Kathleen Rehl, Ph.D., CFP

Other Advisor Success Stories »

"I finished the Certified Financial Planner® program in 1995, and because of my prior experience, I was licensed as a CFP® practitioner soon afterward. I was doing some part-time consulting with the church at the same time that I started my financial planning business. So, I had a few clients, but I wasn't comfortable with the way I was working with them--I didn't have a system. Sure, I had learned about this stuff in theory in my coursework, and I was doing a standard financial plan for clients, but it just didn't feel right. In fact, there were others who wanted to work with me, and my husband was encouraging me to get my business going; but I just wasn't comfortable with the approach I was using."

The situation Kathleen Rehl describes here is not uncommon for new planners starting to build a practice from the ground up. Like her, new planners need a system to function efficiently and effectively. They can either design their own (also known as reinventing the wheel), or use a system with a proven track record.

"That's one of the main reasons I joined ACA--because there was a system that had everything in place," Kathleen explains. "I remember reviewing the Presentation Appointment video again, an hour before a new prospective client arrived at my office. I just followed what was shown on that video. My husband was really amazed when I walked into the kitchen with the check afterwards."

Interestingly, while adhering closely to the Cambridge System™ is what helped Kathleen to realize success early on, it's the flexibility inherent in that system that has helped her build the practice she has today. "With ACA you've got the flexibility and freedom to take the parts that really work for you and to change other things," she states. "I enjoy developing new tools and techniques for my clients that I now share with my fellow ACA colleagues. I think that's one of the best parts about this group, which is a real 'brain trust,' in my opinion."

Kathleen loves the practice she has built. It's a fairly small operation by choice. She works out of her home; her husband, Tom, helps in the business, and she has a part-time administrative assistant. She has time for her family, her church and her other interests. More than half of her clients are clergy, while the others are single women (many are widows) and married couples with charitable interests. With an average age of 62, most are in the pre- or early-retirement phase. Almost all work with Kathleen on a full retainer basis. She encourages the charitable inclinations of her clients by offering a 10% discount on her initial fee when a client donates that amount to their favorite church or charity. And she hosts out-of-state clients during "Fantastic Florida Financial Retreats," where financial planning work is combined with rest and relaxation in the Florida sunshine.

"My practice is ideal," Kathleen sums up. "It's exactly what I want. I couldn't have done it without ACA. Joining ACA was the best decision I made for my business."