Back in 2020, we decided it was time to partner with a financial advisor. We did some research and ended up interviewing three different financial advisor groups in town. I presented our financial situation to each advisor in the same way and the reason we ultimately ended up partnering with Falstad & Associates was the trust that was built during that first meeting. While the other advisors seemed knowledgeable, it was only Pete who laid out a plan for me to pay off some student loan debt before making a plan to invest. The other advisors were eager to start the investment process that day while Pete made it clear it would be in my best interest to improve my current financial situation prior to making any new investments. We discussed the Dave Ramsey baby steps, amongst other things, and made a plan to meet again once the goal of paying off the debt had been met.  Essentially, what made my wife and I most comfortable was meeting with an advisor who was willing to say “I don’t need your money” and made us feel like we weren’t just another stepping stone in our advisor’s journey of his own wealth accumulation. We walked away feeling like this was someone we could trust with our financial future and someone looking out for our best interest.  On top of all of that, the atmosphere of the firm stands out from so many other businesses we work with these days. We are greeted at the door each time we walk in, usually by multiple employees, and a very friendly dog. When you pick up the phone with a question, concern, or to schedule an appointment you are always greeted by a real person; not an automated answering system promising to call you back at a later time.  On the day I had expressed to my wife that I felt like I had found the right advisor, she asked me why I felt that way. Beyond sharing my experiences with the three firms and how I felt Falstad was different, I suggested she come in to meet with Pete and his team saying ‘I think you will understand where I’m coming from.’ It took all of about 10 minutes during our first meeting together for her to look over and say, ‘Yes, I totally get it, he’s the guy.’