In 2008, when most firms were scaling back and bracing for the economic downturn, advisor Bill Lohnes and his partner Bill Downey decided it was time to start a firm of their own. As they branched out, they took a different path based on biblically responsible investing and charitable giving, and it has made all the difference in the world.
Lohnes explains his decision, “I had just completed Ron Blue’s seven-week Kingdom Advisors’ training that taught me how rewarding it is to integrate biblical principles into my work. I knew that I wanted to focus my practice so that I could walk all day in a strong Christian way as I talked to my clients.”
Over the past 12 months, their firm, Wise Path, has grown dramatically through continual referrals despite the harsh financial climate. He says that NCF has been a valuable partner in his practice, “We feel very comfortable sending our clients to NCF on their own so they can meet the team and understand more about the tools they have to help them. NCF also has some very proficient people there to assist us in our everyday planning efforts. And for our larger clients, we manage the assets ourselves and NCF is the vehicle we use.”
Lohnes says the key to approaching their clients about giving is that he and Downey are first givers themselves: “We model generosity. We have a Giving Fund (donor-advised fund) at NCF and the first funds that come in, we put it into our Fund. We’re a new business and sometimes it’s hard to write those checks. But it’s important for us to walk the talk.”
Their strategy has set their business apart and been the key to their success. Lohnes explains, “We have found that if you can help a man with more than just his money...if you can bring up issues of significance, that’s what people want.
We even do quite a bit of things for our clients that aren’t necessarily in our best interest economically. Our clients sense that we are working for a higher purpose so they trust us and recommend us to their friends.”
One of their clients, Phil Johnson, sums it up best, “I used to have a large-firm advisor but this is so much better. We spend most of our time talking about Jesus and then we get around to my portfolio. Having a partner like this with my finances is life-changing.” | | |
