Buoyant Financial was created to do things differently
Our approach is based on the belief that a client’s interests should always come first.
As a Registered Investment Advisor, Buoyant also has a fiduciary obligation here, meaning legally we must place the interests of the client first, and offer our undivided loyalty. We are not paid commissions, and there are no conflicts of interest within the firm. Some large banks and investment firms function with “dual hats”; simultaneously working as both investment advisor and broker or insurance salesperson, while claiming potential conflicts are disclosed. Buoyant purposely steers clear of these murky waters.
Buoyant also takes the client-advisor relationship a step further. We engage mindfully with clients as humans with hopes, dreams, and fears, rather than just another account number. People often approach their financial situation with anxiety which stems from uncertainty and stereotypes. We’re sensitive to these anxieties and believe the only way to mitigate them is through a personal relationship.
The relationship between a client and financial professional is a personal connection. We begin by establishing a dialogue based on your situation and needs, to form the foundation of any financial management program. Personal finance is a very intimate topic, and while aspects of planning and management can be analytical, a purely clinical approach can leave one feeling cold and resistant to share the important feelings that underlie our relationship with money.
We strive to form long-term relationships based on a personal connection. The term “investment discipline” is one you often hear. We take this to mean staying the course for long periods of time, and not reacting to news, fads, and trends. A trusting, personal, human relationship helps underpin this concept of discipline, in both the short and long term.
The world is awash in people selling financial services, and financial news, bluster, and breathlessness, that often feeds on fears and perspectives often rooted in simple stereotypes. As part of this relationship we want you to reach out when something in the news has you unsettled, when you hear something in a conversation that doesn’t sound right, or when you simply want some perspective. Just like Google can be scary when you start searching on medical symptoms, it can be just as scary when you start searching financial topics.
Let’s have a grounded, human conversation and see where it leads.
About Glen
McLaughlin
I fell in love with finance and investing 20 years ago, when I accepted my first role in banking. Along the way I’ve had the opportunity to work across the spectrum of the investment and securities space, from retail to institutional, and with nearly every type of traded product in a variety of contexts. I received my MBA from Queens University of Charlotte with a concentration in finance, and served as a Senior Vice President at Bank of America and a Senior Director at Ally Financial.
The most rewarding experiences have been assisting my family and friends with their personal financial management: helping them quickly cut through the noise, and get their assets positioned as efficiently as possible. While I love the world of finance and investments, I always struggled with how these tools were delivered to the retail investor.
In creating Buoyant Financial as a truly independent financial advisory, I can provide clients with smart, seasoned, conflict-free (and cost efficient) financial planning and management services. The concept of fiduciary responsibility is a cornerstone of the client relationship, and ensures that the client always comes first.
By creating my own platform utilizing best-in-class technology, and taking advantage of low-cost instruments to precisely capture the performance of virtually any asset class, I’m able to deliver these services at some of the lowest costs available today. Being able to minimize the long term drag of costs is vitally important because of its impact on long term returns.
Over the years, I have always enjoyed discussing personal finance with people and seeing how even a simple conversation may have helped them think about their personal situation differently or providing sane explanations of market behaviors.
Please consider having a conversation with me. My hope is that it might help you think differently about your finances, or serve as a check that you are already on the right path, or possibly lead to a long-term relationship with Buoyant Financial.
