At HBA Wealth, many of our clients are individuals and families who had financial concerns or questions and desired someone to partner with them on their financial journey. But because finances are so personal, the process of finding a financial advisor you can trust is often easier said than done. Today, we’d like to share a unique story of how one of our long-time clients started working with us and how we made a difference in his life.
Mark was in a good place in life. He had built a graphic design business from the ground up and had seen steady growth over the years. Then what most business owners dream of happened: his business took off. Here’s Mark’s story of how he found the right financial partner to help him manage his growing bank account.
Do You Believe in Fate?
All of a sudden, in the early 2000s, Mark found himself with a large influx of money due to winning contracts with multiple movie studios. Up until that point, Mark was doing okay making ends meet and managing his finances by himself. But with this recent windfall, he realized he needed to do something more with his profits.
In a moment that Mark believes was fate, he received a cold call from an eager young man who, at the time, was working with American Express Financial Advisors. It wasn’t Mark’s practice to take random sales calls, but the timing was uncanny. Mark had questions and this advisor was there to answer them, in a confident and motivated manner that was also relaxed and respectful. If you haven’t figured it out yet, that young man was none other than Ricky Biel.
Exceeding Expectations
Ricky and Mark met for lunch and Mark was immediately impressed by Ricky’s enthusiasm and ability to listen and understand Mark’s concerns. But this was Mark’s money, his life savings. How could he know if he could trust Ricky enough to hand over something so important?
At the same time, Mark’s bank had been keeping tabs on his quickly growing accounts and alerted their investment team to reach out. They set their sights on Mark, arranged a formal meeting in their conference room, and tried to get him to sign on as their advisory client and invest his money with them.
Mark was torn. Should he go with this big institution that he’d had money with for decades, or put his trust in Ricky? Being ever so practical, Mark decided to do both and conduct an experiment of sorts. He invested equal portions to each of the contenders for one year, allowing them to choose whatever they felt would earn him the highest yields. This strategy also allowed Mark firsthand experience with how easy or difficult the working relationship would be.
Relationship Is Everything
Once the bank received Mark’s money, they more or less disappeared. Mark had difficulty reaching them and the message was clear—it was all about the money. Meanwhile, Ricky was always there if Mark called with any questions and his availability and responsiveness were drastically different from the radio silence he was getting from the bank.
On the numbers side, Mark kept a ledger of how both parties were doing with his investments, and, hands down, Ricky’s investment choices were proving to be much more profitable. Between the relationship Mark and Ricky had formed and the growth Mark was seeing with his hard-earned money, the decision was made. Mark withdrew his money from the bank and fully committed to working with Ricky.
Now, almost 20 years later, Ricky has not only been the best choice of a financial advisor for Mark but has also become a close friend. In Mark’s experience, Ricky is compassionate and goes the extra mile, but also knows when to switch hats and prioritize professionalism.
What Are You Looking For?
Fate or not, Mark found an objective, caring, knowledgeable advisor who would be there not just for his money, but for him as a person. Is that what you’re looking for in a financial advisor? We’d love to show you how we at HBA Wealth can help you pursue your financial and life goals. Contact us at (626) 529-8347 or email Ricky directly at ricky@hbawealth.com.
About Haydel, Biel & Associates
Haydel, Biel & Associates is an independent financial advisory firm serving individuals and families near Pasadena, California. The firm was founded in 2004 by Chris Haydel and Ricky Biel with a desire to provide unbiased, client-centered, community-based financial advice. Together, they have built a practice that has grown into a family of caring, smart professionals committed to blending proven investment methodologies with creative financial technologies that make it easier than ever to accomplish your goals. They strive to keep things simple and fun to give their clients peace of mind and alleviate financial stress. HBA Wealth takes care of their clients’ needs first and foremost and goes the extra mile to make their clients’ finances grow. To meet and see how the HBA Wealth team may be able to help, contact them today at (626) 529-8347 or email Ricky directly at ricky@hbawealth.com.
The commentary on this blog/website reflects the personal opinions, viewpoints and analyses of the Haydel Biel & Associates employees providing such comments, and should not be regarded as a description of advisory services provided by Haydel Biel & Associates or performance returns of any Haydel Biel & Associates Investments client. The views reflected in the commentary are subject to change at any time without notice. Nothing on this website constitutes investment advice, performance data or any recommendation that any particular security, portfolio of securities, transaction or investment strategy is suitable for any specific person. Any mention of a particular security and related performance data is not a recommendation to buy or sell that security. Haydel Biel & Associates manages its clients’ accounts using a variety of investment techniques and strategies, which are not necessarily discussed in the commentary. Investments in securities involve the risk of loss. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.