Description

In this deeply human conversation, Jeremy Askew and Suzan Issa from Town Close Financial Planning join us to share their heartfelt philosophy: "Serve, don’t sell." Together, they explore what it truly means to create value for clients, by listening deeply, shifting mindsets, and focusing on what really matters. From bereavement to generational transitions, Jeremy and Suzan walk us through how they meet clients at life’s most pivotal moments and help them navigate not just their money, but their meaning.

We discuss how financial wellbeing is more about how it feels than what’s in the bank account, why "money dysmorphia" is on the rise, and how authentic relationships, not just technical expertise, build lasting trust. Suzan also shares their inward-facing work with the team: creating a 'no-blame, no-shame' culture where staff are encouraged to grow as humans, not just professionals.

From a widow asking how to spend money once meant for two, to five-generation family engagements, to quiet reflections on what clients don’t say, this episode shows how powerful advice becomes when it is rooted in presence, empathy, and shared humanity. 

Top 8 Takeaways

1. Mindset Drives Financial Wellbeing: The real transformation is emotional, not numerical. Helping clients feel secure is often more powerful than proving they are secure.
2. “Money Made Human” is a Philosophy, Not a Slogan: Advice should feel human, relational, and grounded in empathy. Clients remember how you made them feel, not what you explained.
3. Listening is the Real Differentiator: The deepest value comes from truly hearing clients, especially what goes unsaid. Silence often holds the biggest clues.
4. Financial Planning is a Process of Unburdening: The first time clients speak about childhood scarcity, retirement fear, or grief is often in a planning meeting. That space alone is healing.
5. Start Simple: “How can I help?”: Then go deeper, by asking “Why is that important to you?” something you might ask multiple times to reveal the truth.
6. “Serve Not Sell” as a Cultural Ethos: Jeremy and Issa only work with people who want help and are willing to be helped. Fit and authenticity matter more than any sales pitch.
7. Culture Starts From Within: Suzan’s team-building focuses on self-awareness, vulnerability, and alignment between how advisers live and how they advise. “We’re creating the lives we advise clients to have.” 

Great Phrases 

“The money is often a cover story. The real work is a change in mindset.”

“You know when you’ve been truly listened to. And so do your clients.”

“Serve, don’t sell.”

“If you command someone’s time, you have a place in their heart.”

“It’s not about the pot of money. It’s about the dream it enables.”

“Qualifications get you to the front door. They don’t get you through it.”

“We seek first to understand. That’s where the value lives.”

“We’re not afraid to say: this isn’t the right fit.”

“Money dysmorphia: when someone’s perception of their financial reality is emotionally distorted.

”“Financial wellbeing is only wellbeing if it feels good to you.”

Resources:

• Town Close Financial Planning
• Bereavement Support
• Subscribe to 'Boring but Effective newsletter

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