Welcome back to Don’t Retire… Graduate! Today’s episode takes you behind the scenes of the financial planning world with an in-depth look at what it means to be a financial advisor dedicated to serving clients’ best interests—sometimes from out of the spotlight. I’m joined by Beth Nori, a talented and detail-oriented CFP practitioner from BFG, who has been with our team for over eight years. While Beth isn’t always sitting across the table from clients, her impact is felt in every plan we create through her commitment to preparation, tax strategy, and precise behind-the-scenes work.
In our discussion, Beth and I explored her unique career journey, from her early days in big financial firms in the D.C. area, to her move to the Baltimore region, and ultimately, to her embrace of the tight-knit culture at BFG. We dove into the differences between working at large firms and smaller, family-feel companies, and Beth shared how the close relationships and personal growth opportunities here propelled her forward—especially in taking on some of the technical aspects of planning that many advisors shy away from.
One of the highlights of our conversation was Beth’s focus on tax planning. As someone who thrives on details and enjoys crunching numbers, she’s leaned into the challenge of collaborating with CPAs, reviewing tax returns, and seeking new educational opportunities to bridge the gap between financial planning and tax expertise. Her journey serves as a testament to the value of playing to your strengths and finding your niche within the advisory profession.
Beth’s story is not only about technical excellence, but also about purpose, passion, and finding fulfillment by helping others succeed—even if that means you’re supporting from behind the curtain. Whether you’re an aspiring advisor, a planner seeking your specialty, or simply intrigued by what happens “backstage” in financial planning, Beth’s insights are sure to resonate.
5 Key Takeaways:
- Behind-the-Scenes Excellence: Beth’s work in meeting preparation and plan analysis ensures every client interaction is informed, meaningful, and personalized, proving that vital contributions don’t always happen in the limelight.
- Finding Your Niche: By embracing the detail-oriented, technical side of planning—especially in areas like tax analysis—Beth illustrates the importance of discovering and thriving in your professional “lane.”
- The Value of Small-Firm Culture: Beth emphasizes the family atmosphere at BFG, where close relationships and ongoing growth are possible, highlighting how firm size and culture can shape advisory careers.
- Tax Planning as a Differentiator: Tackling areas like tax planning not only brings immense value to clients (everyone loves saving on their tax bill!) but also sets planners apart, especially when they’re willing to work collaboratively with CPAs.
- Continuous Learning: Beth’s commitment to additional tax education, through specialized courses for accumulators, retirees, and end-of-life planning, underscores the importance of lifelong learning in serving clients’ evolving needs.
Join us as we pull back the curtain on financial advising, uncover new career possibilities, and celebrate the professionals who make financial independence possible for so many families. Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share this episode to help others discover their own path to financial freedom and fulfillment!
Eric Brotman [00:00:01]:
This is Eric Brotman, the host of Don’t Retire, Graduate, the podcast that asks you what you wanna be when you grow up so you can graduate into retirement with purpose and with passion. Welcome to our Diary of a Financial Advisor segment, where we interview financial advisors about their professional journey and their passion for helping others succeed. Today, I’m pleased to be joined by CFP Beth Nori from BFG. Beth’s been with us a little over eight years. She is a CFP practitioner, and she wears a a slightly different hat as financial adviser in the firm, in that she does most of the meeting preparation and a lot of the behind the scenes stuff. So Beth’s not somebody in front of folks as regularly, so she’s doing this, under total protest. But, Beth, welcome to Don’t Retire Graduate.
Beth Nori [00:00:47]:
Thanks for having me, Eric.
Eric Brotman [00:00:48]:
Tell us a little bit about how you got into this industry and and why.
Beth Nori [00:00:53]:
I actually got into the financial industry a couple years out of college. I was looking for a job. I wanted to do something that interested me. I worked for a big a bigger financial firm. And then after a few years, I moved we were in the DC area at the time. So after a few years, I moved back to the Baltimore area, and that’s where I found BFG. And that’s kind of where I was introduced to the financial planning aspect. And I’ve really kind of grasped on to that.
Eric Brotman [00:01:23]:
So, Beth, what was it that drew you to this industry and ultimately specifically to BFG?
Beth Nori [00:01:30]:
After, a few years after college, I was looking for a job, and I wanted to do something that interested me. I found a job at a bigger financial firm in the DC area. After working there for a few years, I moved back to the Baltimore area and that’s where I found BFG and was really introduced to the financial planning aspect. I kind of grasped onto that because I enjoyed working with clients and helping them meet their financial goals.
Eric Brotman [00:01:56]:
So in a big firm, sometimes you’re a cog in the wheel. Whereas in a smaller firm, sometimes you can feel a little more impact and know people a little better. Has that been your experience so far?
Beth Nori [00:02:07]:
Correct. I’ve been at BFG for about eight years now, and I’ve really enjoyed I’ve I’ve seen the company grow, but we haven’t grown too much where it doesn’t feel it still feels like it’s a family as opposed to a huge corporation.
Eric Brotman [00:02:21]:
So one of the things that that you have done, Beth, and I’m gonna I’m gonna appraise you a little bit publicly. But one of the things that you’ve done is you’ve tackled a role that some CFPs, don’t wanna tackle, which is doing a lot of the behind the scenes prep work to make sure that all of the the t’s are crossed and the i’s are dotted before a meeting happens, making sure that the portfolio reports and the and the analysis looks right, making sure that certain advice points or certain milestones or certain other recommendations are prepared so that when advisors then get into the room with clients, they have the relationship with the people and know how to take that, that technical and quantitative advice and turn it into qualitative, more human, advice a little bit. What drew you to that that portion of of the business?
Beth Nori [00:03:11]:
I love working with a bunch of different clients, so it actually allows me to work with more clients behind the scenes as well as I’m feel like I’m very detail oriented, so I’m able to look at everyone’s plans and figure out kind of what aligns best with them.
Eric Brotman [00:03:26]:
So so one of the things we’ve done at BFG is we’ve promoted educational diversity, and we’ve tried to to have people find a lane where they can really be the expert. And one of the things you’ve graduated towards or, that you’ve grabbed on to is tax planning. And nothing right now feels more important, a lot of the times for clients than how do we pay less taxes, how do we have a tax plan moving forward, how do we make sure that our tax returns aren’t missing something? And we, we, of course, don’t do tax returns. We but you you wind up working with a number of CPAs and helping to navigate some of the tax planning process. What, what inspired you to wanna do taxes? Because, again, that’s what most CFPs are most afraid of. Why why did that, appeal to you?
Beth Nori [00:04:11]:
I feel like during the prep, we are reviewing clients’ tax returns, and so I was able to kind of look to see if everything’s missing or if there’s things there, and I’ve always saw myself going through them. And when we talked about special designations or specialties for people at our office, it kind of just fell into place that maybe I should take on the tax planning portion. Again, I feel like I’m very detail oriented. I like numbers and crunching numbers to see how we can save on taxes. So it kinda just aligned.
Eric Brotman [00:04:44]:
I I have found in my thirty plus year career that the happiest, the happiest you can make a client in a transaction is to save them taxes. Like, it it it just brings so much joy. Very wealthy people when saving $200 on a tax bill feel so good about it. It’s disproportionately favorable. So so but that is also a very big technical space. Now you’re not a CPA. Are you thinking about getting more in-depth in the tax education, and what does that look like?
Beth Nori [00:05:15]:
So I actually started a course this week. So it is three different courses. The first is, working on taxes with accumulators, so people that are still working and trying to figure out a tax plan for them at that point in time. The second is for planning tax planning for retirement. And then the third course would be tax planning for the end of life.
Eric Brotman [00:05:36]:
Very interesting. So that when we when we have the five or six or 700 CPAs with whom our clients interact on a regular basis, we’ll have somebody internally who has the financial planning background, but also can speak hacks much like we have multiple accredited estate planners in the office, myself included, and we speak lawyer without going to law school. You’ll be able to speak tax accountant without doing the CPA. Is that sort of the the crux of that?
Beth Nori [00:06:04]:
Correct. I hope so.
Eric Brotman [00:06:06]:
So, for for clients who don’t know, we do, an analysis of tax returns behind the scenes. We have not done that tax analysis typically in front of folks before because we try not to step on CPAs toes. But I I think the collaboration and the opportunities to improve that collaboration or, or enhance it are really, really significant. And, Beth, I I expect you’ll play a big role in that. I gotta ask you because Don’t Retire, Graduate has its own theme, what do you want to be when you grow up?
Beth Nori [00:06:37]:
Great question. I to be honest, I like where I’m at right now. I think a few years ago, I never would have thought I would be a CFP, going to school to get a designation in tax planning. So I love working at BFG and the culture that’s around us. So, hopefully, I’m here for a lot longer, and we’ll see where my path takes
Eric Brotman [00:06:59]:
me. Well, that’s exciting news for me, selfishly, because, you know, I am, going to graduate here, before you. And so that’s a that’s a plus. Beth, thank you for doing this. You did volunteer. Some of our advisers, I have to say, are voluntold. But Beth volunteered, and it was out of your comfort zone. So thanks.
Eric Brotman [00:07:18]:
You did great.
Beth Nori [00:07:19]:
Thanks for having me. I’d like
Eric Brotman [00:07:21]:
to thank all of you for listening and watching today. If you enjoy our show, please subscribe and leave a rating on your favorite podcast platform. Those are priceless to us. Please also share the show with your friends and family so they can join you on your journey to financial freedom. If you’d like to send us a topic or idea you’d like us to discuss in a future episode of Don’t Retire Graduate, please post it on our Facebook page or tweet us at Rotten Planning. We’ll be back next week with another engaging guest and in two weeks with another entry in our diary of a financial advisor. For now, this is Eric Brotman, your host, reminding you, don’t retire, graduate.
Unnamed Voiceover [00:08:01]:
Securities offered through Kestra investment services LLC, Kestra IS, member FINRA SIPC, investment advisory services offered through Kestra advisory services LLC, Kestra AS, an affiliate of Kestra IS. Kestra IS or Kestra AS are not affiliated with Brotman Financial or any other entity discussed.
