Written by: George Shirley. Any opinions are those of George Shirley and not necessarily those of RJFS or Raymond James.
This past week, our firm welcomed some more former colleagues to our office: Sarah Marks CFP®, and Sr. Registered Client Administrative Managers Vera Reich and Merit Kralovec. Much like when our colleague Bill Blake, Wealth Manager joined last Spring (http://www.stewardpartners.com/welcome-bill/), this was another reunion. I had the opportunity to work with each of these colleagues at my previous firm and we are very excited to add their experience and collective knowledge to our firm.
With Sarah, we go back even further, and I had the chance to cover her client base both times she was out on maternity leave. This was a very interesting situation because as an advisor, you can get a good sense of advisor’s thinking when you see the investment portfolios they have put together. And by speaking to their clients, you also learn very quickly how the clients view the advisor. It also didn’t hurt that her office was close by a great Peruvian Pollo a la Brasa restaurant, giving me a good reason to spend time there around noon each day.
My job during that time was to keep moving along the recommended path without disrupting things. That time solidified my belief in her ability to listen and put the clients’ needs above all else. It is a key element to the type of advisor we want at our firm.
As with many of the other advisors who have joined, I continue to appreciate having credentialed colleagues who are passionate about doing their best work for clients, and actively seek out differing opinions as a way to challenge their own thinking. One of the ways our team has continued to reinvent our self is by seeking constructive feedback from people we respect. Having another group of people here who can challenge us to be better only validates our decision to find an independent home to best serve our client base.
2018-006447