Michael Schwartz, RFC®, CWS®, CFS, is the Wealth Planning Advisor of Schwartz Financial, located in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania. Mike provided us with insight into his background, the Schwartz Financial firm, and the process of building his website with Twenty Over Ten.
How did you get interested in becoming a financial planner?
In May of 1977 I was hired as a debit life insurance agent by Prudential Insurance. I stayed with Prudential for about 9 months and then struck out on my own, 40 years later here I am.
What do you enjoy most about what you do?
Helping client realize their dreams be it retirement, putting their children through college and marriage or whatever is on their plate currently.
What do you find is the most challenging part of your profession?
Since I have been an independent advisor not ever being with a wirehouse, I have the constant problem of convincing people that I am not the next Bernie Madoff.
What’s your favorite part about working and serving clients in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania?
I just moved to Washington Crossing, PA about 6 months ago after having my office in Jenkintown for 25 years. But my favorite part of my practice is helping clients realize their dreams.
What drove you to want to update your site?
My last two sites were cookie cutter sites. They were great as long as I fit into what they offered. I tired of this long ago and have been searching for a new site and provider for about the last nine months.
Why did you choose to work with Twenty Over Ten to design your new website?
After spending nine months looking for a new provider, it came down to two companies. I felt more comfortable dealing with Samantha Russell (in Sales) than the other person who was trying to sell me a site paying $200 per month. Plus, after having a conversation with Chelsea the designer, I knew that I had made the right choice.
The website turned out so well! How did you go about choosing the design and content? What were these processes like for you?
I have known for a bit what I wanted my site to look like. I have a graphic designer on staff so I was already branded with a logo and a color scheme. I knew I wanted a site with reactive text and video. All that was left was having a discussion with a Twenty Over Ten designer and she then took my thoughts and put them into a site. I think she listened and did a very good job translating my thought process.
The video of yourself included on your homepage is so engaging. How did you come up with the idea for it and what drove you to want to add it to your site?
That video is actually about three years old and it took me this long to put it to good use. After the initial site went live I asked a very good friend Bill Good of Bill Good Marketing to review my site. He told me instead of using other people’s videos that were on the site to use my own. I think it helps prospects get to know more about me, not other generic videos.
What is your favorite feature of the site (imagery, calls to action, a specific page, etc.)?
As someone who owns sailboats, I would say the sailboat imagery. That and the reactive text on the home page. All in all there is not any part of the site that is not my favorite.
How would you describe the process of developing the new site and your experience working with Twenty Over Ten overall
Again, Chelsea Casareale is a super designer. She listened to my thought process and turned it into my current site. I cannot say enough good things about her. As to my experience about Twenty over Ten, they have been first rate from the first email with Samantha to the phone meeting with Chelsea to bringing the site into being a live site. They have just be super overall. I cannot recommend them highly enough.
Thanks for the great feedback, Mike! We enjoyed working with you too. For other advisor website showcases, check out: The Best Financial Advisor Websites: Spring 2017 Edition and Advisor Websites: Oasis Wealth Planning.
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