PLANADVISER: How do you maintain a consistent client experience while managing firm growth or team expansion?
Bermudez: As we’ve grown, we’ve stayed focused on one thing: Clients should feel the same care, responsiveness and follow-through, no matter how much our firm expands. That starts with building a team with complementary strengths so the right person is supporting the right need, and clients aren’t left waiting or wondering who owns what. We’re intentional about clear roles and handoffs, and we give our people the freedom and support to do what they do best, because confidence and accountability show up in the client experience. Finally, we protect a consistent culture across the firm, one that is rooted in collaboration, high standards and doing the right thing, so clients experience the same values and service wherever they engage with us.
PLANADVISER: What professional experience or lesson has had a lasting impact on how you approach advising or leadership?
Bermudez: Early in my career, I was fortunate to learn from mentors who consistently emphasized preparation, thoughtfulness and intentionality, especially in how we show up for people. The lesson that has stayed with me most is that great advising is driven as much by EQ as it is by IQ. Money is personal, and if you’re not aware of what someone is feeling, you can miss what truly matters. I’ve tried to carry that with me by always doing the right thing, by keeping clients’ dreams, goals and aspirations at the center of every recommendation and by eliminating second-guessing by staying anchored to their best interest.
That same mindset shapes how I lead. My job is to set the values and standards, but it’s just as important to stay open-minded and vulnerable enough to learn from the people around me. Feedback isn’t always easy to hear, but I’ve learned to treat it as a gift, not criticism, and to meet teammates where they are, not where I assume they “should” be. At the end of the day, it’s not about being right; it’s about getting it right for our clients, and we do that best when we do it together.
PLANADVISER: What do you expect from plan sponsor clients in terms of commitment to plan design, communication or governance?
Bermudez: From the very beginning, I’ve found that the plan sponsors who choose to work with us genuinely care about their people; otherwise they wouldn’t invest in a holistic partnership that includes plan design, participant education and fiduciary governance. In return, what I ask of clients is a shared commitment to be intentional and to hold themselves—and us—to a consistently high standard: make decisions in the best interest of employees, communicate clearly and consistently, and stay engaged in strong governance. When we do that together, we can build a true total-rewards environment, set meaningful goals and follow through on them in a way employees can feel and appreciate. Ultimately, that intentionality doesn’t just improve the plan; it also positively impacts employees and their families.