From dad to ski patrol (with financial services marketing in between), I’m...
My name is Randy Bachman. I go by many titles, including dad, husband, coach, teammate, boss, mentor, marketing guy and ski patrol to name a few. Like the game we played as kids, what do all of those...
View ArticleMight be new to blogging, but I’m totally TRUSTworthy
My name is Jonathan Kelly, and I’d like to start by introducing myself. I have nearly 20 years of experience working in Trust Services, with the last year and half at the Principal Financial Group®. In...
View ArticleYou never think _________ will happen to you?
Ask 100 business owners that question and I’m sure you’ll get 100 different responses – none of which are, “I’m going to become too sick or hurt to run my business.” But, if there’s one thing I’ve...
View ArticleLearning BOES from a “BOES-O”
Maybe you can’t kid a kidder. But I’m hoping you can learn a bit about BOES from a “BOES-O”. I’m one of our Business, Owner and Executive Solutions (BOES) Regional Vice Presidents on the Individual...
View ArticleDon’t hit the slopes of financial services alone
For several years, I had the privilege of being a member of the National Ski Patrol. I met hundreds of skiers with experience that ranged from beginners who needed help putting on the equipment to...
View ArticleEven counting sheep couldn’t put me to sleep
I am happily married with kids…beautiful wife of 20 years (we’ve been together since college) and two teenagers; my daughter just turned 16 years old and my son is 13 years old. As one would expect,...
View ArticleWhat Ironman Taught Me: Anything is Possible
Growing up in Maine I’ve always enjoyed the outdoors and staying active, continually looking for ways to challenge myself. In my spare time I like to hike, bike and run to stay in shape. Although I...
View ArticleThe reality of the new tax reality
If you filed your tax bill earlier this year, chances are it wasn’t pretty. I polled a group of key advisors and asked if the new tax reality had sunk in with their business owner clients, and the...
View ArticleAre you paying it forward?
Remember the movie from the year 2000, “Pay it Forward”? In this classic film, Trevor McKinney, the troubled young son of an alcoholic mother, receives an intriguing assignment from his new social...
View ArticleAre you ready for some football?
The new football season has kicked off, and with each weekend comes another round of opportunities to see competitors battle it out on the gridiron. Whether you’re a family of a Friday Night Lights...
View ArticleBlack Friday, Blue Retirements and America Saves Week
We’ve got Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Super Saturday. Throughout the year, we’ve got birthdays and anniversaries and graduations, and of course, the basic needs of daily living. For 2014, the...
View ArticleFinancial Planning for Young Professionals
As a young professional, there are strategies that you can employ to achieve your short-, medium-, and long-term financial goals. Try these 10 simple action items that can accelerate your progress...
View ArticleAre You Protecting Your Biggest Asset with Disability Insurance?
Retirement savings. College savings. Estate planning. Those are the three topics that most of my clients are willing to discuss with me. These things aren’t necessarily enjoyable to discuss, but most...
View ArticleTake Action on Your Financial Plan by Simplifying the Decision Making Process
Have you ever received valuable advice, not taken action on it, and then regretted your decision? It has happened to all of us for a variety of reasons: we are too busy, too lazy, too scared, or the...
View ArticleFamily Protection – the Need for Life Insurance
Life is priceless. You can’t put a monetary value on the memories and emotions that you have experienced with loved ones; we are all unique and irreplaceable. It is, however, possible to calculate the...
View ArticleRetirement Wants (all the bacon!) vs. Retirement Needs (floor strategy)
Have you ever taken a moment to envision what your dream retirement would look like? (If not, I highly encourage you to take the next 60 seconds to think about it, or take this fun quiz!) I recently...
View ArticleImplement Financial Recommendations that are based on your Specific Objectives
Anyone who has gotten married or gone to a gym knows that others enjoy providing unsolicited advice. And the majority of their advice is based on what worked for them, and not necessarily what is best...
View ArticleWhat New Year’s Resolution Do You Prefer: An Hour at the Gym Every Day or an...
So there I was, 6 p.m. at the gym, exactly one week after Thanksgiving. The place is buzzing. Sweat and calories flying in every direction. Up-beat music, excitement, hope, determination and people...
View Article401(k) – You can’t win if you don’t play
I didn’t win Saturday night’s Powerball drawing but then again, I didn’t buy a ticket, so my odds of winning were zero. At one in 292 million[i], if I had bought a ticket, my odds of winning would...
View Article“Don’t do what I did” and two other powerful tips for college-bound kids
It’s that time of year again. The smell of freshly purchased notebooks, pizza grease and the only kind of sweat you get from hauling 27 plastic totes up four flights of un-air-conditioned stairs is in...
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