Ten years of plans, questions, big decisions, and a whole lot of “what ifs?”
This Labor Day weekend marks 10 years since I launched Powwow.
It’s a milestone that has me feeling a little nostalgic and incredibly grateful.
Over the past decade, I’ve had the privilege of working with more than 150 households, helping create financial plans, review investment strategies, navigate big life decisions and answer countless questions along the way.
It Started With a Simple Idea: Advice Only
When I started Powwow, the idea was pretty simple: people should be able to get thoughtful, comprehensive financial advice without being required to turn over their investments or sign up for an ongoing relationship they don’t need.
Ten years later, that idea hasn’t changed. But Powwow has evolved around what clients actually need.
Some clients come for a financial plan and leave with the answers they need. Others stay connected through hourly check-ins or membership.
And some eventually say, “PLEASE just take the investments off my plate!”
That’s where the partnership with GeoWealth came in, providing a straightforward, competitively priced investment management option for clients who want it, while keeping it entirely optional.
The result is something I hoped for when I started Powwow, but couldn’t have completely envisioned: a planning practice flexible enough to meet people where they are.
150+ Households. And 150+ Different Stories.
There are certainly themes that repeat in financial planning.
Equity compensation. Retirement. College. Career changes. Inheritances. Aging parents. Choosing the right elder care community. And plenty of decisions that don’t fit neatly into any category.
The themes repeat. The people never do.
That’s one of the things I’ve loved most about these past ten years.
I’ve met some truly wonderful personalities. I’ve watched families change, kids grow up, careers take unexpected turns and retirement dates get closer. I’ve celebrated exciting milestones with clients and helped work through some really difficult chapters.
And, along the way, clients have become friends.
The goal for Powwow was never to get huge.
I wanted to build a lifestyle practice that allowed me to do meaningful work with people I genuinely enjoy, while giving clients a flexible and approachable way to get really good financial advice.
Ten years later, I’m incredibly grateful that it has become exactly that.
And Then There’s This Number: 60
Of the 150+ households I’ve worked with over the years, 60 found Powwow because someone referred them to me.
Those introductions have come from current and former clients, financial advisors who recognized that Powwow’s hourly model was the right fit for someone they couldn’t serve, and professionals like attorneys, CPAs and elder care colleagues who trusted me enough to recommend my help.
For a small independent practice, that kind of support is enormous.
I’ve intentionally kept Powwow lean so I can put resources toward the things that directly improve the planning experience, particularly best-in-class technology that allows me to deliver sophisticated planning while making plan development as time-efficient as possible.
I’d much rather invest there than in a big advertising budget.
Which means I’ve always relied heavily on people spreading the word. And you have!
So This Is Really Just a Thank You.
To make a short story long… Thank you to everyone who has trusted me with your financial life.
Thank you to those who came back six months — or six years — later because life changed and there was a new question to answer.
Thank you to everyone who has sent a friend, family member, colleague or client my way.
Thank you to the fellow advisors and professionals who recognized that sometimes a different model is the right fit and trusted Powwow to take good care of the people you sent.
And thank you to everyone who has simply cheered this little business on over the past decade.
What started as a simple idea ten years ago has turned into something I genuinely love doing. And that’s a pretty wonderful thing to get to say about your work.
Here’s to the next 10 years, and all the people, questions and “what ifs” I haven’t met yet.
