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The first day of summer is but a few days away. If you’re like me, the summer solstice shows up when most of us have already morphed into the change of pace that comes with warmer weather. That is unless you live in Asheville, NC where our furnace fired up last week...

A few years back, in one of those “out of the blue” moments, a call showed up on my phone from a senior client. Unexpected. On the weekend. Concerning. They both were both clients and decades-long friends. “We had to put John in the hospital yesterday and I wanted you...

It’s more common now than perhaps ever before. We take a call from a client whose world seems to be turning upside down. The economy is adversely affecting their profession, a family situation comes out of nowhere, or they are second-guessing a major business decision...

I remember the conversation well. “Michelle’s sister is responsible for her mother’s financial affairs,” her husband Bob reported. I quickly saw a furrowed brow on the wife and an edge to her husband’s normally smooth voice. Bob added, “I know she has ‘borrowed’...

In 2015, Forbes published an article by Robert Laura titled “When Couples Argue About Retirement” which grabbed my attention. Laura noted the one, often overlooked part of a couple’s retirement plan: managing their relationship when work is in the rearview mirror....

We humans live by story. Stories, like tributaries meandering into a larger river, flow and feed who we are and what matters most to us. And yes, more so now than ever before, voices heard and overheard, posts, blogs, and sound bites trickle ideas into our...

What we know about a prospect or client is the heart and soul of CRM software. You may use Salesforce or another similar platform to manage client data. These platforms’ robust technologies create a process that uses what is known about a client to drive marketing,...

Several years ago, I was in conversation with an older clergyman who had served the same church for over 25 years. I asked, “How have you sustained a ministry at one church for those many years?” Without hesitation, he answered: “I’ve always had some project, some new...

The holiday season is upon us. Thanksgiving is now a blurred memory. Hanukkah begins in a few days, and yes, there are less than two weeks to Christmas. With the coming of the seasons’ festivities, good words like family, cheer, love, joy, festivity, lights,...

Thanksgiving is over and—you guessed it! —the month of months is about to begin. It normally takes a bit of coaxing, but Kathie and I eventually get “Santa’s List” from our grandchildren’s parents. Those lists look very different from what we once scribbled on...

Thanksgiving is ten days away. As turkey day nears, we with our clients will journey through a host of uniquely November events that include things like football, family reunions, meal preparations, and for people of faith, spiritual experiences, that usher in the...

When our advice goes in the wrong direction, what do we do? How do we respond? Why even bring this up? A few weeks back, a financial professional and good friend reached out to me asking me to address this very issue, perhaps more common than we care to admit. How do...

If you want to make an impact in the lives of your clients, weave stories into your conversation. In my experience, the best source for those stories is remembering and sharing turning point moments from your own life. All financial professionals go through some...

The agenda set for a client meeting may be predictable: Has anything changed since we last met? Review the recent quarter or the past 6-12 months. Re-visit the asset allocation. Any recommended changes?  “Good to visit with you. See you next week at the symphony...

As many of you know, I am a polio survivor. When that insult showed up at 13 months of age, my life changed, and that of my family. I was one of the lucky ones; only my left leg bears witness to its after-effects. Not even imagined at that moment, polio’s...

Forty-seven years ago today (July 12th), two green and starry-eyed, very young adults married each other in a beautiful church in West Palm Beach, FL. With family and friends gathered, all wondered if we would make it. I say with an impish twinkle in my eye, “Kathie...

Five years ago, almost to the day, I re-defined what feeling vulnerable means. But I will get to that later. Brene Brown has revealed how powerful vulnerability can be in bonding our lives to others. Her TED Talk, “The Power of Vulnerability” is a must-watch for...

The horrific murder of 19 children and 2 teachers at Ross Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas last week has found me, like most of us, asking questions—again—that cry out for answers. As those precious families grieve the loss of their beautiful children and the...