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Women of Distinction

place with whom our clients my opinion doesn't matter. So, "I am seeing a lot of women folio of products that met the
share their deepest concerns. I I try to carefully step back and doing their planning without needs of each individual client.
want them to feel like there is help frame the conversation. their husbands. They are taking As the industry changed and
no judgment and everyone gets For example, right now people matters into their control. To- the nature of those products
to decide how they spend their are worried about inflation, but day we sometimes see couples changed, the three points of
money. I am just here to make when you take rolling periods where one person is leading the the Trilogy logo came to stand
sure that how you spend your of inflation into consideration, conversation for both, but we for our clients past, present,
money does not allow you to I think that the media is mak- also see situations where cou- and future.”
dig yourself into a financial ing you afraid of inflation. Not ples are just doing their own Windus spends a lot of
hole that you cannot dig your- that there isn't a concern about planning separately. For the time with her clients, provid-
self out of in the future.” inflation, but is the concern most part, couples come in to ing personal service to each
The question that weighed as significant as the media is do the planning together and one. I asked her what happens
heavily on my mind was making it out to be? No, not everyone is playing a role in it." if she makes a recommenda-
how did your clients weather yet. And it doesn't mean it Windus has been with tion to a client, but they don’t
the Pandemic? “During the might not become a bigger Trilogy Financial for 18 years. agree with what she advises.
Pandemic, we saw a lot of fear concern, but I think we have to In the financial industry, this is “It happens occasionally. For
which meant that people were be careful when the media is extremely rare. Often Planners example, I am working with
investing more conservatively impacting us to the extent that outgrow the company they a client right now that wants
than they would normally in- it is right now.” start with, and as they learn to pay off her mortgage even
vest. That impacts our clients. Due to the Pandemic, more about their business they though it may not be the right
Due to this, a lot of clients Windus is finding more people will move on to firms, they feel move financially. Her mort-
missed out on a very signifi- coming to her to make sure are more suitable. It is obvious gage rate is low and by using
cant year of growth. However, they can actually retire and that Windus is a huge propo- her cash resources to do so,
I would rather they could sleep not outlive their money. The nent of Trilogy Financial to it could mean she might not
at night and stay invested, then pandemic made many people have stayed with the same firm have enough savings to be
being riskier than they should more ready to retire. It made since 2003. certain she does not outlive her
have been. I didn't want them people realize that slowing I asked her to tell me a bit money. We discuss what I feel
losing sleep because they are their life down a bit might not about Trilogy Financial. “We is best for her financial future,
watching their account balanc- be such a bad thing and wasn’t were founded in 1999 by Jeff but there are times when
es bounce around a lot.” as scary as they once thought it Motske and Kevin Mackintosh clients feel very strongly about
Some of what Windus might be. on the concept that the triangle doing something that might
does at Trilogy Financial is Many financial profession- making up the Trilogy logo not be the best move for them.
managing expectations and als have an ideal client that stood for tax, financial, and es- Ultimately, it is their decision
making sure that her client’s they enjoy working with, so I tate planning. We felt that the to make. We might just have
investments are not causing posed the question to Windus. financial planning component to find a way to work around it
them indigestion and sleep- “The best part about what I do needed to be a collaboration so that in the end they are still
less nights. “Politics seems to at Trilogy is that I run a team between you and your other able to live the financial life
matter now more than ever, or here. Our team includes six professionals. We didn't think they want."
maybe it just feels that way. It members and is varied so we that the one side of the triangle Windus and her husband
seems to be playing a bigger can handle just about any type could do their job effectively Kurt have been together for the
role in people’s financial plans. of client. I like to handle the for you without, the other past 17 years. They met at an
Either election result would most complex cases, but we two professionals working in industry function when Win-
have left someone upset. I have advisors at different stag- unison. The second element of dus was about six months into
must remind my clients that es of their career, and we are Trilogy is that we have always her career with Trilogy; they
they should not make deci- ready to help anyone regardless been independent, meaning were married a year later.
sions about their investments of where they're at. No client is we're not tied to products Together Windus and Kurt
because of their political turned away. You don’t have to and services. Kevin and Jeff have navigated through family
beliefs.” have $500,000 to become a cli- left their previous company. illnesses and loss. “In the first
I asked Windus if she ent. We help grow your wealth They felt that they were often few years of marriage we went
finds that these days clients and manage it as well." required to select only insur- through a lot, Kurt’s mother be-
are relying on information For many years, finan- ance products because those came ill and moved in with us,
garnered from the Internet or cial professionals found that were the products that their and passed one year later, and
other news sources that may married women tended to let company promoted. They then Kurt was diagnosed with
not be accurate. “Yes, all the their husbands control that wanted to have the freedom to cancer, so we went through a lot
time. It makes me sad. But portion of their relationship. select investment products for in our first few years. Then we
again, because my job is solely This is changing, perhaps more their clients that they felt were dealt with infertility issues and
to create a safe environment, than we have seen in the past. necessary for a balanced port- we both decided that instead of

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