WHAT CLIENTS ARE SAYING...
My two partners and I had the pleasure of working with Christy [Fall of 2018] as we looked to evolve our 10 person team into an even more robust and efficient wealth management firm. Her exploration process to understand our team goals and unique dynamics was comprehensive and produced immensely insightful results. Some of the observations and suggestions she brought to the table proved to be true months in advance of us realizing them ourselves.
Her recommendations were presented in a prioritized, actionable way that then allowed us to make immediate, impactful changes. On top of this excellent output and recommendation set, Christy has proven herself to be passionate about seeing the work through. Many consultants present results, but do not help on execution. Christy has been proactive and diligent to make sure our team made prompt progress, and then she also has circled back over time to make sure we continue to push the ball forward.
Christy's expertise was immediately clear as she had substantial impact on how our team thinks about structure, efficiency, and team development. Anyone looking to grow their practice and navigate the intricacies of building a firm would be well served to engage with Christy.
Adam Riegel, Financial Advisor - Wellesley, MA
NM Top 20 Advisor- May 2020
I was at my office's Holiday Part in December of 2019 and Christy's name came up in 2 different conversations.
My 1st thought was "Who IS this woman?" and my 2nd was "Can she help me?"
We started working together in Jan of 2020 and although I initially thought I'd use Christy to help us streamline some processes, it turned out to be much more. Her insight and direct questions disarmed me and made me think about my practice very differently.
She helped me identify my strengths and how I could use them throughout the day and on client meetings. When I was having a tough time deciding on different paths, she was able to cut through the noise and ask thought provoking questions that helped a clear cut choice emerge. I often thought "Why didn't I think of that?"
She would oftentimes remind me that growth is messy and that being as confused or frustrated as I sometimes became simply meant that I was on precipice of a breakthrough. She was right! In all the years I've been in the business, I'm not sure I have trusted myself more than I do today.
I did 2 things I normally didn't do in prior coaching relationships, that I'd recommend. I had my Assistant, Katarina Varga on 90% of the calls and I'd record them as well. Listening back to them I always found another nugget or 2 that I missed during our coaching session.
Christy is smart, insightful, caring and authentic. I could not ask for anything more from a Coach!
Craig Meadows, Financial Advisor - Norwalk, CT
I began working with Christy in 2017 when I was doing $264,000 in production. Around the same time, I was expanding my team for the first time. My goal for working with Christy was to develop a system of organization and develop an efficient workstream with my newly hired team with the goal of increasing my production. At first, Christy did a week in-depth session to fully create the new processes. Then, we had periodic check-ins to ensure things were on the right track and to make adjustments as needed.
Since working with Christy, my production has increased 108% and I hit Forum for the first time this year. Christy was key in helping me reaching some of my professional goals and I highly recommend working with her.
Adam Gilson, J.D., Financial Advisor - New York, NY
1st Time Forum 2018
"I have worked with Christy for ten years - one of the best strategic marketers I have ever worked with.
Highly recommend working with Christy."
Conrad York, Former Vice President Marketing - Northwestern Mutual
I was fortunate enough to begin working with Christy after Annual Meeting 2018. Our engagement at the start was to focus specifically on prospecting, as I felt I was not being strategic and consistent with one of the most important parts of the business. Since working with Christy on a weekly basis, not only have I developed more confidence with my approach in asking but the quality of referrals have increased tremendously, growing my household income by 50%.
Christy provided valued insight to my overall practice, my mindset and worked with me on tactical concepts that I have been able to use on a daily basis to maintain a more strategic practice and continued growth. I would highly recommend working with Christy!
Carly Frieling, Financial Advisor - Wellesley, MA
I initially began working with Christy as it pertained to some work processes and role responsibilities for my team of 5.
Her “intake” was where I was immediately impressed. She asked great questions and was a great listener. Her questions weren’t leading and were judgement free. What really stood out was that she was truly trying to understand my practice to help us in a way that was appropriate for us. She didn’t have a pre-conceived notion of how a practice should run and then try to fit my business into that mold.
Asking team members to share their responsibilities with a “consultant” can be dangerous but she made them feel immediately comfortable that she was not going to make “change for change sake,” and the process with them was very positive.
After this engagement I have spoken with Christy on several different subjects, getting deeper into my practice and moving beyond just my team. It is this coaching, paired with her understanding of the mechanics of running a practice, where I think Christy is in her sweet spot.
With her listening skills and deep knowledge of people and processes, paired with an ability to coach on both a personal and professional level... I would absolutely recommend Christy.
Matthew Greene, Wealth Management Advisor - Norwalk, CT
NM Advisor since 1990
Multi-year Forum Qualifier
I have spent a lot of time with Christy. She has helped bring several efficiencies to our practice, which has given me the opportunity to hit Forum since I started work with her, as well as have more time in the day for myself and my family. It has also given me peace of mind that a lot of the things that fell through the cracks in the past no longer do. I highly recommend working with Christy to anyone.
Jordan Gardiner, Financial Advisor - New York, NY
1st Time Forum 2018
1st Time Eastern Region Top 10 - #6 Jan 2019
"Christy has done an amazing job creating a strong professional brand for our firm, a platinum level of client service for our clients, and scalable systems for our team. When others say something cannot be done, Christy figures out how to make it happen without sacrificing our commitment to doing business the right way.
Over the past four awards years Christy has also been instrumental in building my investment practice, which has grown more than tenfold (with an annualized growth rate of 80%), allowing us to become a 5 star pathfinder practice. At the same time, both co-founding partners of Saugatuck Financial (Al Schor and myself) have remained consistently among the Top 10 in the Eastern Region and, in 2018, we are both among the Top 20 in the country as well.
Consistently producing above $1m of premium on the insurance side, while achieving exponential growth on the investment side, wouldn’t have been possible without Christy.
Christy is my go to on complex and delicate client situations. She is particularly skilled at determining all the options available, comparing those options, and recommending the one that best serves the desired outcome. She brings tangible outcomes and inside knowledge of what it takes to succeed in our business in a way that’s hard to match.
If you’re looking to focus on your purpose or grow your practice in a systematic and thoughtful way, I couldn’t imagine a better investment or a more knowledgeable coach."
Justin Charise, CFP®, Wealth Management Advisor- Westport, CT
NM Top 20 & Top 10 5 Star Pathfinder - 2018
7x Eastern Region Top 10 - #10 Jan 2019
5 Star Pathfinder Eastern Region - #2 Jan 2019
We had the privilege to work with Christy to define our 5-year vision for the Network Office. She facilitated a group of advisors, associates and leaders to collectively identity and articulate our shared future. She then worked with a smaller leadership group to lay out measurable and meaningful steps to get us to our vision, showing how each item on this road map ties in with the firm’s vision. Christy’s consulting process and her project deliverables (like the roadmap) provided great value and leverage to us. Her prior experience in management consulting shines through during her consulting process, and we’re lucky to have it further enhanced by her in-depth knowledge of the NM system, values and processes.
I’ve also had the opportunity to watch Christy work in her capacity as practice manager for Saugatuck Financial, where she remains keenly focused on the client experience and removing friction from the ways in which we do business. She’s well versed in all areas of our risk management and investment platforms, as well as the operational processes supporting financial planning and product implementation. Any advisor in growth mode would be lucky to work with Christy.
Nicole Martocci, CFP® AWMA - New York, NY
Former Chief Operating Officer - NM Stamford, CT
My partners and I hired Christy for a consulting engagement. To provide some context, the three of us manage about $200M, write about $2M of insurance premium annually, have a combined 7 team members and are located in the Boston area. At the time, we had challenges around hiring, human resources, compensation structure, and team cohesiveness.
I’ve always been skeptical about hiring coaches and consultants. I hold professionals that I engage to an extremely high standard as it relates to overall work quality, responsiveness, and value. Christy could not have been more professional, engaging, responsive, and thoughtful as it relates to her approach and delivery. Her "bed side manner" working and meeting with each of our team members is something my two partners and I sorely lack. Her ability to truly communicate with them and identify their core goals and concerns was remarkable. As a partnership of three males, bringing in a female consultant had an especially powerful impact on our female team members. They opened up about matters that my partners and I had never even considered. Her recommendations yielded immediate dividends and having her to consult without throughout the year as we implemented her strategies was invaluable.
In short, hiring Christy is a wise move if you’re looking to streamline operations, improve efficiency, hire new team members, restructure compensation or benefits, and foster team cohesiveness.
Paul Stadfeld, CFP®, CLU®, RICP, CLTC
Wealth Management Advisor - Wellesley, MA
Christy listens intently to clearly understand, but unlike other I’ve worked with in her profession, Christy takes it a step farther, because she gets to the core issues that may be holding you back! Christy helped me identify and address the non-business issues, so we could then move to identify and strategically capitalize on opportunities to move my business to a level I’ve only dreamt about. Now, I am on my way to doubling my production for the Calendar Year!
Whether you are looking for growth personally or in your business, I wholeheartedly recommend Christy, with her deep and broad knowledge, and proven results to help you become your best self and move your practice to a level of what’s possible!
Kathy Sanchez, CLU, ChFC, CLTC
Financial Advisor - Stanwood, WA
I decided to engage Christy when I witnessed the impact she had in creating one of Northwestern Mutual’s top performing practices, Saugatuck Financial, at a seminar hosted by Al Schor and Justin Charise.
Immediately Christy helped me to identify my strengths, and more importantly focus on them. We addressed the drags on my productivity and my personal utility with simple strategies to maximize my effort in areas I could control. We measured my progress in a specific and quantifiable way, and focused where I needed to improve most, lead generation and closing ratios.
The process of organizing workflows and defining roles within my practice helped me to create and focus on a job description for myself that I was excited about. And Christy’s guidance gave me the confidence to onboard my first full time team member in Q1 2017. Just one year later, I have a full-time team of four that allow me to grow professionally and personally and I love my business.
Before working with Christy, I fought tooth and nail to qualify for MDRT by year’s end; in 2018, I qualified by April!
My sights are now set on FORUM. I have consistently generated FORUM level production for 6 straight months now and I rank among the production leaders in my peer group.
My closing ratios have improved dramatically because I am prepared and expect the business. The confidence Christy helped me to grow, and the team she helped me to put in place also encouraged me to grow my insurance practice into a comprehensive planning practice that has helped take in over $7m of assets since the start of this year, which puts me on pace to generate over $100k of GDC in my first year focusing on IPS.
Thank you, Christy!
Mitch Janoff, Financial Advisor - Westport, CT
#1 Platinum Advisor - Eastern Region Jan 2019
