CWM: A Culture of Collaboration

Many of the folks on our team have come from other industries, or various sectors of the financial industry. Jason Heid, CFP®, for example, began his financial advising career at a large bank. In that environment, Jason recalls, advisors essentially operated in silos, with no framework for collaboration or support even when it would benefit the client. Individuals were responsible for everything related to client service, from strategy to scheduling appointments to answering one-off questions. There were no real weekends or vacation days, and everything rested on one advisor’s shoulders – it was sink or swim.

Trading manager Jordan Tuchek had a similar experience at previous firms, where the culture was generally competitive vs. team-driven, and compounded by a lack of autonomy to solve client problems creatively.

For team players like Jason and Jordan, CWM was a breath of fresh air.

“Here, I can walk into [Lead Advisor] Brian’s office and toss around ideas,” Jason said. “There’s this deep well of knowledge to tap into, but also the freedom and flexibility to think outside the box. And with colleagues dedicated to scheduling and other minutia of account management, I have time and space to focus on my area of expertise and find creative solutions. I’ve watched some of my ideas turn into new initiatives that really help our clients, which wouldn’t be possible at a larger, more hierarchal firm.”

Access to top leadership and real-time impact are two big perks of the CWM culture. Another is a tireless dedication to thorough documentation.

“We keep incredibly detailed notes, and the files on our clients go back years – even decades – with that same level of detail,” Jordan said. “It makes everyone on the team feel secure picking up any project for any client, so we can easily cover for each other. And more importantly, clients aren’t repeating themselves when they talk to someone new. It inspires confidence in all of us.”

That level of documentation and confidence enables a work-life balance culture that actually walks the walk. When someone on the CWM team takes time off, they can unplug entirely (apart from emergencies), secure in the knowledge that their clients will be well-served in their absence.

Ultimately, the team at CWM sees client experience as everyone’s area of expertise – which makes great results possible.

“When everyone is pushing for the same thing, it makes those goals easier to achieve,” said Jason. “We’re not in competition with each other – we’re united in our goal of giving clients the best service possible.”

CWM is currently seeking a financial advisor who’s passionate about collaboration and client experience, and who’s looking to put down long-term roots. Learn more about the role here.