What brought you to join Equilibrium Wealth?
One of the jobs that had the greatest impact on my career was running a $2 billion technology mutual fund for 13 years at Dreyfus. That experience taught me about the ups and downs of the market and the critical importance of risk management. During the next phase of my career, as a financial advisor at Bank of New York Mellon, I found that the large number of clients didn’t leave me with enough time for each separate relationship. Additionally, I felt that the investments that were available limited my ability to protect clients from market risk. I began to look for an opportunity to work with a firm where I could focus on providing a higher level of service to a smaller number of clients. I was also looking for the ability to draw from a wider range of assets to meet my clients’ needs. I found that at Equilibrium Wealth. A bonus of joining the Equilibrium team is that I’m able to offer my clients exceptional service at reduced fees.
What do you enjoy most about working with clients?
I get a lot of satisfaction of developing long-term relationships with my clients. it is especially rewarding to work with people who are in a stage of transition, such as after divorce or the death of a spouse. I’ve had numerous clients tell me that I am there for them “every step of the way” to help ease the burden of managing the financial aspect of their life.
What is most important to you in building meaningful client relationships?
Providing a high level of service is extremely important to me. It’s one of the main reasons I left a larger firm. I wanted to scale back my number of clients so that I could focus on providing them with a higher standard of fiduciary care. I consider myself to be part of each client’s “team” to help them construct a financial plan that is most appropriate for them.
What are your areas of specialization?
I have a broad range of high net-worth family and individual clients. In my past professional life as a technology fund manager, I developed a professional network which has resulted in my working with a number of clients who have significant holdings in technology companies.
How do you give back to the community?
I am an active participant in my local synagogue, Bais Torah U’Tefilla, in Passaic, NJ.
What is one key takeaway that you would like to share?
Money is an emotional thing for many people. It often takes a lot of effort to accumulate and represents personal struggles and triumphs. My job is not to “make my clients wealthy” but to “keep them wealthy.”