PLANADVISER: What motivates you to stay in the retirement/advisory industry?
Wood: Everyone deserves an opportunity to learn about financial planning and investing. As a retirement plan adviser, I structure all enrollment meetings to be inclusive of many financial topics beyond the basics of the 401(k) plan. This has allowed the conversations to be more impactful and beneficial for employees and their families, as the 401(k) discussion might be the only time some employees visit with an adviser. Enrolling in the 401(k) plan might be the start of the conversation, but seeing the creation of an emergency savings plan, debt repayment schedule, and consistent saving and investing is the ultimate end goal.
PLANADVISER: What advice would you give to someone entering the industry today?
Wood: Never stop learning! This industry is always evolving. I feel strongly that advisers who push themselves to keep learning and educating clients are the advisers who make the biggest long-term impact.
PLANADVISER: Where do you see the greatest opportunity to improve advisory services and business practices, and how are you acting on it?
Wood: I think being intentional in listening helps advisers be more engaged and present for client conversations, which leads to better planning. The investment advisory business is ever-changing with technology, online resources and artificial intelligence. One piece of my practice that I plan to always have as a foundation is intentional interactions. While technology is a wonderful tool, advisers lead the way with navigating the emotions of money management.