Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ann Martin. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Ann thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?
I named my firm Apricity Wealth Management because I wanted something a little different and I was searching for a nature related word. The word “Apricity” means the warmth of the sun in winter. That is exactly what I want to be for my clients – the warmth of the sun in the winter of their lives.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I started my career in corporate finance working for Kraft Foods working my way up to Controller for their East Coast Distribution facilities. After Kraft, I moved on to a family-owned business that baked the buns for McDonald’s, East Balt, Inc. There I coordinated their worldwide budgets, worked on mergers/acquisitions, and set pricing to McDonald’s for their domestic plants.
When we moved to Arizona, I wanted more flexible employment since my girls were little at the time. I’ve always had a passion for financial planning and investing so this was the perfect fit. I have longevity in my family (my dad lived to 98 and my mom, to 90!) so I knew I needed to figure out how to retire well! I was my first client, so I set up my business to benefit me as as the client – working independently, providing ongoing advice and as a fiduciary.
As a financial advisor, I manage my clients’ investments, but my biggest added value is providing ongoing advice and formal financial planning. As Antoine de Saint-Exupery said, “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” Unfortunately, money doesn’t come with instructions and there are so many areas where mistakes can happen that having professional guidance makes a world of difference.
I am most proud of being debt free for about 15 years – no mortgage, no credit card debt, no student loans. That gives me a different perspective than most advisors out there. (Full transparency: we did buy the building that houses my business last year and we do have a mortgage on that).
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
The majority of new clients are referred to me by other professionals such as attorneys and CPAs. I work well with my clients’ teams of professionals and enjoy collaborating on the right solutions for our clients. That builds trust with other professionals who then are confident in sending their clients to me.
I also receive many referrals for new clients from my existing clients that have been very happy with their experience with Apricity Wealth Management, a branch office of Securities America, member FINRA/SIPC.
Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?
I am that advisor who proactively reaches out to my clients when life events occur. Some examples of that are reaching out to clients when their children reach age 16 to talk about checking their credit or when their child is 18 and should have a Power of Attorney on file. When clients are approaching the age to take Required Minimum Distributions, that is planned for and never a surprise because I communicate to them regularly. In addition to milestone ages, I reach out for regular reviews, client events, and sometimes just to say hi. Communication is key.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ApricityWealthManagement.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ApricityWM
Image Credits
Headshot by Heather Robinson