StillWater Financial Advisors

Posting this as a reminder to myself as we enter this holiday season, but hoping that it resonates with and encourages you as well. It is human tendency to always want more and better. Ambition is good but only under control. Otherwise it becomes a black hole in your life sucking the joy out of everything and everyone else. Make this Thanksgiving season a time where you define what "enough" means to you and align your life and goals to properly balance future pursuits with presence in the present.

Looking forward to hosting a free financial literacy workshop the first Monday of every month starting THIS MONDAY (12/2). The topic for the first one will be: Creating an Effective Spending Plan. This is a foundational step in having better control of your money and giving yourself a chance to achieve your financial goals. Date - December 2, 2024 Time - 1pm-2:30pm Location - Steele Creek Community Place (13501 South Tryon Street) Topic - Creating an Effective Spending Plan for 2025 Link to Sign Up - https://lnkd.in/gWpEdbhQ There's a great local coffee shop on site and feel free to bring your lunch to multitask. Hope to see you soon and block your calendar for the same time the first Monday of each month in 2025.

Can You See The True Cost?? When you make the decision to manage your money/investments on your own, that comes with costs that are often harder to see and identify. Use this video as a starting place to self-assess your money management practices and honestly assess any current costs and opportunities. https://lnkd.in/gTpcXHVK

If you've considered shopping for financial advisor support but find yourself overwhelmed with the amount and different types of offers, this video may be a good way to start and help you narrow down. Begin with questions of yourself: -What kind of relationship do I want/need? -What support or expertise aligns to my current life plans? -What support or expertise aligns to my investment beliefs/interests? -What is my comfortable budget at this time for having support? By answering these questions you can narrow down the field greatly and make your search and choosing easier with quick calls and pointed questions to firms that have piqued your interest. I love being a financial advisor and I am focused on serving the right clients through long term relationships. So if you are looking for a space to process and consider different options, happy to help you work through that with no agenda of selling you to be a client of mine. https://lnkd.in/g7TzNHvf

Political Aftermath - Keeping Proper Perspective Regardless of whether you are celebrating this morning or grieving. Whether you a relieved or angry, sharing a grounded perspective may be helpful. Some things to consider: 1. The markets and economy have largely been apolitical throughout history. Both parties have overseen good and terrible environments. Political outcomes tend to only be a short-term driver of outcomes. 2. Despite jubilance early on in today's market, expect volatility and some pain ahead. The new administration will still need to address a growing deficit, national and global polarization, the economic impact of possibly heavier tariffs, the economic impact of possibly less immigration and immigrant presence, and contentious foreign relationships. To think that we will not go through some turbulence in coming days would be to ignore historical precedent and current reality. This was going to be true for different reasons under a Harris presidency as well. 3. Some of the best days in the markets have come after some of the worst and some of the worst days right after some of the best. Missing even a handful of the best days in a 10 year period can have dire consequences on your financial outcomes. Fight the urge to be speculative or driven by emotions. If you personally feel like you are in dark days right now, cling to hope that bright days will make their way back to you (often when it is unexpected). 4. The US economy and its people have been consistently resilient all throughout our history. Do not let short-term fear/speculation/irrational exuberance inform your long-term decision making. It does not usually work out well when you make decisions on long-term money based on short-term circumstances. Stay focused and control what you can control. If you struggle in this area, bring in trustworthy professional help. If you are struggling to tell which side of the political aisle we are on, then we did our job. Where are you finding hope? What are you able to control? Focus on these things if you are struggling. If you are needing someone to talk to or are seeking help in developing and sticking with a long-term financial plan based around what you can control, we are glad to be here as a resource.

FINANCIAL ADVISOR COMMUNITY DROP IN - TODAY (11-2) Just a reminder that I'll be out at Nguyen's Noodles & Tea today from 11-2 for a Financial Advisor Drop In. If you want to start a conversation about a particular financial topic, share general ideas, or just start building a relationship.....this is for you! No suits, ties, or agenda......just supporting a local business and engaging with the community. Topics could include but not be limited to: Life insurance Goal creation and analysis Financial independence progress Investing basics Estate planning College saving and More! I won't know all the answers but anything I don't know I'll take back and follow up. Hope to meet you soon!

Have you ever wanted to talk with a financial advisor without feeling pressure or like there's an agenda? Then this Friday (11/1) is for you! Join us out in the community (at Nguyen's Noodles &Tea) this Friday during the lunch hours (11-2) for an open drop in! No suit, tie, or agenda. Just sipping tea, chatting, and answering questions. A few reasons you might stop by: - Talking about debt and cash management - Wanting to see if you are on track for financial independence - Questions about life insurance - need, types, right amounts, etc. - To learn more about working with a financial advisor - To learn about creating a dependable financial plan - College planning, estate planning, and more If you are local around South Charlotte I hope to see you out there and meet you soon. If not this week, look for future opportunities as we work to not just be in the community but FOR it.

EVERYTHING HAS A COST Whether you mow your own lawn or hire it out, fix your own car or bring in a mechanic, plan your own trip or use a travel agent.....there is a cost. It could be time, money, quality, stress, or more. The same is true when you are deploying a financial strategy. What I have seen with clients and prospects is that they don't often have a system or the familiarity to fairly assess the costs of different financial advice offerings OR the cost they are paying by trying to manage everything themselves. Use the next few weeks of videos as a starting place for better understanding what costs you should be looking into and thinking about when it comes to your financial strategy. If you end up having follow up questions or wanting to take a deeper dive on your specifics, I'd love to support you through that journey! https://lnkd.in/gwPQcYz7

LIFE WAS NOT INTENDED FOR YOU TO GO THROUGH ALONE - Looking forward to a fall season where I am out in the community interacting with people, building new relationships and finding ways that I can help individuals & families on their financial journey. We have an exciting vision of partnership with clients but that journey starts with finding the right people/families to serve. If you have questions about what it looks like to work with an advisor, questions about your next financial steps, or want to compare StillWater to the way you are supported currently.....come out to these events to have fun and start the conversation. We hope to see you out there! 11/1 (11-2) Ask a CFP? Open Drop In at Nguyen's Noodles & Tea (3615 Whitehall Park Dr) - look for the StillWater logo and come say hello! 11/9 (12-6) Autumn Artisan Market at Heist Brewery and Barrel Arts https://lnkd.in/gA-q7iJM 12/2 (1-230) Budgeting Workshop @ Steele Creek Community Place 12/7 (12-6) Jingle Jam at Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts https://lnkd.in/gVgGSwQf

MANAGING CHAOS - Sometimes success in life comes down to how you prepare for chaos and how you handle it when it strikes. I decided to do some life chaos preparation this week by attempting to walk, my free-spirited dog and push my son in a stroller around the neighborhood at the same time. I now feel ready for anything life can throw at me. On a serious note, when it comes to your family’s financial stability, what work have you done to prepare for the unexpected? Unfortunately, it will take more work than going on challenging neighborhood walks to truly feel like your family will be OK through different types of disruptions. This life chaos can include job loss, disability, health events, and even death. If you have any doubts about your preparation plans or just want to stress test your current plan, I’d love to brainstorm ideas with you. Don’t let another month pass without feeling confident in your family’s financial stress test