A man sits in a plush, comfortable chair; his legs bouncing up and down with impatience and anxiousness. He peers down at the lightened screen of his phone and a smile spreads across his face at the picture of his eighteen year old daughter, who will soon be traveling across the country to attend university.

Another man in a black suit emerges from an office in the back; a smile painted across his own kind face. With a caring voice, the financial adviser tells his client, “Your daughter won’t have to worry about a thing. We’ve got you covered.”

Investment company Edward Jones oversees success in adult clients, but wants to expand and foster success in younger audiences as well.

Edward Jones is a brokerage firm that works with clients to set goals regarding investments in retirement, life savings and insurance. Different firms are set up all around the U.S. and Canada, each headed by a financial adviser who actively searches and helps individuals learn about the importance of life and educational savings along with investments.

Jim Redmond, the financial adviser of the Edward Jones branch in Highland Heights, makes it his objective to help clients achieve financial stability so their families are able to live comfortably. He said, “My main objective is to help clients obtain financial independence for their families and generations to follow so they can enjoy the experiences that truly bring them joy in their lives.”

The firm also attempts to stress early investment. Redmond compares the importance of investing early in life to a goal of running a marathon. He said, “If you were a runner and your goal was to run a marathon in five years, you might have two paths of training:

“Option A, you start training today and consistently working up your endurance and muscle strength so that when race day comes you know you will be prepared,” he said. “Option B, the race is five years away and that seems like a long time so you decide you’ll start training later and for now, you will just enjoy your day to day living and start training in year four. If that’s the case, you’re going to have a lot of work to do just to be able to survive the run let alone have a chance to compete to win the race.”

Janice Somrak, administrator and assistant to Redmond, agrees that investing early needs to be taken as something important. She said, “A lot of people don’t take into consideration that extravagance is not as important as planning for the future. It’s better to think ahead and be safe, rather than spend frivolously and fall behind.”

Edward Jones and Redmond plan to promote the idea of early investment toward future clients by partnering with local colleges and high schools to educate younger audiences on the beneficial impacts of early investments through their college and career lives.

Before investing, Redmond wants clients to understand that the process takes time and may not always be easy. He said, “It’s a marathon, not a race. Long term planning and investing is a process and being a disciplined saver and investor isn’t always going to feel comfortable.”

Tony Somrak, a decade long client, agrees that Redmond has provided him a peace of mind throughout his time at the firm. “Working with him gives me a peace of mind that I will not have to worry about finances while in retirement and securing a legacy for my children,” he said.

To start the investment process, he first discusses exactly what is most important to the client, then works with them to meet that goal. “Once we know [the client’s goal], we can create a customized plan based on their needs and partner with them throughout their lifetime to make sure we keep them on track,” Redmond said.

Janice Somrak thinks it is important that the firm takes the time to understand the values of each individual client. “It is imperative that as a branch team we have a deep understanding of each client’s personal values and needs to effectively provide the products and services that compliment each individual client. We never want our clients to feel [like] they are a number,” she said.

Redmond also believes it’s important to make sure clients feel comfortable and takes pride in caring about their success. He said, “We care about our clients and their families. Where we stand out from the hundreds of other options people have to choose from is our process and the ongoing service we provide to our clients.”

Tony agrees that Redmond has been very accommodating of his needs as an individual. He said, “Working with him is life working with family. He knows my needs and goals and that the financial well being of my family is a priority.”

Tony advises others to truly take into consideration the financial wellbeing of themselves and their families. He said, “My advice to anyone who has long term financial goals is if you do not have an advisor, get one. If you have one and never hear from them, get another one.

“The financial wellbeing of you and your family needs to be a priority,” he said.

Edward Jones is located at 5564 Wilson Mills Road in Highland Heights, Ohio, 44143. If you are looking to contact the firm, call the number 440-442-7010 or email Janice Somrak at [email protected].