Happy 4th of July, we hope you are all enjoying your summer so far. The second quarter of this year was a great reminder to our team of why we do what we do and why we do it at Baird. Connection is a pivotal part of our job – with our clients, in our communities, and with each other. During these past few months our team has spent time in our communities, with our bigger Baird family in Milwaukee, and with our local office here in Mishawaka. To connect with all our clients, I want to share these experiences.
Baird Gives Back Week 2025: Baird Gives Back Week is an annual initiative that embodies Baird's commitment to community service and philanthropy. This event allows associates to volunteer their time and skills to support various charitable organizations across the country.
- Over 1,900 Baird associates volunteered nationwide.
- More than 200 charitable organizations were supported with over 6,000 volunteer hours donated across 100+ Baird offices.
- Heather and I volunteered locally by donating and preparing a meal for the Ronald McDonald House of Michiana. We are proud to have supported families during one of the most difficult times in their lives.
- The Mishawaka office also sent employees to Cultivate Food Rescue, The Food Bank of Northern Indiana, and the Humane Society of St Joseph County.
Our office is overjoyed to participate in this event every year and is always looking for new charities to make an impact on. Please let us know what charities are important to you!
Baird Re: Union: Every few years Baird brings associates and guests to Milwaukee to explore new ideas and capabilities, strengthen new and existing relationships across the firm, and remind us why we choose Baird! Heather & I attended this year’s event and came home with ideas and motivation of how to serve our clients better and grow our business. We wanted to highlight some of the most memorable moments.
Heather Highlights:
- Heather, and other Baird support staff, attended a class for Branch Support Development / Leadership and the main principle discussed was “The Oz Principle”. This principle emphasizes taking personal responsibility for achieving desired outcomes by “See it, Own it, Solve it, Do it”. These steps simply mean, recognize an issue and seek feedback (See it), own the situation by acknowledging your role and avoiding the blame game (Own it), brainstorm solutions and then act (Solve it), follow through and hold yourself accountable (Do it). It was also discussed on how to use this principle that Heather will continue to implement for improvements within the Baird Mishawaka organization and herself.
- During his keynote talk, Heather sat and listened to Adam Grant, an organizational psychologist and Wharton professor, who studies work motivation, prosocial behavior and meaning. He is a 5-time New York bestselling author and listening to him talk was significantly enjoyable. He explores how individuals can unlock their potential and achieve success beyond inherent talent, emphasizing character development, effective learning and supportive systems. Something Heather will continue to explore and learn about.
Sam Highlights:
- What is the first feeling that comes to mind when you think of money? Carl Richards, the author of “The One-Page Financial Plan” talked with me and other associate financial advisors within the firm. My time with him served as a reminder that money holds different significance to all of us and creates different emotions for every individual. We as advisors are here to not just explain the numbers but help you with your fears and anxiety around your financial well-being.
- The Family Wealth Briefing: engaging the next generation has always been a priority for our team. Capital Group provided us with new resources and inspiration to amplify our current efforts. If you are concerned about the transfer or your wealth to the next generation or think your kids could benefit from our services, inquire about setting up an introductory call to begin lines of communication.
- What do you want to do before you die? During a keynote talk, Ben Nemtin asked us this question and spoke of his journey to creating and almost accomplishing a bucket list of 100 things. Our role as financial advisors is to help you create a path to accomplish your bucket list while creating work life harmony! If you have not heard of Ben Nemtin, I encourage you to investigate his story, he gives great perspective and motivation.
Mishawaka Office Grand Re-Opening: Our local office has been under construction since November 2024. We are happy to announce that our fully remodeled space is now completely open to our clients! On June 17th we celebrated this with each other and the Chamber of Commerce.
