Financial Focus, an RIA founded by women advisors to support the financial planning needs of women clients across all ages, has joined Securities America’s independent advisory and brokerage platform.
The Carlsbad, California-based Financial Focus has $446 million in client advisory and brokerage assets and four advisors.
“We knew we wanted a partner that was friendly to independent RIAs,” Barbara Williams, co-founder of Financial Focus, said in a statement. “That was an absolute. We wanted a firm that wasn’t too large and had an appreciation for the mission of supporting women clients across the country. Securities America is known for its support of true independence among advisors and respects our business model.”
Williams and Gloria Foote founded Financial Focus in 1984. Although their firm works with businesses and couples, they quickly established a focus on women clients.
For seven years, the two wrote a weekly Sunday column in the local paper on finance. For more than 20 years, they taught a community college class on the basics of financial planning for women.
Many of their female clients have come to them through life crisis events like divorce or death and from family members and outside professionals.
“We wanted a partner who respects our culture,” Williams said. “We fall in love with our clients. By nature, it’s who we are. We go above and beyond ordinary advisor-client relationships. We’ve led clients’ funerals and guided them into nursing homes. We have so many third-generation clients.”
Three years ago, the Financial Focus partners decided to ensure the firm’s future with a carefully thought out succession plan.
“We wanted a woman advisor, a smart go-getter,” Williams said.
After a careful survey of candidates, they brought on Kate Hewell.
“Kate is a perfect complement to us,” she said. “She added a fresh perspective to the investment advisory side.”
Financial Focus designs individualized financial plans for clients, for any stage of life, Williams said.
“Our clients always say to us, ‘You make things simple and so easy to understand.’ We like to say we design for peace of mind.”
With more than 20 years serving financial markets, John Sullivan is the former editor-in-chief of Investment Advisor magazine and retirement editor of ThinkAdvisor.com. Sullivan is also the former editor of Boomer Market Advisor and Bank Advisor magazines, and has a background in the insurance and investment industries in addition to his journalism roots.
