Team Development
Joanna and Paul attends Staff Road Show 2023 hosted by Commonwealth Financial Network
August 10, 2023
Joanna and Paul attended Commonwealth Financial Network's Staff Road Show 2023 in Boston. It was a great opportunity for staff members of VPF to learn from and network with fellow industry professionals in the Northeast region.
The VPF team Celebrates 20th Year Anniversary in NYC
June 29th - 30th, 2023
It has been 20+ years since David started Vantage Point Financial! To celebrate our success through the years, the VPF team went on a retreat to NYC to reflect on the past 20 years in business and strategize for the next decade and more.
Ashley and Joanna attend Summit for Women Conference in Charlotte, NC, hosted by Commonwealth Financial Network
June 19th - 21st, 2023
Ashley and Joanna attended the Summit for Women Conference in Charlotte, NC, hosted by Commonwealth Financial Network. The conference showcased the remarkable achievements of women across various industries. Ashley and Joanna were captivated by the stories shared by keynote speakers and panelists, who provided inspiration and encouragement. Furthermore, the sense of community at the conference was palpable, with women lifting each other up and championing one another's successes. Ashley and Joanna found themselves surrounded by a group of driven individuals who shared a common goal: to empower and uplift women in their personal and professional lives.
Ashley Attends Summit Club Conference in Colorado, hosted by Commonwealth Financial Network
May 7th - 11th, 2023
Ashley attended the Summit Club conference hosted by Commonwealth Financial Network to connect with other advisors from all over the country and train with industry professionals to provide a higher-level of service for VPF clients. The dedication and commitment to continue to learn more and build on her skills are synonymous to our core values here at Vantage Point Financial - EDUCATION. We are proud of what Ashley has achieved already, but her aspiration to continuously improve on herself inspires us to push ourselves further.
Joanna and Ashley attend Power in Practice in Chicago, hosted by Commonwealth Financial Network
June 17, 2022
Between 13th June to 15th June, Joanna and Ashley were able to attend Power in Practice in Chicago, Illinois. Both Ashley and Joanna were able to network with other individuals in the industry, and were able to take part in various discussions about best practices and operational efficiency. After attending this conference, Ashley and Joanna were able to share what they learned with the Vantage Point Financial team, in the hopes that the team can take the advice shared at the conference, and use it to improve VPF's business operations!
The VPF Team Celebrates Ashley's 10th Year at Vantage Point Financial
June 10, 2022
On Friday, the Vantage Point Financial team gathered to celebrate Ashley's 10th year at the firm, since starting in 2012. It was a great day of bowling, pizza, bonding and competitive spirit at the Brighton Bowling Alley!
Ashley attends Power in Practice Program, hosted by Commonwealth Financial Network
January 23, 2022
From January 23rd-25th, Ashley visited San Diego, California to participate in a two-day event hosted by Commonwealth Financial Network called the Power in Practice program. Power in Practice is an exclusive in-house business coaching program for Commonwealth advisors. Developed to empower advisors to lead their organizations toward specific goals, Power in Practice provides the infrastructure, guidance, tactical steps, and built-in accountability needed to refine a business plan, take control of firm financial performance, capitalize on human resources, improve efficiency, target marketing, and analyze business risks—all while keeping a keen eye on business development. Ashley enjoyed her time with a group of her peers (seen below) working to build out goals for the growth of Vantage Point Financial!
The VPF Team Participates in Commonwealth Financial Network 2021 National Conference
October 28, 2021
This past Thursday, the Vantage Point Financial team enjoyed participating in the Commonwealth Financial Network’s 2021 National Conference! We enjoyed coming together as a Commonwealth Financial Network community to learn and connect with other advisors and industry professionals.
David and Ashley Present at the Commonwealth Financial Network Summit for Women Advisors
June 24, 2021
David and Ashley presented this week at the Summit for Women Advisors, a Commonwealth Financial Network event that aims to inspire the advancement of women in our field.
During their live discussion titled "Financial Services Sisterhood: How to Bring More Women into Our Industry," David and Ashley shed light on how we can bring more women into the financial advising industry. The two shared several steps that we can take to attract more women to our field as well as beckoned several questions, including:
- How do we hire more women advisors?
- What are tangible actions we can take to bring more diversity to our industry?
- How can we ensure that advisors who can relate to women clients and understand their needs are available to help guide their financial decisions?
David Attends Commonwealth Financial Network's Business Experience Conference in New Orleans, LA
March 9-12, 2020
David spoke with Commonwealth Financial Network CEO Wayne Bloom about industry trends in independent financial planning during a Commonwealth conference for experienced practitioners. Commonwealth has been supporting David and his team since 2002 and provides unrivaled support in advanced planning and research.
Commonwealth has received the highest score in the independent advisor segment of the J.D. Power 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, and 2019 Financial Advisor Satisfaction Studies of customers’ satisfaction among financial advisors. For more information, visit www.jdpower.com/awards.
David and Ashley Attend Commonwealth Financial Network National Conference
October 2-5, 2019
David and Ashley recently attended a national educational conference for independent financial advisors. Hosted by Commonwealth Financial Network®, the nation’s largest privately held Registered Investment Advisor–independent broker/dealer, the event drew nearly 2,000 affiliated advisors, staff, guests, and sponsors from across the nation. Participants gathered in Denver, Colorado, October 2–5, 2019, where they connected and collaborated with peers, colleagues, and industry partners to strengthen their leadership skills and enhance the high-end service that they provide to clients.
Recognizing the firm’s 40th anniversary, the conference celebrated “where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going.” Special TED presenters and Commonwealth’s leadership team members shared insights on themes most relevant to advisors, inspiring thinking and sparking creative ideas for the future.
Founded in 1979, Commonwealth Financial Network®, Member FINRA/SIPC, is the nation's largest privately held Registered Investment Adviser–independent broker/dealer, with headquarters in Waltham, Massachusetts, and San Diego, California. J.D. Power ranks Commonwealth “#1 in Independent Advisor Satisfaction Among Financial Investment Firms, Six Times in a Row.” The firm supports approximately 1,950 independent financial advisors nationwide. For more information, please visit www.commonwealth.com.
Commonwealth received the highest score in the independent advisor segment of the J.D. Power 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, and 2019 Financial Advisor Satisfaction Studies of customers’ satisfaction among financial advisors. For more information, visit jdpower.com/awards.
Ashley Attends First FPAMA Women's Study Group
September 28, 2019
The Financial Planning Association of Massachusetts (FPAMA) Women’s Group hosts events in the Boston area for women in the financial planning industry. Recently, the FPAMA Women’s Group launched an informal study group for female advisors with the purpose of sharing best practices and insights on business development.
Ashley is an active member of FPAMA. She attended their first study group event on September 28 at Fidelity Investments in the Seaport. Ashley met several like-minded female advisors based in and around the Boston area and discussed the topic of client onboarding processes to improve the client experience. The group exchanged best practices and challenges within each of the steps of the client onboarding process, including communication methods, marketing materials, and new technologies. The study group plans to meet on a quarterly basis to discuss improving office processes to better serve their individual clients.
Joanna and Jade Attend Commonwealth 101
September 4-6, 2019
In early September, our Client Services and Outreach Officer, Joanna, and our Research Analyst Intern, Jade, attended a training put on by our broker/dealer, Commonwealth Financial Network. The training provided Joanna and Jade with indispensable training to learn the nuts and bolts of our operations, Commonwealth processes, and how to best serve YOU – our clients!
In addition to the training they received, Joanna and Jade enjoyed a tour of Commonwealth headquarters in Waltham, Mass, and getting the opportunity to network with the Commonwealth community. They even had lunch with CEO Wayne Bloom!
Ashley Attends Summit For Women Advisors Conference
July 26, 2019
Ashley joined other women leaders at Commonwealth's 2019 Summit for Women Advisors, a conference to inspire growth and promote change in Nashville, Tennessee! #CFNWomen attendees heard keynotes from Courtney Ferrell, creative thinking partner, speaker, and writer, and Chloe B. McKenzie, founder and CEO of On a Wealth Kick and BlackFem, Inc., as well as panel sessions featuring both Commonwealth leadership and affiliated advisor speakers.
Ashley Attends Educational Forum for FPA MA
May 1, 2019
Ashley attended a half-day educational forum hosted by MFS Investment Management and the Financial Planning Association of Massachusetts.
The association, a chapter of the Financial Planning Association™, is a professional organization focused on professional development and education of financial planning professionals.
The Half Day Program has three speakers each addressing different aspects of the industry. The first speaker talked about finding your niche client. The second speaker, a fixed income portfolio manager at MFS Investment Management, provided a fixed income market update. Lastly, a marketing optimization manager on Morningstar's Behavioral Insights Team discussed the importance of understanding behavioral finance.
As an FPA member, Ashley has access to continuing education programs to always keep up-to-date on the latest changes in the industry.
Ashley Attends SHOOK Top Next-Gen Summit
April 18, 2019
Each year, the Forbes Under 30 Summit brings together the top game-changers and entrepreneurs of the generation to downtown Boston. Six content tracks—including Discover, Create, and Tech—allow attendees to tailor their Summit experience to their business interests. Keynote speakers this year included Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn and Ray Dalio, manager of the world’s largest hedge fund.
The SHOOK Top Next-Gen Summit, a branch of the Forbes Under 30 Summit, invites the top 500 Next-Gen wealth advisors* (those born after 1980) to share their expertise in building their businesses and keeping them on top. Ashley attended the Monday session of the SHOOK Top Next-Gen Summit. Panelist discussions spanned topics ranging from philanthropy to best practices to building a team that addresses the needs of a multi-generational clientele.
Ashley reflected on the insights she gained at the Summit: “The number one thing that every top Next-Gen advisor emphasized was the importance of focusing on the client experience. Any advisor can place trades and watch the market, but not every advisor provides a tailored financial plan for every client. That is how you differentiate yourself from the pack.”
As an advisor at VPF, Ashley is proud to provide clients with a comprehensive process for managing their financial life that is customized to their needs.
David Leads Training Program at Commonwealth Financial Network Corporate Office
April 1, 2019
David participated in a training program for new employees at Commonwealth in a session called ‘Advisor Angle.’ David explained the benefits that clients gain by working with independent financial planners who are not beholden to a large national chain. David worked briefly for such a firm and shared how liberated he felt when he became an independent planner who could focus solely on the needs of the client. He stressed that the employees should know that by working with Commonwealth Financial Network, they were working for the industry leader in providing the highest level of service to independent financial advisors.
David and Ashley Invited to Attend Mentoring Conference in Chicago
July 17, 2018
David and Ashley were invited to lead a workshop during Commonwealth Financial Network’s Associate/Senior Advisor Intensive Mentor Program, held in Chicago, IL, on July 17-18, 2018.
The Associate/Senior Advisor Intensive Program aims to cultivate the development of associate advisors in practices by delivering training and experiential activities tailored to both the associate’s needs and the firm’s objectives. Associate and senior advisors attend the program together, learning how to best support each other and grow the business along the way.
The program consists of coaching calls, online training, and in-person group workshops, such as the workshop led by David and Ashley. In their workshop, the partners spoke of their experience together, specifically how David helped Ashley grow from a client services administrator to partner at VPF in just under six years.
Ashley Attends "Investment News Women's Advisor Summit"
July 10, 2018
On July 10, 2018, Ashley attended Investment News’ Women’s Advisor Summit in Boston, MA. The Women’s Advisor Summit brings together female advisors from across the country with the goal of “investing in their businesses, their brand, and themselves.” Speakers included female executives from Investment News, Charles Schwab, and TD Ameritrade, as well as several female entrepreneurs in the finance industry.
Throughout the day, Ashley had the opportunity to network with other driven, like-minded women, discussing topics such as female financial empowerment and networking strategies that drive business growth.
“It is incredible to be able to collaborate with other female financial advisors,” said Ashley. “Although women are entering the industry at a faster pace, financial advising is still very male-dominated. I appreciate the opportunity to network with other women in our field and learn how to encourage more women to join.”
David Attends National Financial Business Conference in Seattle
May 9, 2018
David was invited to gather with a group of prominent financial advisors at Commonwealth Financial Network®’s Business Experience conference, held May 6–9, 2018, in Seattle, Washington. The Business Experience conference recognizes highly successful advisors, based on annual production* rankings among Commonwealth’s nationwide network of 1,710 financial advisors.
A variety of business meetings and informative sessions spanned the four-day conference, where attendees gained compelling insights, best practices, and recommendations from industry leaders. Numerous networking sessions and opportunities for interacting with peers allowed like-minded advisors to connect and share ideas. Overall, the conference emphasized providing the highest level of service, value, and commitment to the participants’ clients.
“It was a pleasure to welcome David at Business Experience and to honor him for the values and commitment he brings to Vantage Point Financial,” said Wayne Bloom, CEO of Commonwealth. “His involvement in this conference demonstrates that David never stops raising the bar on the professional standards that he brings to the clients who depend on him for independent financial guidance and integrity.”
