Getting to Know: Jim Kraeske

When I was little, I wanted to be an astronaut. I mean, how amazing would it be to say you went up in space? Instead, here I am, a financial advisor, and honestly, I love what I do.

I’ve been at Brogan Financial for almost 9 years now, and I enjoy the challenge of making people’s money work for them. I have a business and marketing background, and actually even owned my own business for 10 years. When an opportunity arose to change fields, however, I realized how well-suited I was for the financial industry. Being a financial advisor combines my need to interact and help people with my interest in working with numbers. 

Looking back, I’ve seen a lot of people around me, including my parents, struggle due to a lack of financial guidance. I want to help others so that they don’t have to endure those struggles. In today’s information age, you may instinctively think that it’s easier to plan out your finances without professional help. Honestly, I think it might be even harder today. With all of the conflicting information and advice out there, people struggle to grasp what the right path for them to take is. That often leads to paralysis and people putting off making financial decisions. The more information we have sometimes, I don’t think it helps us make better decisions.

When

 I meet with a client for the first time, I enjoy taking the time to learn about them and what their specific goals are. Everyone is different and has different things that they are looking for, so I don’t take that for granted. For me to understand someone financially, I need to know what is important to them. When I’m building a plan for a client, it’s not just about the numbers on the page. I’m working to incorporate experiences that allow them to live the retirement lifestyle they want. Taking time for the learning and discovery process makes me a better financial advisor because 1) it allows me to custom tailor a plan for my client and 2) I become personally invested their future, thus working harder for them.

From being in my position as long as I have, I get to see a lot of success stories, where a client goes from initially talking about a goal to actually achieving that goal. That’s where I get the greatest satisfaction, from seeing those goals turned into real-world experiences. Retirement is a new phase of life where individuals have time to pursue their passions, and I love hearing about what my clients are doing and seeing their pictures.

Speaking of pictures, one of my passions outside of work is photography. There’s something about getting outdoors with a camera in my hand that just makes life seem a little bit better. Being a detail-oriented person, I like the idea that I am able to capture a moment in time in such a way that small details are celebrated, rather than forgotten. My favorite subject is the nighttime sky, and that is how I’m able to connect my childhood dream to today. So, instead of being an astronaut, I’m happy getting to help interesting people while taking pictures on the side.