I have spent the last few weeks reflecting on 2022 and wanted to share some of my take-aways:
- Surround yourself with good people who share your values. Whether it’s our clients or our team members, I feel grateful to interact daily with individuals that I truly like working with.
- Have courage! This applies to most things in life, but I am speaking specifically as it relates to the market. I know market volatility feels scary but we have been here before – and we have survived and prospered.
- Helping our clients find clarity and comfort in their lives is a privilege. We have defined and refined our processes and workflows to ensure the best possible client experience. We are more committed than ever to this work for you and your families. So much so that “Clarity to Take Action” is our new tagline – what do you think? Does this accurately describe the work that we have done together?
- It’s ok to change your mind! This year was a lot of trial and error, but as a team we are honing in on how to best leverage our individual skillsets to make sure that we are doing work that best serves you and your financial goals and needs.
- Own your strengths – automate, delegate or eliminate the rest!
In my 2021 year-end blog, I introduced you to Lumina, who in the past year has breathed new life into our social media pages and passed the SIE and Series 7 exam! Since then, I have made additional investments in human capital by adding Liana to the team as a Client Service Associate and Shelley as our Chief Financial Officer. Liana is the friendly face you see when you walk into the office! She is responsible for the day-to-day operations as well as all things related to client service. In her role as CFO, Shelley provides actionable insights based on financial analysis and strategic planning. She analyzes our operations and helps to create a strategic plan to meet business objectives. Essentially, she is SMB’s Financial Advisor.
On that final note, here are a few changes you will see in 2023:
- I will be shifting my responsibilities within the team to focus on the macro parts of the business. This means you may find yourself interacting more with Liana and Lumina. They are here to help you:
- Schedule/reschedule a meeting
- Open a new account
- Initiate and follow up on transfers
- Update checking/savings account information
- Change beneficiary designations
- Financial Planning invoicing and payment
Here is what will NOT change: the service, attention and care that you are accustomed to. I will continue to conduct all client meetings, prepare customized financial plans, implement and monitor investment strategy and portfolio management, and be a sounding board to address any financial questions, concerns or opportunities that you might have.
- Lumina is studying and will start shadowing me in client meetings so she can better understand the financial planning process!
- In January, we will give you an opportunity to provide feedback by sharing a survey. For the first time ever, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is allowing advisors to publicly share testimonials from clients! We are proud of the service we provide and we would love your help describing it!
Thank you for your trust and continued belief in our ability to serve you. It is truly a privilege to be able to do this work for you and your families. We are grateful for the opportunity to be part of your financial transformation and look forward to what is next!
I hope that you have a wonderful holiday season filled with rest and relaxation with your loved ones.