Brenda Blisk, a CFP licensee, who has been named to Barron's top 100 female financial advisors list two years running, was one of the first brokers to join the firm after a 12-year career at two major wirehouses. The Blisk Financial Group, which she created, now encompasses two other wealth managers, an analyst and two administrative staffers who help her manage $250 million for clients.
"My goal has always been helping clients exceed their financial expectations," says Blisk, whose clients average $2 million in assets. "But I have to say it's a lot easier when you're independent. People come to us because we are the independent choice. Spire has no proprietary products, no REITs or mutual funds. It allows me to sit on the same side of the table as my clients, with the only goal being to ensure their goals and dreams are met."
While she often finds herself competing for larger clients, the fact that Spire isn't owned by a bank or insurance company helps immensely, she says. So does the level of customization her group provides in the planning and investment management arena. "I think that surprises people. But we don't feed their information into a machine and spit out the same roadmap over and over."
The future, especially with boomers exiting the work force, is very bright for their firm, both Blisks agree.
The challenges going forward? "We have to execute what we say we're going to execute," David Blisk says. "We've committed a great deal of capital. We want our consultants to always feel like we're moving ahead. That's why we're always out there looking for the next technology, the next investment that will move us forward."