Lasting more than 40 years in business is no small feat, and any firm that does so must be doing something right. This can certainly be said about Kim Shaheen Financial, Inc. (KSF), a financial advisory company founded by K.G.A. (Kim) Shaheen CLU, RHU, CHS in 1977. For 47 years, KSF has provided businesses and individuals of all life stages with a wide variety of financial planning services. These include financial strategy, portfolio analysis, insurance analysis, retirement planning, estate planning, and tax planning.
According to Shaheen, the key to succeeding for more than four decades in the financial advice industry is to get to know the client and their financial situation by listening to them and asking questions. By gaining an in-depth understanding of the client and their needs, he is able to find the solution that best fits their needs, leading to better financial outcomes for the client.
He laments that many financial advice practitioners have fallen into the trap of pushing a product instead of learning the client’s needs and meeting them. This is mostly due to the constant rise of pressure on individuals in the insurance and banking industries, resulting in higher and higher targets, year on year. This can result in the financial product sold not fitting the needs of the client and, in some cases, it could put them in a worse financial position than before.
“Whenever I meet with a client, the product is the last thing we talk about,” Shaheen says. “The first things I ask are: ‘What are your goals?’ and ‘What are your dreams?’ I make sure to help them clarify their concerns. To ensure the best interests of the client, we work with their accountants and lawyers, providing clarity to their goals. Working in silos simply doesn't work. By working in a team, we can streamline the entire process, resulting in a financial plan that actually works.”
According to Shaheen, his motivation to become a financial planner that puts his clients’ needs first comes from what happened when his grandfather passed away. Prior to the death of his grandfather, who could not read English well, a family member made him sign a new will, changing what he had originally wanted for his family. This is far from an isolated incident. This opened Shaheen’s eyes to the importance of proper estate and legacy planning and inspired him to help protect vulnerable people from others - whether from inside or outside their family - who would like to take advantage of them financially.
To further strengthen its capability to deliver financial solutions that benefit its clients, KSF is currently undergoing a merger with Britton Wealth Management & Planning Consultants, Inc., owned by Shaheen’s longtime friend, James Britton. Both Shaheen and Britton are like-minded individuals who share a passion for doing the right thing in the financial planning industry.
Despite being in the industry for 47 years, Shaheen says he greatly enjoys what he’s doing and has no plans of stopping anytime soon.
“Before I became a financial planner, I was an apprentice carpenter for three years,” Shaheen says. “I quit doing it because, after a while, every joint was the same to me, and it became incredibly repetitive. What I love about this business and why I'm never going to get tired of it is that every person I meet is unique, and I can help them by finding the best financial solution for them, based on their current life stage, needs, and goals & dreams for the future.”
Media contact:
Name: K.G.A. (Kim) Shaheen CLU, RHU, CHS
Email: [email protected]
