Dear Prospective Client,
Can you put yourself in this picture?
When I was young I didn’t know about the financial world. Like most, the concepts of money, status, and success were engrained into my physc at an early and impressionable age. These perceptions had significant influence on my decision making, not always for the positive. The truths were quite elusive....the myths were abundant!
Be honest with yourself. Did you grow up with a “Warren Buffet” mentor? Well, neither did I and believe it or not most Americans are just like us! There was nobody explaining how to identify risk, how to protect the important things in our lives, or how to prudently invest, or more importantly, what really provides a fulfilled life.
Hopefully, you can relate to this.
As a young man I began using advisors and found some real value with their help and guidance. However I always felt uncomfortable with people giving advice on finances. Not because they didn’t try, but mostly I didn’t quite trust the attempts. Most were insurance salesmen or individuals who would get paid for their advice from commissions made on the sale of the final product. Being an old farm boy, we had no shortage of salesmen standing in line to waste our time and these guys essentially seemed no different to me.
And it didn’t stop there.
These “financial advisors” touted the benefits of their products as the “right thing to do” financially. Very few fully explained their product and gave me the impression that only an idot would not understand what they were talking about. And yes, sometimes I got sucked in. So imagine my dismay when I entered the financial services and learned about the real secrets of the industry!
Listen up,….you deserve to know this…
Along the way I discovered how proficient large companies are at making profit at my expense. They are experts at creating marketing perceptions and training their representatives on how to sell products. The powers of marketing, the perceptions it creates, and the myths it perpetuates can lead you emotionally, physically, and financially “off the road and into a ditch”.
Here’s the unspoken truth in the financial world. Commissioned advisors have a very hard time giving objective advice. Why? The answer is simple; The temptation of quick, easy money is just too alluring. And worse yet, non-producing reps. usually get fired! Couple that with the fact there are 100’s of salesmen all selling similar products, and of course, they all believe “mine is the best”! Hence our decision to void our firm of any commission products and focus on advice.
There are distinct differences in the types and responsibilities of professionals that call themselves advisors, planners etc. and I’m included in this bunch. YOU MUST know and understand these differences. Your current advisor may not be who you think he is. Here’s a link to a great document that gives some unbiased information on different types of advisors. Cutting Through the Confusion”, (provided by North American Securities Administrators Association)
Right now, and most don’t realize this, there’s a war going on between firms, advisors, and regulators over who actually has a fiduciary duty to you. If you educate yourself in only one area, then this has to be it! The second battle is for your money……everyone wants it. From the mobile phone carrier to the government….they all want it!
I founded Apertum Asset Management out of frustration. Apertum means “to open” or “to uncover”….think of the “aperture” in a camera letting the light shine in. That’s EXACTLY what we are all about. No secrets or hidden agendas and plenty of solid advice. Sure, we want to make money also, but unlike many, we want to earn it!
I hope you feel compelled enough to give us a call. You can reach me at my direct number, 636-442-1949 if you would like to learn more about what we do and how we do it.
Thanks for visiting.
Jerry Jacobs
President, Apertum Asset Management, LLC
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