Start-Up Consultation

Embarking on Your Financial Future: Your start-up consultation

Your start-up consultation is designed to be a collaborative and enlightening experience, laying a strong foundation for your journey towards financial well-being. This initial meeting is a dedicated time to get to know each other, understand your aspirations, and identify the key areas where strategic planning can make the most significant impact. The atmosphere will be professional yet approachable, ensuring you feel comfortable discussing your financial life openly and honestly.

The primary goal of this first session is not to implement complex strategies on the spot, but rather to gain a clear, holistic view of your current financial picture and your future goals. Brooke will guide the conversation, but your active participation is crucial. Think of this as a strategic brainstorming session where we map out the possibilities and prioritize the steps we need to take in subsequent meetings to build your personalized financial plan. We will work together to pinpoint areas of strength and uncover opportunities for growth, ultimately creating a roadmap that aligns with your unique vision for the future.

To ensure we maximize our time together and leave with a clear set of actionable next steps, please come prepared to discuss the following key questions. Your thoughtful consideration of these points beforehand will allow us to move beyond the basics and delve into what truly matters to you.

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Your Most Important Questions for Our First Meeting:

To make the most of our initial consultation, please consider the following questions. There is no need to have all the answers perfectly formulated, but having these in mind will help guide our conversation.

1. Defining Your Vision & Goals:

• The Big Picture: If you could wave a magic wand, what would your ideal financial future look like in 5, 10, and 20 years? What does “financial success” mean to you personally?
• Major Milestones: What are the most significant financial goals you hope to achieve? (e.g., purchasing a home, funding a child’s education, starting a business, retiring early, leaving a legacy). What is the desired timeline for each of these goals?
• Your “Why”: What are the core values and motivations behind these goals? Understanding your “why” helps in crafting a plan that you are motivated to stick with.

2. Understanding Your Current Financial Landscape:

• Assets & Liabilities: What does your current balance sheet look like? A general overview of your assets (e.g., savings, investments, retirement accounts, real estate) and liabilities (e.g., mortgage, car loans, student debt, credit card balances) will be immensely helpful.
• Income & Expenses: What is your approximate monthly household income and what are your major categories of spending? A rough budget or estimate will suffice for our first meeting.
• Current Strategies: What financial planning, if any, have you done on your own? (e.g., contributing to a 401(k), using a budgeting app, investing in stocks). What has worked well and what challenges have you faced?

3. Identifying Your Priorities & Concerns:

• Most Pressing Issues: What financial topic keeps you up at night? Is it debt management, saving enough for retirement, market volatility, or something else?
• Risk & Comfort Level: How do you feel about investment risk? Are you generally a conservative, moderate, or aggressive investor? Have past market fluctuations made you anxious or did you see them as an opportunity?
• Life’s “What Ifs”: Have you considered how unexpected life events, such as a job loss, disability, or a long-term health issue, might impact your financial plan? What is your current insurance and emergency fund situation?

By preparing to discuss these key areas, you will enable us to have a rich and productive first meeting. This initial consultation is the first step in a collaborative partnership, and your thoughtful preparation will ensure we start on the strongest possible footing. I look forward to meeting with you and beginning this important journey together.