Maureen Demers is a solo advisor by design. She selects her clients wisely. “My goal was not to grow a large practice, but rather to do what I love to do with clients I love working with,” she says. “I’ve been very intentional about what I was trying to build and it has paid off.”
Growing up outside of Boston, Maureen attended Emmanuel College where she earned a B.A. in studio art minoring in biology. Upon graduation, was not sure what direction she wanted her life to take. When she accepted a position with an investment management firm, she discovered financial planning and found her passion. “I learned all about investing and money management and realized that this was what I wanted to do,” she says. Next, she enrolled in the CFP® program at Boston University, working during the day and studying her new-found profession in the evenings.
After earning the CFP certification, she made several life changes at once, including moving, getting married, and changing jobs. She knew she wanted to transition to comprehensive financial planning for less affluent families that needed help rather than the high-net-worth clients she managed at the investment firm, so she accepted a position with a solo advisor in New Hampshire. She started out sharing an in-home office with the advisor and an additional colleague. “It was quite a change from my previous position, but I learned a lot. In addition to serving clients, I saw what it takes to run a business,” she says.
After a hiatus to raise her family, Maureen decided to pursue the business she’d been thinking about for years. While researching her options, ACP member John Dulmage introduced her to the ACP community. She says it was a leap of faith to spend the initial membership fee but felt it would be better to have a support network in place and use the proven architecture of the ACP system.” ACP gave Maureen the tools, processes, and network she needed to turn her vision into a reality. She recalls the thrill of signing her first client. “The training was crucial for me to become comfortable expressing the value of my services and asking for a fee that reflects that value.”
Maureen has been a member of ACP and a practicing solo advisor for more than a decade. She attributes at least part of her success to the ACP community – citing both the comradery and the ability to reach out to a group of like-minded advisors with questions and ideas. “There are so many brilliant advisors who are part of ACP, and I am happy to be a part of this community.” Maureen does not hesitate to give back to the ACP advisor family. She has served on the Technology Committee for years and also helps to plan the ACP Annual Conference as a member of the Conference Committee. Why? “ACP is a volunteer organization, it needs volunteers to grow and thrive, and I want it to continue long into the future.”
For all you do for ACP, thank you, Maureen!