3 Months In

January 5th, 2026, was my first day at HWM. It’s hard to believe that we are already three months in. Vince warned me before I started that I would be jumping straight into the fire. He was not lying.

Over the last few months, I’ve had the opportunity to speak with many of you. For those of you I have not met and may be wondering who I am, please feel free to check out my bio here. It gives a bit of background on me and how I came to meet Vince and Carey.

This post is about what I’ve learned over the past three months and how I see my role evolving going forward.

What I’ve Learned

1. There is a big difference between theory and practice

I went to school specifically for financial planning and completed multiple courses and designations related to the industry and this role. That background has been helpful, but there is no substitute for learning on the job. Since day one, there has been something new to learn every single day.

Real clients, real money, and real decisions feel very different than case studies and exams. Three months in, I am nowhere close to knowing everything.

2. The importance of listening

I love to talk, about anything and everything. Vince explained very early on, probably on day one, that about 90 percent of our job is listening. Shut up and listen.

Clients tell you what matters to them if you actually give them space to talk. The more meetings I sit in on, the more I realize that good advice starts with understanding, not talking. Listening builds trust, and without trust, none of the technical knowledge matters.

3. The importance of process and details

Vince and Carey have processes for just about everything. There is a specific way tasks are done, and they are done that way for a reason. Early on, I will admit that I did not fully understand the “why” behind all of it. But I also knew I was not going to be the guy trying to redesign systems in week one.

Over time, things began to click. I found my place within those systems and understood how much they matter. Three months later, I cannot imagine operating without them. While they can be meticulous, they ensure work gets done properly, clients get timely responses, and nothing falls through the cracks.

Going Forward

What does my role look like going forward?

First, I want to be clear that I am not replacing Vince or Carey in any way. Most of you have worked with them for years, and that is not changing. My role is to support them, take ownership where I can, improve efficiency, and help HWM grow. Divide and conquer.

My goal is to make things easier for the team and better for all of you.

P.S. I have no plans of writing as many blogs as Vince does, but I can promise at least one per month.