Message From Michael Conway

I reflect fondly on the idyllic years of my childhood and family life. I think much of that comes from the dedication of my father to love and care for his children, especially when our family faced more difficult moments. He was also dedicated to his work as a dentist and to provide for his family. He operated as a one-man practice, playing the roles of receptionist, hygienist, and bookkeeper. But the fear of the unknown prevented him from getting the help he really needed.

My father’s commitment to his family and profession sheltered us from the realities of his financial insecurity. But as in many families, moments of unease would sometimes disrupt that childhood sense of comfort. I have memories of watching him wait for patients’ checks to arrive to the house so that he could pay our bills. I particularly remember having to come home five days early from a family camping trip because we ran out of spending money. While my father protected and provided for us, those small moments of unexpected pressure filled me with angst, worrying about the depth of his burden and what it could mean for our family.

I never had a grandiose plan to work in financial planning as a result of those childhood experiences. But I soon realized that this career allowed me to alleviate the unease I experienced as a kid. I could give the help and guidance that people like my father never sought. My goal became to ensure that every family I worked with would never face that insecurity. My dad never had anyone to help to align his life and wealth or achieve the comfort that I’m now dedicated to achieving for my clients.

He deserved that. We all do. For ourselves and for our families. And we don’t need to do it alone.