispositions they might have. We would consider it a victory if they left the meeting feeling comfortable with the concepts and strategies presented.
Consequently, I put together a presentation to introduce these young women to the tools they needed after graduating from college and entering a new world of possibilities and responsibilities. My goal was for them to enter the meeting eager to learn and exit the conversation with actionable strategies that would best position them for the future.
After the call, I felt happy with the communication. However, this is a two-way street, with the most valuable insights coming from the clients. Was this, in fact, helpful for Michelle’s family?
Let’s look at my client’s actual comments from the call:
Michelle’s Email:
“Hi Frank,
THANK YOU so much for doing the call. The presentation was very informative and helpful.
I think it was a home run. You are great at explaining things.
They got all their questions answered, and they feel empowered to start looking at the stocks you recommended and others with an eye for checking the expense ratio and performance.
Their accounts are funded, and they will make purchases tomorrow.
I liked the time-money chart that you showed with the potential growth over 30 years – seeing numbers in black and white is awesome.
Going over the ETFs using the Schwab app was great – helped to make sense of all the sections – there is a lot of info provided.
Also, taking the time to show them the steps to buy stock was beneficial.
You hit key principles: Discipline, never chasing returns, don’t invest based on emotion, and saving more than you spend.
They are both very driven women and now have more financial knowledge to make their financial goals come true.
You are a real godsend, and I appreciate all you have and are doing with my and my family’s finances. I am not surprised that you have long relationships with your clients!”
“They are both very driven women and now have more financial knowledge to make their financial goals come true.”
Although prepared to fulfill their dreams and passions, more times than not, college graduates are not entirely aware of the steps they must take financially to meet their wealth goals. Michelle is one step ahead. Scheduling this meeting for her family members gave them an advantage that many young adults have not yet prioritized or even acknowledged.
The success of this story? Delivering above and beyond the client’s expectations.
Disclosures: Aventine Financial Group LLC (“Aventine” or “we”) is an investment adviser registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Registration with the SEC does not imply any level of skill or training. The content provided herein is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a recommendation, offer, or solicitation to buy or sell any security or investment strategy. This material does not establish an investment advisory relationship with Aventine, take into account individual circumstances or objectives, or constitute personalized investment advice. Aventine offers a broad range of investment management and financial planning services. For more information about our services and fees, please request a copy of our Form CRS (Client Relationship Summary) and Form ADV Part 2A (Firm Brochure). Neither Aventine nor its investment adviser representatives provide legal, tax, or accounting advice. You should consult your legal and tax advisers before making any financial decisions. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. There is no guarantee that any investment strategy will be successful. While diversification, asset allocation, and rebalancing strategies may help manage risk, they cannot eliminate the risk of loss in declining markets. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Any references to market indices are for illustrative purposes only and represent unmanaged groups of securities that cannot be invested in directly. Index performance assumes the reinvestment of income, dividends, and other earnings but does not reflect the deduction of advisory fees, transaction costs, or other expenses that would reduce returns. References to specific indices should not be construed as an indication that Aventine’s strategies will have similar composition or performance.