Our Philosophy

When we approach a new relationship with anyone, we like to begin by making clear the foundational approach of our firm. At Pathway, we focus on two things: what matters and what we can control.

What Matters

Very simply, what matters to nearly everyone we work with are three things: Family, Occupation, and Recreation. While we understand these things can mean different things to different people, the ideas we often hear from our clients regarding these three areas are strikingly similar.

Family - What we've uncovered time and time again in our conversations with people is the most important thing in their lives is their relationships with the people they love, and their ultimate goal is to be able to enjoy these relationships fully. We often hear and advise on questions around legacy planning. In addition, we encourage many of our clients to do something we call "memory investing," which is simply investing in making memories.

Occupation - Even among people in a financial position to retire comfortably, we find many people choose not to for any number of reasons. However, what is nearly universal for our clients is the desire to achieve a work-optional lifestyle and the freedom this affords them. In fact, pursuit of a work optional lifestyle is probably the #1 reason clients start working with us in the first place.

Recreation - As people enter their 50's and 60's, the time is fast-approaching to do the things they've always wanted to do. We find that not only are the daily recreational activities (golfing, skiing, biking, etc.) important to them, but so is the ability to check off bucket list items like traveling to those once-in-a-lifetime destinations.

Money - While we are very serious and steadfast when it comes to taking care of your money, we recognize your money is not what matters most. Rather, money is simply a tool to enrich your life in the three areas above.

We believe Family, Occupation, and Recreation are the WHY behind financial planning, whereas Money is simply a means to an end. We NEVER lose sighe of why we do what we do!

What We Can Control

It’s not the direction of the wind, but rather the set of the sail… For some, this can be a difficult concept to grasp. When sailing, the direction of the wind rarely blows in the direction one wishes to go. To counter this, sailors position their sails to harness the wind and take different directional “tacks” to maximize wind efficiency. At Pathway Financial, we recognize investing and planning for retirement follows this same sailing analogy; we cannot control the direction of the markets, changes in tax law, changes in the economy, or how long we live, but we can control our philosophy, strategy, and process. Our philosophy takes an enlightened approach to all things financial (investments, insurance, cash flow management, taxation, etc.). Our strategy focuses on uncovering and assessing risks, maximizing efficiencies, and perhaps most importantly, identifying purpose behind each investment you own. Our process, The Path to Purpose FORMula, was designed to be fluid and continually evolve to meet your needs as your life unfolds, as we keep our focus firmly on the things we can control and the things that matter most.