With every new Bradley Wealth client, I’m eager to get to know them on a personal level. Not just to better understand how to build a wealth management plan that meets their Ideal Life goals, but because it’s my nature to connect with people on a human level. Many of my clients have become dear friends over the years, which has been a real blessing to me personally. When my work life blends into my personal life, when I’m doing what I love with the people I love every minute of every day, THAT is my Ideal Life.

So, if you’re a new or long-term client who doesn’t fully know me yet, I thought I’d share some details to help you understand who I am at my core and what I stand for in every component of my life.

Where I’m From and Why That’s important

As with many people, my hometown of Red Oak, Iowa (population 5,362), and my family helped mold me from an early age. We were farmers in Iowa, solid mid-western people working hard on the land from sun-up to sunset, running our family-owned Bradley Livestock Auction business and finding fun where we could.

My mom is my biggest inspiration ever and my example of what it means to truly live on purpose. I get my positive will, fortitude, and work ethic from her. I’ve seen her persevere through many things and she always remains positive. At 79 years of age, she is still full of zest and persistence. In fact, she’s the president of the Chambers of Commerce in Red Oak and runs her own boutique antique and gift store, Valley Antiques (check it out here at valleyantique.com)!

I think about her every day.

From my mom and other family members, I learned what it means to be reliable, resourceful, helpful, positive, creative, earnest, and respectful, with a dash of mischievousness thrown in.

And Iowans help each other. They’re strong and independent-minded, but when a neighbor needs a hand, they’re there, usually without being asked. Community drives us.

From those beginnings, I’ve learned that I want and need a community around me. Honesty and loyalty are my natural defaults. Those values are part of my DNA and helped me build Bradley Wealth over the past 20 years, along with a nourishing network of friends and clients. Those midwestern values guide how we treat each other as professionals and have spilled over to the deep Core Values our firm holds today. When I meet someone who can tap into my knowledge and skills in the wealth management and investing arena, I give of myself. Not just to get a client or to keep a client, but because connecting with and helping others is who I am.

Being more spiritual than religious, I truly feel that connecting with and serving others is my creator-given ministry. It’s why I wake up jazzed about each day and the day’s opportunities.

Why I Chose Wealth Management

I left the corporate world more than 20+ years ago to serve my life-long passion of helping others become effective stewards of their money. Back then, I established the “why” of Bradley Wealth: To inspire others to achieve their greatest potential (financially or otherwise) and achieve their greatest Return on Life.

My drive to help others is precisely why I chose wealth management. The world of finance can be complicated, and I enjoy making it understandable, and sharing the joy of possibilities. Plenty of jobs make our everyday lives hum. For instance:
• Medical professionals heal and comfort
• Builders construct homes
• Teachers mold minds
• Coaches grow athletes
• Grocers provide food
• Mechanics keep cars running

What do I contribute?

I like to think that guiding a client through the planning of their financial life means they can see a way to live their life to the fullest at this very moment… and into the future.

I can think of no better way to live out my life than being a part of helping others live their best life. As wealth advisors, we might deal with numbers all day, which can sound stale, but those static numbers represent currency to use in pursuing lively dreams.

Who doesn’t like to dream about fulfilling their dearest wishes and wants? Sometimes as adults we stop dreaming because the day-to-day responsibilities of life can drain or distract us. Sometimes we forget we even had dreams. I love disrupting life’s ruts and helping my clients look beyond the money to see how they can use their finances to live their dreams.

We must never lose our ability to dream.

Why I Love Being a Wealth Manager and Go-To Financial Quarterback

Dreaming is why I come to work every day (and think about my clients on nights and weekends, too!). Dreaming is like a muscle, the more we do it, the better we get at allowing ourselves to bring our dreams to the forefront… and to remember those long-ago yearnings. I’ve discovered that what people love as children and young adults stays with them throughout their lives, and so I relish guiding them in remembering the thrill of their desires; those ideas that send electricity through our bodies.

We each have our own electrifying passion(s) that must be guarded against life’s steady hum-drum.

I suppose the main thing you must know about me is that reminding people to dream is my dream job. Even better is bringing their dreams to life with careful wealth management, all based on being honest and loyal, just like I learned growing up in Red Oak.

Helping people achieve their greatest Return on Life (ROL) has turned out to be my electrifying passion, and I need community and connection, not just in the wealth management arena but in all aspects of my life. After running Bradley Wealth for two decades, my personal life has spread to include my professional life; our Bradley Wealth team is part of my family. Along with our clients, my team is the reason Bradley Wealth is still here, and still growing.

So, now you know my midwestern farm roots instilled values in my psyche that will never fade, and my upbringing gave me a desire to connect with and assist others in any way I can. I derive great pleasure from my clients and friends… who are often the same people.

People who need people ARE the luckiest people in the world.

Live Life Fully,

Michael

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