What Financial Advisors Are Grateful for in 2020

This year has been a challenging one, as financial advisors and their clients have had to navigate unprecedented issues. As we near the Thanksgiving holiday, we asked several of our top advisors to share what has been most meaningful for them this year and how it has shaped their professional outlook.

“I’m incredibly grateful for a supportive team of colleagues, amazing clients, and the ability to continue to use creativity when it comes to inspiring people to make smarter choices with their money. The best moments with my clients have been sprinkled throughout the year. Many clients checked in on me as often as I’ve checked in on them throughout the pandemic. Some of my favorite moments have come when I’ve been able to educate about the benefits of donor-advised funds and how they can be leveraged in a family gifting strategy. There really have been bright moments throughout all of this. — Mary Beth Storjohann, Founder of Workable Wealth

“Professionally, I am most grateful to be a symbol of possibility for the many people across continents—regardless of race, region, or creed—that with faith, work, and discipline, you can design the life of your dreams. Onward.” — Dasarte Yarnway, Founder & Managing Director of Berknell Financial Group

“I’m most grateful for the health of our clients, team, and families during this challenging year. I’m also grateful for gaining confidence to get more personal and vulnerable with clients—something I’ve always struggled with. As a result, one of my favorite moments with clients was the overwhelming support for my 3-year-old son who had to have emergency surgery during the first wave of the pandemic. There is no better profession in the world and I’m feeling extra thankful this year for being a part of it.” — Taylor Schulte, Founder & CEO of Define Financial

“I appreciate the amazing clients that have placed their trust and confidence in me and the financial planning process. I am grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with such special people and help them navigate challenging times while planning for their important milestones.” — Marguerita Cheng, CEO of Blue Ocean Global Wealth

“Professionally, I am most grateful for an amazing staff and partnerships that have helped make an inherently challenging year easier. They say business is about your people and that if you take care of them, they will take care of you. I find this to be especially true in 2020. The best moments with my clients have been the ones where we didn’t talk about finances and shared stories of raising kids during a pandemic. I can’t think of a better way to have connected with them.” — Douglas Boneparth, President of Bone Fide Wealth

“Despite the craziness of 2020, there is plenty to be thankful for. I’m thankful that my family, my team, and my clients have all remained healthy during the pandemic. Professionally, I’m thankful for my peers—without The AGC™ and my friends from around the profession, navigating the year would have been lonely and much harder. This year has provided time for reflection, which I’ve found has allowed clients to really examine what is most important to them. I’ve had numerous conversations with clients where we’ve refocused their financial plans to allow them to align their values with their plan—these conversations are always fun and lead to a financial plan that will have a greater impact on their lives.” — Justin Castelli, CEO of RSL Wealth Management

“I’m most grateful for the wonderful community of financial advisors who have kept me sane through a challenging year through their support and camaraderie. I’m in a coaching program, two masterminds, and also tap into the #Fintwit community on Twitter—they all made this year better. This year, I primarily met with clients via Zoom. To my surprise, instead of creating distance with clients, Zoom seemed to create an atmosphere for more sharing and conversation. I feel closer to my clients than pre-COVID and feel like I know them even better than before.” — Cathy Curtis, Found & CEO of Curtis Financial Planning

Judging by these moments of gratitude, it’s clear that the financial advisor community is as strong as ever and that advisors have had a significant impact in your clients’ lives this year.