From Humble Beginnings To Becoming An Influential Wealth Management Advisor – Suzanne Powell Shares Her Story Of Success

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From Humble Beginnings To Becoming An Influential Wealth Management Advisor – Suzanne Powell Shares Her Story Of Success

“Wealth is the ability to fully experience life.” — Henry David Thoreau

Suzanne Powell is quickly becoming one of central Kentucky’s most successful financial advisors, and knowing that, it may surprise you to learn of her humble beginnings. Suzanne spent most of her childhood living in a single-wide trailer in Canton, a suburb of Detroit, Michigan. Like most children, she was unaware of her family’s dire financial situation. Suzanne’s single mother had only completed 10th grade in high school, and while beautiful and charming, her income as a bartender barely made a dent in the stacks of bills that always piled up on the kitchen counter. 

By 4th grade, Suzanne tested in the 99th percentile in her class and was an avid reader who preferred books related to financial concepts and business topics. In what would become a foreshadowing of the great work ahead of her, she asked her mother why they were living off principal instead of living off their interest (a concept she learned in a book she had just read). Her mother then gave her the hard truth, which was they did not have either – there would not be enough money for a car when she turned 16 – there would be nothing to assist with college. Confused as to why her mother lacked money when she worked so hard, she continued to read every finance book the local library would let her get her hands on. Suzanne soon came to the realization that education, specifically going to college, would be the key to success. While she loved her mother, she was motivated not to make the same mistakes her mother made – which caused a constant strain on their family.

After being told that she would have to buy a car and get into college by herself, Suzanne started creating the necessary roadmaps. She began by reverse engineering her entire high school curriculum with her 8th-grade guidance counselor, to make sure she was placed into all AP classes by her senior year. Suzanne intentionally maintained a 4.0 GPA while becoming extremely involved in high school so she could add these activities to her college application. She spent a great deal of time prepping for the ACT to be able to qualify for scholarships. She then filed tax returns for her mother so that she could fill out the FAFSA forms to qualify for grants. Suzanne applied to four colleges, was admitted to all of them, but chose Wayne State University because they offered her a full scholarship for Computer Engineering. She also bought her first car, all by herself, after working three jobs starting at 16 years old. 

While attending Wayne State, Suzanne started as a bank teller and was quickly promoted to the position of an assistant branch manager. She enjoyed working in the banking industry, moved to Huntington, West Virginia, and again started work as a teller. While at a bank branch, she became curious about one employee in particular. She watched as this person traveled in and out all day and genuinely seemed happy to come to work. What kind of job could cause someone to seem so fulfilled and secure? She was the branch financial advisor, Suzanne was told. 

Suzanne Powell is a woman of action, and with a clear career goal ahead of her, she set out to become a financial advisor too. Within a year, she would become a licensed banker, where she made herself a disciple and modeled everything she could from this successful mentor. She then moved to Lexington, Kentucky, as a nationally recognized licensed banker. This move led to her becoming a financial advisor, then a Senior Financial Advisor at JPMorgan Chase Bank, NA, before becoming a Vice President at Wells Fargo Advisors.

Now, a Vice President with one of Lexington’s most well-known firms – Meridian Wealth Management, LLC – current day Suzanne Powell is by all counts the successful financial advisor she had intended to become at that teller window 18 years ago. With a growing practice in the Horse Capital of the World, her clients reside all over the country and remain loyal to her despite any distance between them. Suzanne would tell you that her clients are loyal because they know she truly cares. Never forgetting where she came from, if she gets an email, phone call, or text, she returns it as soon as possible, always by the end of the day. It should be no surprise that she is loved by her clients, most of whom left their long-time advisors to work with her. 

Clients see and feel the quality of Suzanne’s service and knowledge, and they genuinely appreciate it, often acknowledging their confidence in her by referring their neighbors, family, and friends. When meeting with a potential new client, she typically spends an hour getting to know them and their goals to determine if they are the right fit for each other. As Suzanne never intends to retire, it is extremely important that she work with people that she genuinely likes and wants to work with – since that relationship could last 30 more years. Unfortunately, that does not mean she asks every prospect to work with her. Once deciding if they are the right fit, she starts every client relationship off by creating a comprehensive financial plan and then tailors the advice given to the individual’s goals. Over the course of their relationship, through semi-annual meetings, she will take the time to educate them in areas related to investing, insurance, credit, and debt management as she has been an expert in these areas for decades. This is intentional and part of her process as well, as she came from nothing and knows that comprehending and acting on important financial concepts is a significant part of someone’s long-term success in life. 

To manage the client process better from start to finish, Suzanne recently founded Capital Strategies Group LLC (CSG) that operates under Meridian Wealth Management, LLC. CSG, which is composed of her husband, Chris Powell, and three assistants, thus providing comprehensive planning and wealth accumulation services for clients but with a focus on cash flow, risk mitigation, and legacy planning. They seek the expertise of a network of estate planning attorneys, accountants, insurance specialists, and bankers to add exponential value to each client situation. As Suzanne is a very mindful planner, her goal within four years is to become a partner in Meridian Wealth Management, LLC, or to have her own firm. In seven years, she intends to open a second office in Florida, as CSG has a growing client base that warrants in-person meetings throughout the year. When asked about her motivation, she will tell you that her singular purpose to make a difference in people’s lives has always guided her. Yet her inspiring story of rising above her childhood challenges and breaking the cycle of poverty unmistakably differentiates her from her colleagues.

 

Media Contact
Company Name: Meridian Wealth Management, LLC and Capital Strategies Group, LLC
Contact Person: Suzanne Powell
Email: Send Email
Phone: 859-806-8368
Address:250 W. Main St, Suite 3150
City: Lexington
State: KY
Country: United States
Website: http://www.csgwealthmanagement.com/

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