*by Kevin Slater, CEO, Lead Advisor, CFP®*

Someone recently asked me who my favorite clients are. I laughed out loud. This question has become a sort of running joke in our office. My honest answer? Whichever client I last spoke to--no kidding!

At a time when people seem pigeonholed (voluntarily or not) into opposing factions; it is joy-giving for me to have a very different experience in my own life. I am savoring wonderful relationships with people who are distinctly different from one another. They represent a wide array of ages, backgrounds, skills, interests, professions, and yes, different beliefs and opinions. There is a lot of potential for disagreements, debates, and worse!

Instead, I see our clients have a great deal in common. All of you share our values of people, service, humility, excellence, collaboration, learning, and stewardship. Those values are common to our clients but certainly not universally held, nor frequently held in combination.

This leads me back to my answer to the favorite client question. Aren’t our best relationships with people who share our deepest values? I think so.

Thank you for exhibiting your value of people by treating our team with kindness, respect, and care.

Thank you for valuing service by allowing us to serve you and teaching us how to do it well.

Thank you for the humility you demonstrate in trusting our team and the work we do for you.

Thank you for caring about excellence, holding us to high standards, and letting us know if we fall short.

Thank you for collaborating with us by engaging in very personal conversations—giving us an understanding of what brings you joy and what concerns you.

Thank you for living a life of learning as shown by your curiosity and your questions—ALL of them!

Thank you for exemplifying stewardship by giving us time out of your busy schedule to address important issues and answer OUR questions.

Thank you for being you. You are one of our favorite clients!