State of the Company: Looking back with gratitude, looking ahead with discernment

Looking back at last year, I’m struck by the scope of changes and improvements the CWM team has realized together with our clients and industry partners. We’ve been in constant motion, revamping our service offerings to focus solely on our fiduciary roles, implementing new technology, welcoming new team members, and meeting our years-long fundraising goal to honor former team member Linda McCormack’s memory. The year 2025 will be a time to regroup, examine our accomplishments, and take the next steps to keep the positive momentum going.

Perhaps the most substantive and foundational development in 2024 was our transition to RIA-only offerings. It was a major undertaking, and we’re grateful to our clients who asked thoughtful questions throughout the process. This streamlined service offering simplifies our regulatory requirements, reduces potential conflicts of interest, and frees up many behind-the-scenes resources, enabling us to devote more human hours to direct client service.

On the operational front, we’ve implemented a number of technological solutions this year, many of which are only visible behind the scenes. That includes a dedicated effort to monitor and stay ahead of potential cybersecurity issues, minimizing risks across our workflow and platforms and counseling clients on the same. On the innovation front, we continue to experiment with AI tools – while keeping data security, accuracy, and client impact top-of-mind.

In addition to growing our ranks by welcoming our newest advisor Chase Ferderer, we’ve been investing consistently in staff and culture development, including the pursuit of additional education and credentials, recognizing that people are our most valuable resource.

Our client education offerings continued growing too – we’re pleased to have hosted 11 client events in 2024. From Market Outlook events in the spring and fall to our much-anticipated Gingerbread Build in December, our clients made 2024 a year we will truly never forget.

Finally, we took more steps to educate not only our clients but also the general public in 2024. Our free resource, Estate Planning Demystified, serves as a starting point for anyone beginning the estate planning process for themselves or a loved one. We were also proud to become a sponsor of My Edmonds News and its sister publications in Snohomish County – a local platform for sharing holistic, intentional financial guidance for the benefit of our broader community.

Celebrating a major milestone

To cap off a year of accomplishments, 2024 is the year that we met our $100K goal for the PAWS campaign in Linda McCormack’s memory! Clients have generously contributed via direct donations, raffles, matching challenges and other events, and we’ve now crossed the finish line. We are thrilled to take the next steps with PAWS in honoring Linda, who cared deeply for animals, and anyone else who crossed her path.

What’s on deck for 2025

In 2025, we have plans in motion to continue improving our service offerings and client experience.

Throughout the tumultuous events of the past decade, we have prioritized consistency and stability in our service offerings and prices as much as possible. As costs continue to rise substantially across the board for virtually everything, we’ll be taking a holistic look at who and how we are able to serve in 2025 and beyond. As we reevaluate in the coming months, rest assured we will keep transparency and client experience at the forefront of our process.

One simple but essential new feature is automated scheduling, which we’ve been testing in late 2024 with plans to roll out in 2025. This option will allow clients, at their convenience, to view an advisor’s availability and book an appointment online, instead of waiting to call during office hours or manually coordinating multiple calendars. Self-serve appointment scheduling will be far more convenient for many clients, and will help to streamline the meeting booking process for both clients and office staff. Of course, those who prefer to schedule by phone are always welcome to call the office as usual.

We’re also exploring satellite investments to add to our core money management platform such as private credit, direct indexing, and infrastructure for our high-net-worth clients. Stay tuned for details in the coming months.

Cybersecurity is always top-of-mind, and we’re consistently monitoring for trending risks and exploring advanced tools to ensure our practices are up-to-date. We’ll continue to offer client education opportunities related to cybersecurity in 2025. The goal is to not only stay current ourselves, but ensure our clients stay informed about best practices for locking down personal systems and accounts. Keep an eye out for these offerings this year, in addition to our growing array of client education resources and events. 

The big picture

Our clients are the heart of our work, and our devotion to your experience and service is unwavering. Thank you for another year of thoughtfulness, intention, and growth.

If you have questions or special areas of interest for 2025, we’d love to hear from you. Feel free to reach out by phone at (425) 778-6160 or send us a message.

Sincerely,

Shilo Lockett, President