Don’t Miss Out, Don’t Run Out, Don’t Stress Out
- John Purrington, CFP®
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
VOLUME 18 | ISSUE 3
Nineteen years ago, when I left the world of software development and joined Walt Sheffield in building Armor Investment Advisors, I was amazed (and frankly intimidated) at the array of services that he provided to our clients. In addition to building investment portfolios, he prepared cash flow and retirement projections, analyzed debt, and reviewed taxes, insurance coverage, and estate plans.
We struggled to find the right descriptor that encompassed the breadth of services that we provided. In 2018, we created the job title Financial Stress Manager to encompass all our roles and services. As I wrote then:
For young couples, their stress is often related to budgets and talking about money. How can they communicate about money and make critical decisions within a shared framework?
As families approach retirement, are they prepared to stop receiving a paycheck? How do they balance the desire to savor life now versus the fear of what risks the future might hold? If the market drops 20%, how does that affect their lifestyle?
As couples plan for wealth transfer, how can they plan for the day when they will be unable to manage their own finances? Will the money they have spent their lives saving spoil their children and grandchildren, or will it be a source of precious opportunity?
All of these are financial stresses and all require a trusted advisor who can take the time to listen and be proactive with financial guidance. Financial Stress Management is what we do.
Helping clients reduce financial stress is the common thread that runs through all our relationships.
Eight years later, I have distilled our mission into a simple expression: we help clients “not miss out, not run out, and not stress out.”
While the phrase is simple, the work behind it is far from simple. Helping clients not miss out means helping them live fully and intentionally. Helping clients not run out means planning for income, risk, and longevity. Helping clients not stress out means building long-term relationships grounded in trust, listening, and proactive guidance. At its heart, this work is about helping people make decisions with more confidence and less fear.
Over the last 20 years, we have built a culture that puts the focus on our clients and what is in their long-term best interest. We embraced a Fiduciary Standard long before it was a common industry phrase.
We recognize that the cornerstone of our culture is Trust. We work every day to earn the trust of our clients in four areas:
Trust that Armor works in our clients’ best interests
Trust that Armor’s team has the expertise to help clients evaluate options and choose thoughtful solutions
Trust that Armor follows through on commitments in a timely manner
Trust that Armor listens carefully to what creates stress in our clients’ lives
It is an exciting time at Armor Investment Advisors. We have a great team of skilled and caring professionals. We are also using artificial intelligence (AI) thoughtfully to reduce administrative drag, allowing our team to spend more time listening, planning, and proactively advising.
Now that I am (gulp) the same age that Walt was when I joined him at Armor, I am still amazed at the breadth and depth of services that we provide to our clients. With more experience, a little gray hair, and the tools and the team that we have gathered, I am no longer intimidated. I am excited to help more families.
Our goal is simple: to help families live fully, plan wisely, and move forward with confidence — so they don’t miss out, don’t run out, and don’t stress out.