Comprehensive Expertise

True financial planning is more than just investment advice. Often the most value brought to a client’s financial situation has little to do with investments. Advice related to taxes, insurance and estate planning strategies can deliver significant value. Other investment advisors often call themselves financial advisors as they would like their clients to believe they provide more than just investment advice. Not at Valeo. Although investments may be a priority for many, all of our clients benefit from our comprehensive expertise and service.

Advice not Products

Advice from someone being compensated for the product they are recommending is simply not objective. We make specific recommendations to our clients which may result in the purchase of investment or insurance products, but we NEVER receive any compensation from anyone other than directly from our clients. It is not hard to conclude that the advice you receive is better when the person providing it is not motivated financially in one or more particular directions.

Accessibility

We believe the most common reason a client-advisor relationship fails is a lack of proactive communication. Early in a relationship there is much to discuss and thus communication levels are high. But over time, things become routine given an advisor who needs more clients to earn a larger income focuses on either their largest or newest clients. If you are not one of their largest or newest clients you will likely find yourself wondering why the communication level has dropped and whether you should continue working with them.

While “top” advisors are often the person you are referred to, the “top” advisor usually has the least amount of time to really help you because they already have enough clients. You feel slighted if you cannot work with the “top” advisor and insist on working with them. What you do not realize is you are likely insisting upon failure. To insist upon working with them is to tempt them to take on more than they can handle. They often do so and then a year down the road you wonder why they do not communicate as much any more. They have too many clients, do not have time for you, but were not willing to tell you up front for fear of missing the opportunity you represent. It does not have to be this way.

We embrace this industry flaw by limiting the number of clients each advisor is allowed to work with to ensure this does not happen. You want a good advisor, in a good system that has time for you rather than the “top” advisor who sets no limits and in turn will have no time for you. We would rather tell you this up front and have a good relationship long term than perpetuate the flawed approach our industry currently employs.

Reasonable Fees and Compensation

We believe fees should be:

• Transparent and easily found on our client agreements, invoices, website and other forms of company communications.
• Reasonable for the work we do and not simply what the market will bear.

In order to attract and retain top talent, we believe advisors should be able to earn a competitive income within our model as compared to other professional services.

Growing with Our Clients and Advisors

While the majority of our clients’ situations merit regular, recurring meetings, we believe a client who needs us to put a game plan together early on and will not need us again until further down the road should have a home at Valeo. We can provide substantial value for clients who are in the early phases of growing their net worth. We have a unique program tailored to these clients that creates a win-win for everyone involved. This is also particularly helpful with children or other family members of existing clients.

As it relates to our advisors, we have all received help building our careers, and it is essential we help others do the same in order to perpetuate the change that is needed in our industry.

Giving Back and Paying Forward

We are fortunate to earn a living doing what we love and must give back to the communities that allow us to do so.  Click here to learn about the Valeo Foundation and our community involvement.