A prospective client called me the day before we were set to meet.
“Looking forward to seeing you Wednesday,” he said. “But I am not signing anything now – just looking to learn more.”
No problem, I respect the honesty and there’s no rush at all for me.
He and I sat down at a nice local restaurant and talked about his planning, his situation, and what was most important to him.
We got to know each other well and had a great conversation about his financial future but also about life, family, kids, and the lot.
Soon, he asked where to sign, ready to become a client.
As we got up to leave the restaurant together, he told me about the dinner party he had been at the previous night.
Many of my clients were at the same dinner. And over the course of the meal, my name happened to come up. They all had a good laugh when they discovered that they were all working with me.
As we walked out of the restaurant onto the street, my new client said, “Yeah, we even came up with a nickname for you last night.”
“Oh boy, I can’t wait to hear this one,” I replied.
“It’s really perfect, and you will love it,” he said, obviously enjoying the moment. “You’re ‘the ex-girlfriend’ because you never stop calling!”
I must admit that that one stopped me right in my tracks. But after a split second of reflection, I told him, “I’ll take it – and take it as a compliment!”
Every time I’ve seen him since, we’ve had a good laugh about that one!
He’s in the wine business, only second generation in this country. His father was an educator. Early on, his father bought some land in Napa that’s now worth about $90 million.
My new client owns and runs the wine operation along with his brother. Soon, they’ll inherit the land and the grape business, too.
I’ve found that in Napa, most of the people I meet with have similar situations yet have done very little planning. They have a strong need for what we do, but there are very few providers. The ones that are there are quite a bit older, in the twilight of their careers.
It’s a group that I love working with, and not just because I’m always happy to make a house call and visit them at their wineries! I’m truly grateful that I can be of service to them.
Sometimes in life, it’s hard just to figure out who you want to be and what you want to do. But lately, one of the things I’ve realized is that it is ok to just be you. Embrace it unapologetically because it’s also what makes you unique and extraordinary.
I’ll gladly be known as ‘the ex-girlfriend’ to this group of people if it means I can really add value, helping them through some of the most pressing challenges and transitions in their lives. The greatest reward for me is knowing that I was there to solve their biggest problems.
If nothing else, at least they can be assured that I’ll always call them back!
-J.D.