I’m currently waiting for a slice of pepperoni pizza while I sit next to a retired non-profit CFO in the world’s loudest airport - Nashville. 

I’m on my last stop before I get home to Charleston. 

This week has been full of outstanding work and incredible people.

As much you start a business to build something that makes an impact, the team and community you assemble along the way is often the most rewarding part of this journey. 

So with a full heart, a fire in my belly to make a big dent and a narrowed priority list, I’m very excited for the next leg of this journey.

Ironically, the place where I’m grabbing this pizza is called Tailgate Brewing. I doubt there’s any place more appropriate for me to be writing the article this week which is focused on tailgates.

So, grab a red solo cup, and let me show you what I’m talking about.

1. The Tailgate: Everything Before the Game Is the Game

2. On the Pod: Growing Organically: The Art of Strategic Client Relationships 🎧

3. Bookmarks

   1. From Data to Dollars: Maximizing Scale & Enterprise Value - Orion + Milemarker Workshop

   2. Adam Duritz on the Creative Process

4. Milemarker On the Road ✈️

The Tailgate: Everything Before the Game Is the Game

This week, I’ve been all over, but I’ve been really looking forward to Friday when I fly to the University of Nebraska with Kim and our oldest son, Gideon. I am so proud of him. He’s built a resume of excellent grades, club leadership and volunteering throughout his four years of high school.

Gideon begins college in the fall. This weekend, there is an accepted students and parents Tailgate in Lincoln. They’re getting all of us ready for this next stage, preparing us for the next big game.

As a confession, I’ve never really bothered with tailgates. I prefer to eat at a restaurant and then get into the stadium and do my own thing. 

I’ve been so focused on the actual game - stats and players, plays and rankings. But, I think I might have been missing out.

The most important stuff doesn’t happen only when the game clock is running. The moments off the field, for the players, coaches and even the fans are just as important. Ultimate outcomes are crafted by what’s happening way before the coin toss.

Everything matters.

Each day. 

Each moment. 

Each decision.

Nothing is a throw away. 

In our lives and businesses, we don’t have a game clock. Instead, we have all sorts of things begging for our attention. Some are big, some are routine, while others seems to pass by without much day to day evaluation. 

This idea is captured really well in the movie Groundhog Day. Charleston’s de facto mayor, Bill Murray, deeply dislikes boring routines and longs for the limelight of bigger things. He’s focused on getting out of Punxsutawney. Instead of moving on to bigger things, life hands him a dramatic loop of the same day over and over again to help him start to realize the value of small moments around him.

While we hopefully never get stuck in a time loop, we do have an opportunity to curate our lives and businesses to appreciate the specialness of each moment. It’s a gift to get to do what we do. 

People trust us, we get to serve them and help make them better. Our team members come alongside us and share meaningful parts of their lives working with us. 

Every day we work to make a dent and there is a reason that dent matters. 

So whether you are looking past the nuance in your work or insisting your group leaves before the game is done to avoid traffic - remember to take a beat, breathe and enjoy the tailgate as much as the whole game. 

Being present is a gift and opportunity. Let’s make the most of it.

______________________

On the Pod: Growing Organically: The Art of Strategic Client Relationships

Episode 086: In this episode of The Connected Advisor, Kyle Van Pelt talks with with Andy Peters, Partner at Goldstein Advisors. Andy's CPA license is a rarity in financial planning, allowing him to lend a unique business and tax focus to his role as a Financial Planner and Partner at Goldstein.

Kyle and Andy discuss the unique path and impressive organic growth of Goldstein Advisors. Andy emphasizes the significance of building genuine client relationships, community involvement, and a relentless focus on client-centric service. He also shares the firm's strategic approach to growth, its commitment to maintaining its culture, and its outlook on the evolving landscape of the financial advisory industry, including the role of AI and the increasing demand for tax expertise.

(00:00) - Intro

(01:32) - Andy's money moment

(05:07) - The lessons Andy learned from Epic

(06:31) - Goldstein Advisors' organic growth strategy

(09:56) - The role of relationships and trust in the age of AI

(11:40) - Intentional growth strategies

(16:43) - The abundance mindset in managing wealth

(20:02) - Delivering value while staying true to your competencies

(26:00) - Goldstein Advisors' tech stack

(28:54) - The future of the industry

(31:10) - Andy's advice for maintaining a relentless focus on client service 

(32:50) - Andy’s Milemarker Minute

⚡️Bookmarks

From Data to Dollars: Maximizing Scale & Enterprise Value - Orion + Milemarker Workshop

If you missed our workshop on Thursday, be sure to check it out here.

Adam Duritz on the Creative Process

Recently, Rick Beato sat down with Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz. Beato has built a wonderful YouTube channel where he discusses tons of epic songs, artists, and albums.

What stood out to me on this interview is the rawness of the creative process and the acknowledgment of the things that ultimately made Counting Crows, the Counting Crows.

If you enjoy the music and are a builder, this interview may also be something you enjoy.

Milemarker on the Road
Catch my team on the road at the following events or cities:

1. March 28 - Omaha, NE

2. April 1-2 - Nashville, TN, RIA Edge

3. April 3-4 - New York, NY

4. April 9-10 - Las Vegas, NV, Envestnet Elevate

5. April 28-29 - Tampa, FL, Csenge Advisor Summit

6. Aprill 29-30 - Boston, MA, Tiburon

7. May 7-8 - New York, NY

If you’re in any of those cities and want to arrange a meeting time, reply to this email, and we’ll get something on the calendar.

Jud Mackrill