The Missing Step in Most Advisor-Client Relationships: Why “You Are Here” Is Where Planning Should Begin
In a world of goal-based financial planning, it's easy to focus on where clients want to go.
But what if the most powerful step isn't about the destination... It's about identifying the starting point?
Welcome to the Location Phase, a strategic approach that transforms first meetings from surface-level intake into deep, meaningful conversations that set the tone for long-term trust.
Here’s how to use it in your practice and why it matters more than you think.
Why Traditional First Meetings Often Fall Flat
Many advisors begin new relationships by diving straight into data: assets, income, retirement age, risk tolerance.
That’s important. But it’s not what earns trust.
Clients aren’t spreadsheets. They’re people with stories, wounds, dreams, and complicated family dynamics. If your discovery process feels like an interrogation, you’re missing the chance to create emotional safety, the foundation of any impactful planning relationship.
That’s where the Location Phase comes in.
What Is the Location Phase?
Think of it like the “You Are Here” marker on a map. Before plotting the path forward, you need a shared understanding of where the client is starting.
This isn't about balances and budgets, it’s about identity, values, and clarity.
Use this phase to help your client articulate:
- Who they are (beyond job titles or bank accounts)
- What matters most right now
- What problems or questions brought them to you
- What success would actually feel like, not just financially, but personally?
When you slow down to explore the present moment, you build the trust that earns you permission to guide the future.
A Four-Part Structure to Guide the Conversation
Here’s a field-tested framework to structure your first meeting using the Location Phase:
- Welcome: Set a warm, confident tone. Clarify the agenda and time commitment so clients feel secure and heard.
- Common Ground: Use relatable stories or shared client archetypes (e.g., “Many business owners we work with feel overwhelmed with taxes and succession planning”) to normalize their concerns and build immediate rapport.
- Healthy Tension: Gently highlight the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Not to scare, but to inspire.
- Next Steps: Recap insights, clarify their goals, and outline a personalized path forward. Confidence and clarity are key here.
Replace the Interrogation with Invitation
A great discovery isn’t about how much you ask. It’s about what you ask and how.
Try replacing your usual checklist with questions like:
- “Tell me about your family.”
- “What’s something you’re really proud of?”
- “What keeps you up at night when it comes to money?”
- “Where do you feel the most momentum or the most stuck?”
These create space for clients to share what matters most. In turn, you gain a more holistic view of their financial and emotional priorities.
Why It Works: Psychology Meets Strategy
- Clients feel seen, not judged
- They’re more engaged in the planning process
- You uncover deeper opportunities that cookie-cutter plans miss
- You differentiate your practice in a sea of sameness
Plus, when clients feel known, they’re more likely to refer others because the experience is personal, not transactional.
Takeaway: Stop Solving Problems You Haven’t Defined
Before you recommend anything, ask yourself: Do I truly understand where this client is coming from?
If not, pause. Use the Location Phase to zoom in on their present reality, emotionally, financially, and practically.
That’s how great advisors lead, not by rushing to a solution, but by walking with clients through their story, starting with where they are.
Want to see this in action?
Stream the latest episode of From Busy to Rich for a deeper breakdown of the Location Phase, including live examples, conversation tips, and how to implement this rhythm into your firm.
Visit Wes Young Live Website for more episodes and resources like this!
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