Ideal client, niche, or whatever you want to call it; certain people are simply better suited to work with me. If what I describe below doesn’t align with your own values, no worries; there are loads of representatives willing to trade their time for a few more dollars in revenue, but I’m not one of them.
Who: First and foremost, I only work with good people; those who see each day as an opportunity to live rather than merely existing through another 24 hours. Comfort with technology is nearly a must, as is good communication. Being well read and able to converse intelligently about something other than mainstream sports and television is a bonus. If you happen to train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, than we’ll have lots to talk about.
What: I manage investments and provide counsel on a variety of financially related topics. My investment decisions are based on a combination of fundamental analysis and macro economic conditions. I do not pay much attention to “the market,” nor do I pass out fancy binders full of projections. In spite of what most financial industry experts advocate, I do not abdicate investment decisions to 3rd parties who have no relationship to my clients.
When: Securities are typically traded weekdays between 6:30 AM and 1:00 PM Pacific and while this may work for traders and hedge fund managers it’s also inconvenient for most people with a job and or a family. I have both, so the short answer is work gets done when it needs to. That may be in the wee hours of the morning or late into the night, weekends or week nights, but it also means I might be at home with family at eleven AM on a Tuesday. If we need to talk, we’ll work out a time that is convenient for everyone.
Where: Yes, I have a physical office. A nice new LEED Gold certified building in downtown Washougal, Washington, but really I can work with clients in any state where I’m licensed. I use email, a lot. I hate the phone and for most things the computer is much more efficient. For important decisions and intensive collaboration, I prefer to meet in person.
Why: This is a two part statement. The first is why I do what I do, and the second why the right person should work with me.
I do this because it affords me a unique combination of learning, problem solving, a flexible schedule, and being able to help people. There are many things that are frustrating about the financial services industry, but I have yet to find another that affords me this unique combination of attributes.
From a prospective clients perspective, the why is much less simple. If what you just read didn’t scare you off, there’s a good chance we’d work well together. I can’t make many guarantees in my line of work, but I can say you will not meet many financial advisers like me. I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether that’s a good thing or not.
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