Wealth management is not elitist thinking. It is the mindset that is reached when people realize they have a future ahead of them and that they have a choice and a say in how that future unfolds. The awareness that you have control over your destiny is a powerful motivator toward creating a comprehensive financial life plan and living it to its fullest.
Tim and Lisa are a young, married executive couple in their mid-thirties with two children who were faced with the seeming conflict “wanting to have it all.” While they love the sense of accomplishment and empowerment that comes from being young and successful, they were conscious of their need to plan ahead in order to stay on track. They discovered that Tim’s demanding executive career in a high density, high cost-of-living location was all-consuming and left little time for family and leisure activities.
Brandon came to Illumination just as his business was beginning to yield substantial profits. He was in his mid-30s and didn’t know what to do with his excess income. He was also considering the sale of his business but was concerned that the profits had never found their way into profitable investments. He wanted a plan for his money that could provide him with financial freedom at an early age. But Brandon had no idea how to efficiently sell his business, how much money financial independence would require, or how to save and invest the money he had.
At 53, Jessica found herself no longer fufilled by the medical practice that she had built over the last 20 years. She possessed an appetite for new activities, new venues, and new horizons. The health care industry was changing, but her identity was wrapped up in the enterprise she had created. She longed to move on as her interest had waned but didn’t know where to start. She wanted to work on her terms, impact a broader audience as a speaker and educator, and travel the world with less stress and more free time.
Mike came to Illumination as a tech company executive in his 40s. He was unhappy in his current employment, owned property in a city he no longer loved, worked for a company whose vision he did not share, and maintained a work schedule that was far more grueling than he wanted. He needed to leave his job and pursue a new career, but he couldn’t find a way to make this possible. His money losing condo, the complexities of his stock options plan, and his concern that any future endeavor would not fund his ideal lifestyle were all obstacles in his path.