Testimonials and Referrals

Client Testimonials and Referrals

Receiving client testimonials and referrals is one of the most powerful forms of flattery.  After receiving many testimonials and referrals we have realized that when it comes to your financial assets and getting the help that you need, getting a referral from a family member or friend can be the best way to find a competent professional. 

When people need professional help, whether it is a financial advisor, attorney, CPA, doctor, dentist, or whomever, most will ask others for opinions and referrals in these areas.  When you are asked for a referral in one of these areas you know that it is important that you recommend someone you are very comfortable with since that will be a reflection on you as to how that professional treats your family member or friends. 

Most business that is done with a professional today is done based on referrals from others.  Most people will not trust their personal and financial information to someone they do not know well or feel comfortable with. 

We believe that sharing testimonials of current clients will help you have some understanding of how we value our relationships with our clients.  Here are just a few of the testimonials that we have received in the past:

• "When I retired, I started an IRA by rolling over my vested interest in our employee retirement plan.  I went to the trust department of a local bank.  After some time, I decided I didn't like getting a new investment advisor every few months, and I didn't like what I thought were pretty hefty fees.I made a move to another local bank that had an investment service connection with Kingland Capital, Mason City.  (We live in central Minnesota).  My local financial advisor was both good and bad.  After 2 or 3 years it was mostly bad.  Then he died suddenly.  I liked Kingland Capital so I placed a call to their office in Mason City.  Soon I was taking to a nice young lady by the name of Robin Edgar.  After our first phone conversation, I was quite impressed with Robin.  Arrangements were soon made for Robin to take over my account as my financial advisor.  My wife and I had many conversations with Robin.  I know she spent a lot of time and thought to tailor make an investment program for our situation. 

Robin basically set up a withdrawal program of monthly distributions from my IRA. Now it is about 10 years later.  Robin is trustworthy and very knowledgeable.  She keeps herself up-to-date and well informed as she continues to manage this program.  All I have to do is tell her how much monthly income we want from the IRA and she does it.  Our income has been more than adequate to maintain our life style at the level we want.  The nice thing about it is I continue to ask her if we are running out of money and she continues to assure me that we are not.  A quick glance at the periodic statements of our account confirm that this is true.  Bob and Ruth C."  2/24/05

 

"Dear Robin, I appreciate your sound financial advice!  Your a true professional.  Respectfully yours, Ed. E"  1/30/04

• "I have invested with Robin Edgar for about 10 years as we work together toward my retirement goals.  I enjoy my investment experiences with Robin because she communicates her investment knowledge in an easy-to-understand manner.  I feel comfortable asking her questions.  When I have concerns about the market or a particular mutual fund, she always addresses those issues as they arise. Sincerely, Barb E."  9/8/03

• "We first met Robin in 1996, but she wasn't our first choice in financial advisors - - in fact, she wasn't even our second choice.  now that we've said that, we owe you an explanation.

Before moving to Mason City from Denver, Colorado, in 1994, we had started some college funds.  With both of us being professionals, with four-year college degrees, we felt we were well qualified to handle our own financial affairs - - we were our own "First Choice."  And besides, we didn't want anyone else knowing our business.

It wasn't long after our move to Mason City that we did an honest evaluation of our situation and decided that we just weren't very diligent in managing our accounts.  In fact, we seldom looked in on them, except when a statement arrived, and then we'd either grin because we made some money, or grimace because we didn't - - but we didn't really have the time or inclination to spend the effort it would take to make intelligent decisions to increase our earnings.

Because we had to rollover some retirement IRA's from our previous employers in Denver, we went to our new bank and asked for some help.  We were lucky, and found someone who had moved to Mason City only a few years earlier from Pueblo, Colorado.  Using this as a "sign" (it seemed more than just a coincidence that we should run into someone from our "home" state) we began working with our first real financial advisor (our "second choice").

Our new financial advisor fit our style - - she wasn't aggressive and didn't try to sell us on new ventures.  Our money was making money, more than it had in the past, and we were content.  All went well for a couple of years, until our financial advisor became ill and had to take an early/medical retirement.  Before she left us, though, she recommended Robin to take over our accounts.

We had a short meeting with  Robin; she seemed competent and she was recommended by someone we had learned to trust so we felt comfortable with having her become our "Third Choice".  But Robin was different - - she wasn't as satisfied as we were with our money's performance.

She asked to have a meeting with us to discuss our. . . ("Oh no!" we thought, "here comes the dreaded "goals" discussion" - the one where someone has you state your obvious goals of "money for college" and "early retirement" just so they can sell you more services.") . . .likes, dislikes, and comfort levels (well, that was unexpected).  We accepted the meeting, though more to be polite than to actually learn something, still unsure of her true intentions.

The meeting was a surprise because we spent time just talking about our backgrounds and our like, dislikes, and comfort levels of investment (just as "advertised").  Robin already knew we wanted a larger college fund and she had already guessed that we'd jump at a chance for early retirement - - but what she was interested in was what we would prefer (or prefer to avoid) to invest in - - did we shy away from the thought of investments in foreign countries?; were we comfortable with investments in the stock market?; how secure/guaranteed did our investments have to be?; what percentage of our total could be invested in more dynamic/higher risk areas without crashing our comfort level?

By the end of the meeting, we felt more comfortable with Robin than we had with anyone else before  (and, for your information, we did not walk out of the meeting as investors in any new ventures).  Robin spent time after the meeting evaluating what she heard and preparing a customized package of investments in which we might be interested.

Well, you can guess the rest.  With Robin's competent help and patience, we have diversified our investments, as well as opened other accounts.  We have weathered the economic slump, and though we can't say we've "prospered" during this time, we have been able to hold our own.  We now have successful college funds for our two children(one in college and one a senior in high school) and we have retirement accounts.  And last year, while we were coping with our emotions and grief, Robin stepped in and helped control the transfer of some inheritance accounts.  She is helping us understand the "do's and don'ts" of the accounts to minimize estate taxes.

As we said at the beginning, Robin wasn't our first or second choice - - but thankfully she is our third and last choice.  And, as you know, third time's a charm. Sincerely, Jim and Gail A." 9/16/03

• "I inherited Robin as my account executive in 1992 when my broker resigned from what was then Kingland Capital Corporation.  Since I live in Kansas, my contact with her has always been by toll free telephone conversation.  My investments with Robin are mainly stocks and mutual funds.

I noticed a big difference between Robin and my original broker immediately.  My original broker never called me.  It was difficult for me to contact him even though his office was in my home town bank and he never made much effort to provide information about stocks I was interested in.  I was pleasantly surprised when Robin called quite often just to get to know me and to talk about various stocks and investment philosophy.  When I needed to call her, if she was not available, she never failed to return my call as soon as she could.  In all the years I have worked with Robin she has never failed to return a telephone call.

To me, Robin's strong points are her communication skills and her ability to analyze stock analysts reports.  When discussing a companies stock, she provides the information and freely discusses the pros and cons of the stock but never pushes me to purchase.  I always come away feeling every decision is my own.  I have complete confidence in her and have recommended her to my friends and family.  She has become not only my account executive but a personal friend. Ken G."  9/4/03

This testimonial may not be representative of the experience of other clients.

The testimonial is not indicative of future performance or success.