Passion & Principles: Lisa Hutter Takes Personalized Financial Planning to the Next Level of Individual Customization

I had the chance to connect with Lisa Hutter, Partner and Client Advisor at IronOak Wealth and Congregation Agudas Achim Board Member.

Lisa Hutter is a Partner and Client Advisor with IronOak Wealth, serving clients all over the country with offices in Austin, TX. Her fascination with getting to know people, a penchant for planning, and a love of solving puzzles led her to become a Trust and Estate Attorney (currently non-practicing) over 25 years ago. Lisa has never stopped working on what she believes to be the most important skill – listening. As a result, she spends time learning about each clients’ passions, fears, dreams, and principles to help ensure they are reflected in their financial pursuits. By looking at all of the pieces together she is able to uncover opportunities to make the lives of each client easier and their legacies stronger while building a team of specialists around them. Her consistent process starts with a plan that acts as a north star serving as an ongoing blueprint for investing, saving, lending, fiduciary services, legacy planning, and charitable giving. Lisa serves on several boards including that of her synagogue, Congregation Agudas Achim, MATI USA, and Global (real estate) Consulting Organization. She also serves on the Patient Advisory Council for St. David’s Hospital System and is active with Leadership Austin and CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women).

Q: Tell me about your business and what separates you from your competition?

A: Our business operates as an independent wealth advisory firm, and what sets us apart from the competition is our commitment to providing a high-touch, full-service experience that prioritizes active and strategic management of our clients' finances.?

We take a personalized approach to wealth management, beginning with an in-depth financial planning process that allows us to gain a comprehensive understanding of our clients' unique circumstances and objectives. This knowledge serves as the foundation for crafting customized portfolios that align with their specific goals.?

Unlike relying on externally managed mutual funds, our investment strategy revolves around selecting high dividend-paying, high-growth companies operating in sectors that our research indicates have significant growth potential. We also explore alternative investments that not only generate substantial income but also encompass direct real estate opportunities.?

Our comprehensive approach extends beyond investment management. We ensure our clients are well-prepared for various life events and financial challenges. This includes comprehensive estate planning, robust risk management strategies encompassing insurance solutions, diligent savings planning for education, second homes, and vacations, and meticulous tax planning to optimize outcomes.?

Furthermore, we have cultivated partnerships with esteemed professionals in complementary fields, such as cybersecurity experts, fractional CFOs, CPAs, attorneys, and others. These collaborations enable us to offer a well-rounded suite of services to address every aspect of our clients’ financial well-being, even if it falls outside our direct expertise.?

In essence, our commitment to personalized, proactive, and holistic financial management sets us apart. We aim to empower our clients with the knowledge, strategies, and resources they need to navigate any financial challenges and opportunities that come their way.?

Q: How does your team emphasize corporate, social, and community responsibility to give back to the community?

The beauty of our investment offering is that we have the ability to truly customize a client’s portfolios according to what is important to them and their family.

A: Each of us devotes time to the groups in our community or our faith that are important to us. We also are involved in certain professional organizations that have a non-profit arm that supports an ESG purpose. For example, I am actively involved in CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) which is an organization whose purpose is to grow the number of women involved in commercial real estate fields. CREW has a non-profit foundation that helps to support and further this initiative through scholarships, mentorships, and the like.??

Additionally, we have several clients who are interested in making sure their investments align with their values. We can curate a portfolio that is consistent with their beliefs and ESG goals. For some it might be investing in line with their faith, for some it is supporting women-owned companies while for others it may be avoiding investing in companies that further certain vices. The beauty of our investment offering is that we have the ability to truly customize a client’s portfolios according to what is important to them and their family.?

Q: How does your current space support your company’s goals and your hiring initiatives?

A: IronOak is a small Independent Advisory Firm that I am honored to help grow in terms of expanding the clients that I serve while promoting our brand. My dream is to one day introduce myself as a client advisor and partner at IronOak and have that person say “Oh! I’ve heard of them!”

Q: Who or what has influenced your leadership ethos?

The creation or participation in a culture of mutual respect allows a team or partnership to thrive.

A: I have been in the financial services and estate planning profession for almost 30 years and have had the honor of working with some terrific leaders and mentors. Through law school into the early part of my career becoming a manager and executive leader myself, I learned the characteristics of a transformative and impactful leader. I believe I put these characteristics into practice.??

I feel strongly about supporting others to reach their goals, being an advocate for them, and helping them understand how or what they need to accomplish to get to the next level. I am also a proponent of always getting input and feedback. Additionally, the creation or participation in a culture of mutual respect allows a team or partnership to thrive. I have often said to new managers that you cannot control your team member’s discussion about you when you aren’t in the room but what you can control is whether they are being critical or curious. Curiosity is what you are striving for which stems from mutual respect and trust. Some of my proudest moments were in seeing someone I’ve mentored reach their goals, someone I’ve managed to get that promotion or new role, and developing teams that embodied a true culture of trust.??

Q: What are you expecting out of 2024 and how will that impact your business?

A: Resource Library and Articles: We've recently revamped our website to feature a comprehensive resource library housing articles on a wide range of topics. This initiative is designed to provide substantial value to our clients and friends from various fields. It has the potential to position our firm as a knowledgeable and helpful resource, which could attract more clients and strengthen existing relationships.?

Webinars: Hosting webinars on topics such as cybersecurity, estate planning, special needs education planning, mentorship, business transitions, commercial lending, and planning for divorce is a key part of our strategy. These webinars allow us to showcase our expertise, connect with a broader audience, and generate leads for our business.?

Teaching a Course: I'm particularly excited about the opportunity to teach a course on divorce planning via CPA Academy in November. This endeavor presents a chance to establish myself as an expert in this specific field, which?

could result in increased visibility and potential referrals.?

In-Person Events: Looking forward to 2024, we're planning a few in-person events. These events will play a vital role in strengthening our relationships with clients and expanding our network. Face-to-face interactions often have a more profound impact on building trust and meaningful connections.?

Business Growth: Our overall focus for 2023 and 2024 centers on providing valuable resources, expanding our expertise, and fortifying client relationships. These efforts are essential steps toward achieving business growth and long-term success. We're committed to closely monitoring the impact of these initiatives, gathering feedback from our clients and audience, and adjusting our strategies as needed. As we continue to deliver valuable content and build relationships, we anticipate a positive impact on our business in terms of client retention, referrals, and the attraction of new clients seeking our expertise.?

Q: What do you work for and what do you do for fun??

Together, we find joy in all the things we can experience and share with each other.

A: I work for my clients. They truly are my why. I enjoy taking care of them and supporting them in reaching their goals.??

I also enjoy setting that example for my two daughters. They seem to appreciate watching how hard their mom works for others and the joy it brings me as well as the life that it allows me to give to them. I am also very proud of partnering with my husband on different business ventures that center on things that are interesting to both of us. We co-own a CrossFit gym that he runs and manages and that I get to contribute to in different ways.? We also enjoy engaging in real estate ventures together. On top of that, we share so much outside of “work” like hiking, CrossFit, and the occasional cigar!??

Overall, I treasure every second with my family and making every second count. Together, we find joy in all the things we can experience and share with each other.

Q: Can you tell us more about your love for hiking and where that comes from?

A: My husband and I started hiking when our kids were young and we were living in Westchester NY. It was a great way to get out, be active, and have our girls expend some energy while exploring the woods. When we moved here, we loved all the trails that Austin and the surrounding areas had to offer so we kept it up. Now having the opportunity to spend several weeks each year at our vacation home in Colorado affords us the ability to explore those breathtaking trails. I am also grateful that I get to go on my own adventures hiking abroad with my best friend, Monika. She also enjoys hiking, and we love to be able to go away together to recharge and reset.??

I have long found that hiking is the time when I am clearest mentally and come up with some of my best ideas or am able to resolve issues that I may have been scratching my head over for some time. I love it when professional colleagues suggest “walk and talks” as well and have had some terrific meetings while hiking the trails at Zilker or in far-off cities like Dallas!

Q: What is the biggest challenge you faced when you transitioned to your current role at IronOak Wealth?

A: The most significant challenge I encountered when transitioning to my current role at IronOak Wealth was not so much about adapting to the work dynamic with my partner, as we had been in discussions for some time and had already established a comfortable working relationship. Instead, the primary challenge revolved around familiarizing myself with the technology and discovering the incredible tools that were available to us in this new role.?

As I settled into my position, I realized that there were several tools and technologies that I had not encountered before in my previous roles. These tools were integral to optimizing our workflow and providing the best possible service to our clients. Learning to use and leverage these technologies effectively was a learning curve that required time and dedication.?

One notable tool that I've been working on integrating into our operations is Chat GPT, which offers a wide range of capabilities in terms of natural language processing and communication. Striking the right balance with Chat GPT, and effectively incorporating it into our processes, has been both a challenge and an exciting opportunity. It's about finding the optimal ways to harness its capabilities to enhance our services and interactions with clients.?

In summary, while transitioning to my role at IronOak Wealth was smooth in terms of working with my partner, the real challenge lay in adapting to the advanced technology and tools available to us. Embracing these tools and learning to leverage them effectively has been a key part of my journey in this role, with the aim of delivering even greater value to our clients and achieving our business objectives.?

Q: What are some of the skills you learned while you were in law school that you have been able to apply to your advisory business?

A: This is a tough one only because there are quite a few skills I learned but many of them may have been learned simply because I was in that time of my life vs. skills from law school directly. I guess I would say the most important one was critical thinking and that there are always multiple perspectives to every story. Precedence was also a big one in that one case could create certain rules to prevent harm from repeating itself. I also learned about being open to hearing other’s ideas and being curious about understanding their reasoning for getting to their answers. In addition, I learned how to rely on others and work as part of a team; knowing that there was always some reward after a really hard day, week, or month of work.? These were some of the funniest and most fun memories from law school.?

I really enjoyed learning to golf in the summer while I studied for the bar exams (NY and NJ). The game of golf has certainly carried into my business as a great way to get to know my clients and partners.?

I was also somewhat lucky in being a second-year law student when the OJ Simpson trial took place and learning while watching and then discussing in class. It was an interesting time to be a law student.?

Finally, I’d say that is when I realized I was truly a die-hard Yankee fan because the playoffs in my second year took us into extra innings most nights. We would give up sleep to be able to stay up late and watch the game while still getting up early to get to class the next day. Not sure that OJ and the Yankees relate directly to my advisor role, but they are fun memories to relive!

Thank you for contributing to this series, Lisa.

Lisa always enjoys meeting folks interested in planning and customized investing, who are considering hiring a wealth manager for the first time or making a change from their current advisor.??

You can reach her at [email protected].?

And thank you @zilkermedia for making this newsletter possible!?

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