Sponsored Content: Wealth Management – The Power of Partnership

With nearly 50 years of combined industry experience, Financial Advisors Robert Bowman, CFA, CAIA and Matthew Preddy, CRPC® recently opened Baird’s first wealth management office in Richmond. Their client-first approach and values made them a natural fit for Baird – and the way they describe their practice shows exactly why.

Q: What’s the first thing you want clients to feel when they meet with you?

Robert: We get it – reaching out to a Financial Advisor for advice can be intimidating. Often, there’s a fear of being judged. But when you walk into our office, we want you to feel nothing but welcomed and understood.

Matt: That’s exactly right. When wealth management is done right, it’s a deeply personal experience – and as we ask you to share vulnerable parts of your life with us, we make it a point to be receptive.

Q: How do you guide your clients through the financial planning process?

Robert: Financial plans are a cornerstone of success for many – but before we create them, we simply listen and learn about the client’s situation, challenges, strengths and more. Sure, we’re in the advice-giving business, but active listening allows us to leverage our tools and expertise in a way that’s most applicable to clients’ financial pain points.

Matt: Absolutely. People don’t care about how much you know until they know how much you care. We open every meeting by asking our clients what they want to talk about – after all, it’s their money, and we’re financial stewards advocating for their success. We tell our clients we’ll meet them where they are.

Q: How do you run your practice differently from other advisors?

Matt: Robert and I are very thoughtful in how we guide our clients through financial decisions – and “guide” is the key word there. We want our clients to feel empowered to make the best educated decision they can, so we make it a point to help clients understand the “why” behind each of our recommendations.

Robert: Right – by emphasizing education in our practice, clients can embrace their plan and we can build stronger relationships along the way. 

Q: How do you leverage your experience as you guide your clients?

Matt: Our clients are each walking down the path to retirement and financial success for the first time – but Robert and I have done it with our clients countless times. We’ve seen what works and what doesn’t, and we’re able to apply those lessons to our clients’ plans.

Robert: We’re in it together with each of our clients – we take on the role of more than their advisor, but their partner on their financial journey. 

CHARTERED RETIREMENT PLANNING COUNSELOR℠ and CRPC® are trademarks or registered service marks of the College for Financial Planning in the United States and/or other countries. Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated. Member SIPC.

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