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THE CORNERSTONES OF
Honesty, Loyalty and Putting Information Together in One Place
As the only female principal at
California Financial Advisors,
Michelle Perry Higgins doesn’t mind
because she is one of the driving forces
behind the success of the San Ramon-based
firm. The firm has over
$975 million in assets under management
specializing in financial
planning and money management.
Higgins, along with her colleagues,
continues to demonstrate a dedication
to their clients, by investing time
to learn their client’s employee benefit
plans as well as the special needs of
each and every client.
Higgins is the author of two bestselling
titles: “The Everything Binder:
Financial, Estate and Personal Affairs
Organizer” and “Stocks, Bonds & Soccer
Moms: 7 Steps to a Balanced Life.”
She has also pushed the boundaries
for her practice via a strong social
media presence. Utilizing Facebook,
Twitter and LinkedIn, along with other
social media platforms, she communicates
and stays connected with
clients and other industry advisors.
Whether Higgins is connecting
through social media, making direct
contact in person or on the phone
with clients, she does, however, expect
honesty and loyalty from those
clients to whom she offers her services.
“Two absolutely essential qualities
that I look at when I am interviewing
a client – and I hope they are looking
for those same things in me – are honesty
and loyalty,” Higgins told The
Suit in an interview. “When a client
is upfront and honest with me I am
able to see their complete financial
picture. They need to disclose all their
debt, their dreams into retirement
and things that may absolutely terrify
them with the stock market. None of
that can be sugar coated or hidden.”
“Loyalty is important because financial
planning stretches over years
and decades,” she added. “I want to
be managing my client’s funds until
the day they die.”
“When I reference the loyalty part –
it’s easy to be loyal during really good
times in the stock market cycles – but
also in the downside, when times are
really tough, like in 2008. We want
our clients to be loyal during those
times also.”
Those attributes are not just part of
Higgins’ practice, but are practiced
by all of the California Financial Advisors.
“Our firm really prides itself
on being upfront, honest and loyal
with clients. We’ve been around for
a long time. Our longevity and very
THE SUIT MAGAZINE - NOV 2014