What does valor have to do with business? If you’re Bruce Marshall — everything. Bruce shares his amazing story with us and the importance of having the right team. Bruce is a recipient of the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star and when it comes to your financial future, he’s got your back!
Welcome to the In The Clear podcast. I’m your host, Justin Recla, and today we are interviewing one of the members of The Clear Business Directory and what it means to operate a transparent business. Our guest is Bruce Marshall. Bruce is an independent financial advisor for Ameriprise.
Bruce, welcome to the show.
It’s good to be here.
I appreciate you joining us today.
I’m actually very excited to have you on the show because you are in the financial sector and we see so much fraud and scam in the financial industry. It’s crazy so I’m very pleased to have you as a part of The Clear Business Directory. We’ve met at CEO space and Bruce is just an absolutely fantastic guy, he’s a connector and he just shows up in full authenticity so Bruce thank you so much for being here today.
It’s my privilege and I think it’s important because Financial Services industry is probably the most highly regulated industry right now and it’s
The Financial Services industry is probably the most highly regulated industry right now.
important you know to be clear on your credentials and your background
Exactly, and Bruce you’ve got what over 40 years in the financial industry and that’s absolutely amazing. In your time in the industry what has been some of the biggest changes that you’ve seen?
I think compliance has been one of the biggest change. It really has come down on everybody, almost overregulated. We all suffer a little bit for the crimes of a few that fairly it’s overregulated than underregulated.
That’s true that is so true and you know I know from the due diligence inside the house we have a lot of entrepreneurs or business owners that come to us and they’re looking at new financial investment opportunities and so forth and you know not everything is on the up and up so having a trusted advisor or somebody like yourself that is operating in the clear a transparent business is so important. Bruce what is one of the most important questions that simply should be asking you before they actually decide to hire you and your business?
Well I think the most obvious one is, is this guy really the right person for me work with?
I like that it does got to feel good and folks, we’ve been doing this for quite a while and I had to let you know that Bruce has got the squeakiest record of being a financial advisor I have ever seen. You can check his profile out in the clear business directory and it’s very impressive. Just the history and experience that you have, Bruce what is your favorite part of being a financial advisor?
I think it’s really getting to know your clients in depth and then trying to be a good role model myself or what they might do working with me and you. You know it’s kind of a big part of my role is to help people dream bigger plan, much better be more adept and go out and do more with our lives because we’re not here that long. You know you’re going to have impact so you want to be able to big dream, plan them well and then go out and execute them.
It’s right and you know it’s nice to know that I know as a business owner as an entrepreneur, there’s so many things that you have to worry about on your own and you know having somebody that can provide solid financial advice is a big deal. You know that is a huge burden that you take off the people of business on their shoulders and guiding them that so they can have an impact. That’s absolutely huge, Bruce I know that after 40 years’ worth of being in the financial industry I’m sure that you probably had your ups and downs with communication. Is there ever been a time that you had a miscommunication with the client and if so what was the result?
I’ve had a few times, but one thing that stands out my mind was for a husband and wife and the man entering their 30’s and I was paying too much attention to the husband I thought he’s the decision-maker and so I was focusing on him and I think it really burned off his wife and I’ve learned that you really got to give women more attention because sometimes they’re what we would call a silent partner. Boy are they influential when they get out of the office and your back and you are talking to each other or have left their home and I didn’t key in do the women well enough. Well I’ve learned now I try to give them equal attention if not focusing on the wife a little bit more especially if she’s a silent partner. To ask her questions and draw her into the conversation and make her feel part of the team because that’s really what it’s about we’re not adversaries here, we’re working together to try and help them optimize the efficient use of their financial resources.
I like that it’s addressing both people in the relationship, that’s huge and we see that in business pretty much you know across the board if there is another partner involved or a decision people and I think people you know in sales see that all the time you know who’s the real decision-maker here in this in this conversation and that’s just important to recognize. I love the fact that you’re able to focus on those relationships more so Bruce moving forward, I know there is you’ve got just a load of experience in the financial sector, and if there is one thing that you can go wish you can go back and do over again in your business. What would that be?
I won a purple heart…
I don’t know that there’s so much in my business but I was in Vietnam in 1967 and we got overrun. I was in country less than two weeks and we got overrun and I lost my advisory team. I was part of a four-man advisory team and if I could go back, you know the loss of that advisory team has had a major impact on my life. You know I don’t want to ever lose any kind of team that I’m affiliated with but I’ve also had a very great life since that time. It’s not been perfect but experience. I won a purple heart and they said they wanted to give me the silver star but I said I didn’t earn the Silver Star I’ll give to those three other advisors who were killed and I did I ended up Earning the Bronze Star and I found a pretty great life since then and perfect. I’ve had two divorces and some of that due to post-traumatic stress. I’m just grateful as heck and I think gratitude is all about having a great attitude and I try to bring that to my work and try to keep all the relationships I have with my clients and my other advisor associates on a very positive basis and that’s where this office works so again it’s attitude and heaven I prayed at it to support that.
Wow Bruce I just, I got to tell you I just I got the chills as you were sharing your story. First off let me be the first to say thank you for your service and the sacrifices you made. I know as a vet myself as you as you are sharing that you brought up lots of lots of memories too you know teenagers and stuff and I lost, so I can appreciate the value of having a good team in place and I know in business especially that is so important having somebody such as yourself especially when it comes to finances who has that view point on the importance of a team. It’s huge and I just again I just want to reiterate thank you for that.
And just to close that out there’s quite a backstory here, I’m really probably the most fortunate person on the globe and that’s because I was reporting through AK47 rounds that hit me but I dodge one so that’s why every day since Mother’s Day 1967 has been a bonus day for me.
Wow. Wow. Thank you for sharing that. You know you by all means you didn’t have to go into that. But I appreciate the transparency and it speaks volumes to who you are and where you’re at today and that translates over to the service that you provide to you or to your clients and that that’s absolutely huge well moving forward I do want to move away from that let’s talk about your potential clients. What is one thing that you want your potential clients to know about your business?
Well there’s really two quick things. First of all, it’s not about money but it’s about what money can do for my clients and others they can benefit. So again, what’s important about money in particular, they got to be more than just having wealth. Secondly. I’ve come to the point in my sales career where I really realized that you can’t sell anything to anybody. And I might sound a little counterintuitive but to sell properly, it’s not about features and benefits, it’s about being able to ask the right questions. You get people to go internal and think and respond with information that helps them self-determine that they may need your services or products, and that’s a much easier or more ethical way to sell. Is by asking really good questions and then listening for these responses of your prospect.
Yes, I like that, there’s so many people out there selling nowadays that are doing probably so little to no integrity and not listening nor asking the right questions so that is extremely valuable especially going into a relationship with somebody that you know there’s going to be you know that’s going to guide you on your path of your financial success. That that that’s big, I like that. You know it sounds as if you do that with your clients and you asking the questions. You know I encourage them to do the same as well so that’s absolute fantastic. Bruce in in in addition to reviewing your profile in the clear business directory, where else can our listeners of our show go today to find out more about who you are and what you do?
Typically, all advisors can be checked out on the FINRA, financial institutions regulatory Association website and the Securities and Exchange
Let’s take a hike together.
website, SEC or FINRA. But I tell people it would be better to follow me and let’s go take a hike, a bike ride together to get to know each other. Because I’m an outdoors person. I’m stuck in this office enough. I’m looking for people that do want to dream bigger, plan better and do more and since I tried to exemplify, how am I going to show it unless I take somebody for a hike you know that it’s within their capabilities or a bike ride. I had one of my clients just this past weekend she’s a nurse and she showed up and we would pick about a 15-mile bike ride and it was great. So that’s what I would say check me out online, or just come get to know me and I’ll get know you and let’s see if we can work together.
I love it. Absolute love it, what a great way to connect with your clients. So, if you’re looking for some outdoor activity and some financial advice Bruce is your go to person. Again, you can take a look at Bruce’s profile in the clear business directory at clearbusinessdirectory.com click on the “Who’s in the CLEAR” tab, and you can find his profile there. Bruce thank you so much for being on the show today. I appreciate it and I look forward to seeing you again at upcoming CEO space.
Okay Justin thanks for the call.
Fantastic. Thanks Bruce we’ll talk to you soon.
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