One thing we can immediately say about Jim Robison—he’s thorough and thoughtful in what he does, specifically in the answers he provided about how he and his team outperform.
Robison, managing director for the Great Lakes region with Strategic Retirement Partners (SRP) is an experienced advisor with more than 25 years under his belt.
Prior to joining SRP, he co-founded White Oak Advisors, LLC in 2004 after 15-plus years within the companies of Marsh & McLennan.
But it’s his endeavors outside of the business that can be counted for his success—specifically reading and weekends of demanding labor on a family farm.
It keeps him refreshed, revitalized and ready for whatever may come.
He took time to describe his routine, philosophy, and approach to the business that’s made him an elite 401k advisor.
What do you feel you do differently than the average advisor?
The greatest difference has been the willingness to conduct fee-for-service projects (plan design studies, DB Plan consulting, service provider searches, committee governance assessments) as a plan consultant versus being an investment-only or investment-centric consultant.
Secondary to that has been the willingness to focus upon 403b/401a/457b and defined benefit in the not-for-profit space.
If you could start all over again, what would you do differently?
I’d have embraced ERISA much sooner. Early in my career, I resisted qualified-plan work and that was a mistake.
Once I said “yes,” I fell in love with the work and outcomes associated with helping plan sponsors build retirement plan structures for their plan participants.
Lessons Learned: What worked well and/or didn’t work well?
What worked best was taking the time to learn from others in the retirement plan consulting arena and to gather observations and learned wisdom from them that is usually easily transferable to my own situation. I learned to be strong in my convictions yet not foolish in the pursuits.
What didn’t work well, especially at first, was crafting a budget based upon dreams.
What software, apps, or tools do you use and how do they benefit you?
Primary software includes Office 365 tools, with OneDrive, SharePoint, Dynamics 365, Teams and Flow. The ability to have access to plan level and client detail and workflow that is able to be used by all team members is critical.
A variety of software programs are used to assess QDIAs, conduct investment analysis and reporting, monitor the effectiveness of plan design, assessment the reasonableness of plan fees and affect participant financial wellness, etc.
The tools implemented provide remarkable efficiency in meeting client needs and allowing us to be a consulting firm versus a technology firm.
What is your office environment and/or culture like?
I have the best team in the business: any successes are fully owed to them. Our structure includes consultants, tenured relationship managers, investment analysts and a CIO and operations professional.
Not everyone is in the same office and, as such, we utilize a variety of web-based tools to build and maintain connectivity, cloud-based file sharing, workflow management and other tools necessary for efficient and timely fulfillment of the services for clients.
What about your client events?
We recently focused more of our time and resources on conducting two events annually; an in-person fiduciary summit and a fiduciary webinar.
We work with a professional meeting coordinator group, who, by the way, does a phenomenal job to assist in the marketing, site securing and overall texture of the day.
These events are structured to have: a panel of experts from various disciplines (benefits law, audit, plan consulting, H&W consulting) to field questions from attendees and speak to contemporary issues within their disciplines that employers face.
There’s also a keynote speaker to address current compliance, regulatory and legislative matters associated with ERISA and an opportunity for attendees to share their views and perspectives on the benefits issues faced day-to-day.
The responses, so far, have been outstanding. The webinar is designed to bring attendees together to hear about one or two contemporary and relevant topics in a bite-sized web-based meeting.
Attendance has been terrific, and the responses gathered via post-webinar assessment forms has been similar to the summits conducted—quite positive.
Where and how do you successfully network?
The most successful client relationships are those in which we were first introduced by one of their trusted advisors (benefits counsel, auditor, H&W advisor, etc.).
That said, we frequently meet with professionals in each of these disciplines to learn from them what is pressing upon their clients, discuss services they seek to fulfill, look for ways to make two-way introductions and the like.
We have also more frequently conducted fiduciary summits at which we have the opportunity to meet directly with plan sponsors in a learning environment and hear what is most on their minds.
How do you stay organized and focused?
Some days quite well, some days not quite so well.
What does work is making sure that each day has allocated time for personal and professional reading, walking, client servicing (calls, emails, meetings) and discussions with centers of influence. The difficulty is staying on-point as each is being done (I tend to flit about).
Ultimately, the day’s responsibilities are addressed, yet not always with great efficiency. Gratefully, the team is highly efficient and offsets much of my flitting about.
In the last year or two, what books did you find the most helpful (professional or personal)?
Herbert Hoover, A Biography by Eugene Lyons, which is an insightful, accurate portrayal of one of the most qualified yet most vilified men to become president.
What I learned, or had reinforced, is that a man of character is highly valued in any and all circumstances and that circumstances will frequently identify who is and is not a man of character.
You and Me Forever: Marriage in Light of Eternity by Francis Chan, a well written and crafted book and study on marriage and God’s perspective on our marriage relationships.
Anyone who is married understands the need to stay focused upon the right things and build a relationship that routinely places your spouse and their needs ahead of your own, which is hard for self-centered people to do.
What is your health and wellness routine?
It is hard to state that a formal routine exists. That said, most of the physical activity is associated with walking for 30 to 45 minutes daily with weekend work (more physically demanding labor) on the farm.
Dietary habits range from solid diligence in routinely consuming the “right things,” in moderation, to consuming much too much coffee daily.
I also view reading as important to overall wellness—it feeds the mind and fosters imagination.
How do you relax and recharge?
Reading non-industry related books and working on the family farms. Most weekends have at least eight to 12 hours of outdoor work related to tending fences, addressing a small orchard, inspecting crops (in season) and timber management. Great for the body and soul!
What changes have occurred in your life that shaped who you are today?
Professionally, the two most significant have been: Being mentored by Roger, a wonderful gentleman, and excellent businessman and, being a part of a Reduction in Force (RIF).
The RIF ended what was then a solid, yet stressful, work situation and became the catalyst for me forming my own firm, White Oak Advisors, LLC.
Learning lessons from both enabled me to more capably set the tone and tenure of how we, as a firm, would serve clients and meet their needs.
Have you ever worked with a life or business coach?
The aforementioned mentor coached me daily to pay great attention to minute details, treat each opportunity as special and always offer positive guidance and humor to those we interact with.
His lead fostered a wonderfully engaging work environment and an attitude of hopefulness as business is pursued and enacted.
What leadership qualities and skill sets are essential for advisors?
- Casting a vision that provides clear direction and purpose, inspires positive commitment, reflects positive values and sets an expectation of excellence in all that we do.
- Staying calm and steady, even when tempted to not be, as the inevitable challenges emerge.
- A willingness to listen and take team input into account versus being dogmatic or close-minded around how to best work and meet needs presented.
- Don’t avoid hard decisions.
- A willingness to rethink service fulfillment.
- Staying client-centric and fighting off selfishness or self-serving attitudes.