“Progressively Yours: How Being Real and Creating a High-Trust Environment Gels as Values Added” with Zach Teutsch - Episode #11 of NAPFA Nation

In Episode #11 of NAPFA Nation, Zach Teutsch, managing partner at Values Added Financial, talks with podcast host Marie Swift about helping “progressives” build financial lives they feel good about. Established in 2017, his fiduciary financial planning and wealth management firm is passionate about supporting people who want to leverage their wealth to make an impact and live a joyful life.  

Setting the right goals and aligning those goals with one’s values, he says, is the equivalent of setting the GPS for one’s life. The principals and staff at Values Added Financial do not shy away from being real and are known for demonstrating their own diverse and progressive values in the world. This authenticity sets the stage for attracting remarkable and diverse clients and for working in a high-trust environment. 

The company also attracts and retains quality team members who share their values, freeing everyone to focus on more meaningful work and values/goals alignment. He is an active member of ACP (Alliance of Comprehensive Planners), XY Planning Network, and NAPFA (National Association of Personal Financial Advisors), three professional associations that provide methodologies, community, and resources for fiduciary financial planners. 

In a nutshell: 

• Values Added Financial focuses on helping clients align their values with their financial goals. The firm has experienced significant growth over the past six years and has a team of six dedicated fiduciary advisors. They have found success by being open about their “progressive” values and attracting like-minded clients.
• Teutsch explains the firm’s business model, which includes assets under management (AUM) plus a sliding scale financial planning fee (retainer), but acknowledges that there is no perfect pricing model.
• He believes in hiring based on “culture add” rather than just interpersonal fit and uses an interview process that uncovers emotional intelligence and reflects the actual work involved.
• Teutsch talks about reasons for doing advanced work in shareholder advocacy and socially responsible investing and says that being upfront about values liberates the advisory team and empowers them to work on issues they care about, such as racial injustice and social safety nets. He emphasizes the importance of building a team that represents diversity and brings new perspective.

Special Note: In 2023, we rebranded the NAPFA podcast with a new album cover and series title: NAPFA Nation. We are shifting our monthly episodes to bring you inspiring conversations and key insights from leaders in the Fee-Only financial planning profession. Marie Swift, Founder and CEO of Impact Communications, will continue on as host, interviewing a variety of NAPFA members and professionals. You will still be able to find on this channel the 32 Mindset Mastery episodes with respected fiduciary financial planners and allied advocates who are committed to accomplishing great things as they master their own mindset and continue to serve their clients in the best ways possible.

Brought to you by NAPFA - the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors - the country’s leading professional association of Fee-Only financial advisors. Learn more about NAPFA at https://www.NAPFA.org.