Navigating a major life transition can be a very unsettling experience for any of us. If the change is unexpected and unwanted – the loss of a job or a sudden unexpected illness – the shock can be greater. We are out of our comfort zone as we face an unknown future. I remember two defining moments in my career that involved working with clients who were going through life… Read More

Lately, regulators have given substantial attention to the retirement landscape of the American workforce. This scrutiny has resulted in significant legislation fo-cused on the investment industry and its responsibility to help encourage the American workforce to be better prepared for retirement. According to a recent article in Plan Advisor magazine, in order to be more effective and responsive to the long-term financial planning needs of the American public, the investment… Read More

Since my initial interview for a position with Master’s Advisors, there has been a purposeful focus on building relationships with our clients. It’s woven into who we are as a company. Though the years, I’ve witnessed advisors recall minute details of a client’s situation, financial plan or life circumstances. Truthfully, I’ve always been envious of such memory recall. However, I’ve come to the realization that, while memory recall is certainly… Read More

What do you think of when you hear the word firewall? If you are a “computer techie” or work in corporate IT, you’re probably thinking about keeping your computer or network safe. Those of you who work in commercial construction may be picturing a concrete wall that would delay a fire moving between adjoining buildings. Perhaps you’re a car guy like me. I’m picturing that important part of the car… Read More

This was the buzz phrase as we cleaned out our storage area in preparation for our recent office reconfiguration. It was clear that we needed to get rid of (or chuck) some unused or outdated items, but we wanted to be purposeful in how we accomplished that goal. How could we prevent our unwanted items from filling up a landfill? Well, we recycled outdated electronics and old marketing materials, we… Read More

I’m not a big New Year’s resolution guy, but for 2016 I have decided that I would make a commitment to focus on one theme or virtue per month and endeavor to apply it to my business and personal life. For January I have decided to focus on consistency. One definition of consistency is the steadfast adherence to the same principles, course, or form. With five kids and several of… Read More

In this fourth and final article in our “Who We Are” Blog Series, I will address our philosophy as it relates to financial planning and client service.  There are three key philosophies that shape our planning and services to our clients: the client is the center of what we do, wise financial decisions come from understanding and applying fundamental financial principles, and financial products are only tools to implement broader… Read More

Coach John Wooden coached the UCLA Men’s Basketball team from 1948-1975.  Not only was his program incredibly successful, he was also one of the most highly thought of and well respected coaches of all time. I recently came across one of his motivational quotes that grabbed my attention: “Talent is God-given.  Be humble. Fame is man-given.  Be grateful. Conceit is self-given.  Be careful.” Great advice!  For the moment I’d like… Read More

It’s almost that time of year to put our lawn mower away and allow it to rest for the winter.  I do get satisfaction out of a lawn well mowed, but I’m ready for the grass to go dormant.  This past summer I read an article in The Fishwrapper about a man named Pat, recounting lessons learned as a boy from his father.  One summer Pat and his brother decided… Read More

Several weeks ago our family enjoyed a great week of vacation in the beautiful Smoky Mountains, near Pigeon Forge, TN. During vacations such as this we like to incorporate some adventure activity. Several years ago we went bungee-jumping in Canada. This time we decided to go ziplining.  After researching, Legacy Mountain Ziplines provided the highest, fastest and longest lines in the region. Seven different ziplines up to 450 feet high,… Read More