Southern charm isn’t lost down the pleasant side street of Financial Plaza in Huntsville, Texas, as Global Financial Partners finds a way to make a financial office feel like home.
Upon entering the lobby, Paula Armstrong will greet you with a warm smile and conversation. She or Client Service Coordinator Ally Grounds will assist any way they can, and then it’s time to head to the conference room for your free consultation. This oversized office is donned with leather recliners, a comfortable sofa, and the spirit of hope. The room feels like somewhere to relax with family, maybe watch a Sunday ballgame with friends –but there is no game on TV. What there is, however, is the money game of your financial future. And Brian Smith, Bryan Masten, and Riley Smith want to be your coaches. They want to help you reach your financial goals, and keeping things comfortable and transparent for their clients is the way they like to do business. Whether it is estate planning, retirement goals, investments, insurance…it is all included in what Global Financial Partners offers for Financial Planning.
Brian Smith founded Global Financial Partners 38 years ago and has been serving the Piney Woods and surrounding areas ever since. Riley Smith and Bryan Masten have joined Global in the past decade, forming the team they are today. It was a homecoming of sorts for both Bryan and Riley, as they came back to where their roots are and beam with pride when speaking of the area they now call home.
Their reach doesn’t end at the city limit signs, though. “Global” didn’t just sound good –it’s the truth. Customers range from Huntsville to The Woodlands and surrounding East Texas towns, to 15 other U.S. states. Hence, the name.
Global Financial Partners is community driven, with a global reach. Client events are a big hit at the office, as there is always a new way to serve clients and the community. Whether it’s sending a birthday card, providing BBQ sandwiches to their clients, or serving first responders or teachers, Global Financial Partners prioritizes service in the community.
In a time of economic worries, stress from an election year, and younger generations questioning if saving is really worth it–this is the word from CFP® (Certified Financial Planner) Bryan Masten when a client may feel the pressure of the world we live in: “We have to stick to the plan. To reach your financial goals, we have to remember the plan we put in place. What we do here is help people live the life they want to live. What makes you happy? Okay. Let’s figure out how to get you there.” Staying the course is advised, as Masten says, “The stock market doesn’t care who the president is…it just doesn’t like uncertainty.”
Riley Smith says, “Compound interest is the 8th wonder of the world. Time is one of the biggest factors. Start early; you don’t have to have nearly as much to reach the same goal [in the end] than if you start saving later. Time is huge.”
Global Financial Partners feels it’s important to have a multi-generational business. So often, they see multi-generational families and can relate to everyone on a personal level, whether that is business taking place now or forming those relationships with the next generation who they will be helping through those tough times in the future.
Brian Smith recalls a time when a concerned wife shared, “Who is going to take care of me when [my husband] passes?” Therein enters Brian, Bryan, and Riley, all Certified Financial Planners. With staggered age gaps, they feel they are the perfect fit for multi-generational families—there’s a CFP® for everyone.
By definition, the Certified Financial Planner accreditation is among the most prestigious certifications that a financial professional can hold. These professionals are bound by fiduciary duty and must always act in the best interest of their clients when dispensing financial advice. This makes CFPs® a choice provider of financial planning services within the advisory industry.
Global Financial Partners strives to keep everyone in the office on the same page to provide the best service to their clients. “Our clients know all of us. If someone is gone, someone else will be able to fill in. We want our customers to be comfortable with everyone at the office,” says Brian Smith.
Riley agrees in saying, “I want it to be a seamless service, whether I’m here or not.”
Masten assures, “When you call, someone is going to answer the phone. You won’t be sent to a switchboard. Ally.. Paula.. someone is answering the phone.”
Along with striving to provide the best customer service, Global Financial Partners is working for the best interests of their customers when they make technology and education a priority. As Brian Smith says, “We are at the top of our game [with technology and the education provided to CFPs®].
Global Financial Partners plans for growth to continue over the years, but gladly says they will keep Huntsville, Texas as the homebase–continuing to focus on customer service and helping clients reach their financial goals, Global will be here for you when you are ready for that first conversation. They are saving you a seat in one of those recliners.
“We love our clients, and a lot of them have become like family.” – Riley Smith
Check Global out online at financialpartner.net. The website provides a glossary of terms, tax resources, and information on free education events that can be attended by all.
Give Global Financial Partners a call at 936.294.0201 for any questions or to schedule your free consultation.
1211 Financial Plaza
Huntsville, TX 77340
(936) 294-0201
Fax: (936) 436-0178
Toll-Free: (800) 775-0201
Postcards Magazine
936-293-1188
PO Box 690
Huntsville, TX 77342
