By Ed Vargo
This may not come as a shock to you, but the financial services industry was not designed with women in mind. If I said that to a group of women, I bet I’d get more than a few “No s***, Sherlock” comments muttered under their breath.
This isn’t a closely guarded secret. The personal financial services model was built for the way men think about money and with one primary objective: to gather as much investor money as possible with just enough relational effort to keep it friendly. That may work for men, but it’s been a disaster for women. That’s where we come in.
At Burning River Advisory Group, we take a more client-centric, life-purpose approach to financial planning by positioning you, our client, at the center of all we do. We do this through our proprietary process called the Servant Money Method™. If you’re a single, divorced, or widowed woman ready to take the next step in your financial life journey, here’s how our Servant Money Method™ can work for you.
What Is the Servant Money Method™?
The SMM™ was designed to give women the confidence to live their version of a meaningful life; to take away the anxiety and discomfort of not knowing what to do; to provide a clear vision of what your life could be if you used your money to make a life instead of using your life to make money.
What could your life be if you used your money to “make a life” instead of using your life to “make money”?
As life-centered financial planners who specialize in working with women, we’ve created a completely different model. We are women-centric. We’ve built a process for how women think about money.
We place you at the top of the hierarchy. Your money serves you, not the other way around. That means you’re the CEO and we’re your personal CFOs, guiding you to make the best financial decisions for the life you want to build.
How it Works
The SMM™ is a multi-step process that involves three broad stages.
Stage 1: Start With Why
We believe how you use your money should be a reflection of your values. That’s why the first part of our process involves deep, introspective work in which we work together to identify what’s important to you, including your goals, values, and your life purpose.
We ask questions like: What stirs your soul? Is it return on investment, or return on life? Unlike ROI, which is all about your return on investment, ROL is all about your return on life. It’s about keeping your money in its proper place—as a servant to your life goals and ambitions. A return on life approach ensures your money is being managed in a way that honors your life. And that concept is always at the forefront of our SMM™ process.
Stage 2: Exceptional Financial Decision-Making
We know it’s not all about your investments; your money questions are bigger and more complex. If you’re experiencing a significant life event, the stakes are even higher, often requiring specialized, women-friendly expertise.
In this stage, we focus on building your financial plan, homing in on specific strategies and, if necessary, compiling an expert team you can rely on.
Let us take all the “fun stuff” off your hands. Things like researching the latest financial spending bill or most recent tax law changes. Or poring over reams of data and conducting the analyses required to optimize your financial life plan. Our decades of hands-on experience and financial expertise can help you bridge the gap between your money and the meaningful life you envisioned in Stage 1.
Stage 3: Actions, Habits, & Accountability
This stage is where your plan and our process are put to the test. It’s also where we do our best work.
We will help you implement your customized plan and monitor it along the way, providing positive, proactive, and ongoing support to help ensure life doesn’t get in the way of your best intentions.
Put simply, we help you “get things done.” We help ensure you enjoy life today while also building a financial future you can have confidence in tomorrow.
Take the Next Step
Burning River Advisory Group is here to help make your life simpler and less stressful on your journey toward financial independence. We do this by forming trusted relationships with our clients so they always have someone they can count on. In short, we make you a part of our beloved “BRAG Family.”
If you’re ready to learn more about taking the next step toward a brighter financial future, or would like to learn more about our Servant Money Method™, reach out today by calling 216- 404-2420 or emailing evargo@burningriverag.com.
About Ed
As Founder and CEO of Burning River Advisory Group (BRAG) and enlightenHer, Ed’s mission is to help women take control of their money and to live their version of a meaningful life. His life experience testifies to how money can be the best of servants or the worst of masters, and why each of us needs to be in control of our money.
As the father of five daughters, Ed is raising his girls to be strong, independent, formidable women. He believes being knowledgeable and in control of their money is essential. Ed is committed to teaching them how to be empowered by money, not weakened by it.
Ed takes this mindset into his work. He’s passionate about helping women take control of their financial lives once and for all. He created the Servant Money Method (SMM)TM, a proprietary financial life planning process designed to give women the ability to live a meaningful life without a money anvil hanging over their heads.
Whether that’s exiting the rat race integrity intact, starting over after a difficult divorce, moving closer to be near the grandbabies, or simply sleeping better at night knowing they’re not going to outlive their money. The SMMTM takes the financial “heavy lifting” off their clients’ plates so they can focus on what matters most – pursuing a meaningful life.
Ed’s clients know their success is at the forefront of all he does, and he works tirelessly to advocate for them. He strives to be their “first call” – the person they turn to when they need objective advice, accurate information, or a calm and experienced voice to help them through tough times.
Ed believes we should use our money to make a life instead of using our life to make money. His values-based mission allows his clients to do just that.
