From The Founder: The Only Constant is Change

I don’t know about you, but the older I get, the more I’m tempted to wish that things would stay the way they are…or even that things would return to how they were! There is comfort in the familiar, isn’t there?

Over the twenty years since I founded Preservation Specialists, I have learned that change is unavoidable. If you think you’re on solid ground exactly where you are, that is often the time to buckle up and get ready for change, as it is probably coming whether you are seeking it or not!

This is a time of tremendous change for Preservation Specialists. April marks Linda Young’s last month with us. I would congratulate Linda on ‘retiring,’ but I know that she is not heading off to a rocking chair on a porch to sip lemonade. I know that our team is just as excited as I am to see what Linda decides to do in the future!

Believe it or not, Linda joined us in January of 2013! Before she started, our company was made up of me and one administrative team member. That meant that hiring Linda represented a doubling of my staff! While I was scared then, this was a huge step in the evolution of Preservation Specialists.

Linda has been such a valuable member of our team. Her ‘job’ was to advise her clients, and I am thankful she did that with all her heart. I know that first and foremost because so many of her clients have told me just that.

But Linda has been much more for us. I am thankful for and have always admired her ability to see the bigger picture. During busy times, if I got caught up in day-to-day urgent matters, I could count on Linda to remind me to think about our company’s goals. She often reminded me to stop and think: What are we trying to accomplish?

I am thankful for Linda’s writing talents and ability to review and adjust my first drafts. Many of the pieces you’ve read from me over the years only made it to you after getting a Linda ‘upgrade.’ Sometimes, I would read her suggestions and could only wonder, “What was I thinking?!” 🙂

And I am thankful for and have admired Linda’s ability and willingness to train others. One of the most significant risks in a company is for a team member to leave and take their knowledge and skills with them, but Linda has always been generous with her time and her experience, and we all have and will continue to benefit from that.

That leads me to the other significant change coming to Preservation Specialists. When Linda informed us of her timeline, we knew we needed to look for a great advisor to assist us. We hired the best firm we could find to help us locate that great next advisor. In the end, they didn’t find one—instead, they found two!

After meeting and interviewing these two advisors, we were so impressed with both that we couldn’t choose between them—so we hired both! This month, we are thrilled to introduce you to our newest advisors: David Elliott and Serena Concepcion.

David and Serena are already talented advisors, and I love that they both have a great thirst for knowledge. David is currently studying to become an Enrolled Agent with the IRS. This would provide him with a tremendous depth of expertise in tax planning that we believe will greatly benefit you. Serena is planning to sit for the CFP exam next year, one of our industry’s most highly regarded designations, and provides depth in many areas of comprehensive financial planning.

I could go on, but I’ll let them tell you more about themselves. Please make sure to read their introductions!

I mentioned above that hiring Linda was a huge step in the growth of Preservation Specialists, and I feel the same about David and Serena. One of the most challenging aspects of managing a growing financial advisory firm is having the right size team to provide great service to all of your clients.

The addition of David and Serena is being made so that our advisor team has the time and skill to provide you with excellent service and advice. We believe that the best way for us to serve you as an independent firm is to continue to grow our advisor team and their skills.

As I think back to when Linda and I first met, I am humbled and so thankful for the potential that she saw for our company. It is fair to say that in January of 2013, Linda could probably envision our company where it is now much more easily than I could.

So, I encourage you to join me in thanking Linda for all she has done over the past 11-plus years and for sharing her wisdom and knowledge with David and Serena.

And join me in giving a hearty welcome to David and Serena – we are so excited to have them join our team!

Learn more about your current financial status and how you can achieve your retirement goals with our ‘No Obligation, No Cost’ Five Step Retirement Review.

Our financial planners have wide knowledge in South Carolina Retirement System as well as experience in retirement planning. sc tax rebate, etc. Contact us today!