May 30, 2022
Rarely is one’s career path a straight line. In most cases, an unlikely side step corrects our path forward. Alfredo Mesa’s journey is no exception. When Alfredo graduated with a degree in finance, his only options were brokerage firms, insurance companies, and banks. Missing that element of intimate financial planning, Alfredo turned to entrepreneurship and, eventually, real estate. Then one day, Alfredo sold property to a CPA who suggested he consider RIAs if financial planning was his end goal. The rest is history.
Today, Alfredo runs Mesa Financial Group, adhering to the Dan Goldie method of simplifying everything. He’s a team of one who believes in building relationships with clients as they’re building their wealth while fostering relationships with CPAs and attorneys. Beyond business partners, Alfredo favors managing clients over managing employees. So although he’s the only captain at his ship’s wheel, Alfredo’s found a system that allows him to remain engaged with a growing roster of clients.
In this episode, Alfredo talks with Steve about his method for doing it all while finding time for his clients, his perspective on staying flexible for both clients and himself, and the strong convictions behind his “why”.
Key Takeaways
- [01:11] - An introduction to Alfredo and Mesa Financial Group.
- [04:00] - How Alfredo transitioned into financial planning.
- [04:41] - Why Alfredo chose the RIA model.
- [10:07] - Why Alfredo is so intentional with his business model.
- [14:22] - How Alfredo determines what’s worth his time.
- [16:42] - How Alfredo defines himself.
- [18:00] - How Alfredo manages to stay sharp on the nuances of financial planning, and why relationships have helped him better serve his clients.
- [21:05] - Who Alfredo’s “ideal client” is and how he determines whether or not a potential client will be a good fit.
- [23:25] - What Alfredo discusses in the first client meeting.
- [27:51] - Why Alfredo doesn’t mind letting go of clients who aren’t a strong fit.
- [30:15] - How Alfredo created a client-focused firm while maintaining his one-man structure.
- [33:57] - How and when Alfredo meets with clients.
- [42:21] - What Alfredo believes his client capacity is.
- [44:08] - What Alfredo’s working on that he believes will enhance the client experience.
Quotes
[05:08] - “One of the things that I constantly work hard on is: I try to simplify my practice as much as possible. And to some extent, I carry that with our clients. Let’s not complicate your planning, let’s not complicate your investments any more than we need to.” ~ Alfredo Mesa
[07:20] - “We always try to work with, as clients, people who share the same values, the same beliefs, when it comes to portfolio management, and planning, and ethical views, and morality, and so forth and so on. I think that applies to who you’re doing business with and serving those particular clients.” ~ Alfredo Mesa
[41:42] - “Clients don’t know how this should work. This financial planning thing for most of our clients is new. We can set the expectations so they know what to expect and what this is going to look like. And I find that sets them at ease and gives you the opportunity to deliver exactly what you’re telling them is going to happen.” ~ Alfredo Mesa
Links
- Alfredo Mesa
- Mesa Financial Group
- Dan Goldie
- Dimensional Fund Advisors
- U.S. Planning Group
- CI Assante Wealth Management
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