Philosophy

For a more extensive story and more personal context to the philosophy that underlies my work, you might want to read my bio. The following condenses my background and focuses on the philosophy that guides my financial services practice.

Personal Philosophy

I came to the financial services business after a 17-year career in journalism and publishing. During my career I served as editor and publisher for leading national and international technical trade publications and commercial internet projects.

In journalism school (and before,actually), I was preoccupied with the question of truth. I believed truth was knowable – or at least that error, falsehood, and misinformation could be identified and eliminated, leaving at least a shot at getting close to the truth based on verifiable facts.

The foundation on which I have built my career and business practice (as well as my personal life) is the search for truth. That might sound corny, but it’s the most accurate thing I can say about myself. I believe that truth exists. The challenge is in discovering it, hopefully with some accuracy.

It’s important to understand that when I talk about a search for truth, I don’t mean to imply that I have found the truth and carry it in my hip pocket. The search for truth is a process. In the context of financial services, it's about navigating through imperfect options and trade-offs to find a way forward that leads you to your destination with the highest assurance of success.

All navigation will fail without an accurate understanding of the reality before us. The process begins by accurately understanding your situation, and then involves identifying the goal, identifying the assets and liabilities we have to work with, identifying an appropriate strategy, gathering the right tools for that strategy, and designing a way forward.

In my past professional life I made use of an editorial practice known as “peer review,” where material was sent out to specialists – leading experts in their fields – to review, critique, and recommend changes before publication. Manuscripts and went back and forth, sometimes several times, until everything had been thoroughly vetted and was scrubbed and polished for publication. The end product was always intended to be durable. And it was.

This commitment to truth and “durability” continues as the foundation of my business practice. I continue to push for the truth through research, analysis, and staying with an issue until I believe I’ve uncovered all possible flaws and shortcomings. And I communicate all my findings to the client — I believe people want access to good, credible information they can use to make important decisions.

My Philosophy for Working with Clients
I believe people want to be empowered to make good decisions, to gain a sense of control over their lives, and to enjoy peace of mind, assured that the course they are on will lead them to their ultimate goals.

If you want a financial professional who will listen to what you say and will help you achieve financial goals using solutions that fit your world, we will likely be a good fit.

My work with clients is characterized by collaborative relationships through which:

• The client and I talk openly to identify the situation, the need, the problem, or the desired outcome with as much clarity as possible
• I research relevant aspects of the case and search for the best solution (or range of solutions)
• I educate the client on the choices available, their pros and cons, any weaknesses or risks, and all costs
• Through open communication grounded in transparency and technical accuracy, the client and I arrive at the solution that is the best fit for their situation

My ideal client is also a truth seeker. I like it when clients raise hard questions and challenge what I say because it lets me know they are thinking and actively engaged in the process. My ideal client is one who wants a collaborative partner and true service provider, not a tuned-out dictator.