Marguerita Cheng Talks Exchange, Accessible Advisory

Cheng shared her passion and commitment to giving ethical advice. “I believe at my core that everyone deserves competent, ethical financial advice." Cheng noted that the combination of being both passionate about something and committed is rare. Many lose their passion for the causes and ideas they are committed to, or might have a lot of passion for something but lack the ability to fully commit to it. 

She also shared, “Personal finance is just that — personal,” speaking to the level of care and empathy financial advisors need to possess for their clients. 

Her firm came about as she sought to better combine her passion and commitment for her clients. “Being independent allowed me flexibility to serve my higher purpose.”

There is more to being a financial planner than a portfolio. Looking at someone’s financial situation and story can be very revealing. It requires an exceptional degree of trust for clients to share that information. “People do business with those they like and trust,” Cheng said. “For someone to trust you, they have to feel like they are seen, heard, and respected.”

Building that sort of relationship requires a degree of emotional intelligence and work, especially when your advice could run counter to what a client wants to hear. “There are going to be times where you don’t see eye to eye with the clients, but there are respectful and empathetic ways in which you can deliver that message.”

Asked how she has worked to make financial planning more accessible to people traditionally left on the outside, Cheng said, “instead of imposing asset minimums or having one business model, I focus on financial planning.” In practice, this means she offers fee arrangements for some clients who have the propensity and desire to save but might not currently have a large portfolio.

Providing an example, Cheng described a client who came to her in their 30’s, whom she has been able to serve now for over 14 years. It would not have been possible had there been an imposed minimum to get started.

Cheng underscored the importance of continuing to learn new skills and accumulate knowledge to set yourself apart in a crowded field. Joining professional organizations is also useful. But Cheng’s big advice centered around taking opportunities. “Take the opportunity to attend industry events and professional conferences.”

The value of professional conferences is immense, according to Cheng. She acknowledged that it can be scary to go to one without knowing anyone there, but it’s worth that social discomfort for the upside. 

Discussing the ETF community, Cheng said, “ETFs truly democratize investment management.” As a consistently innovating product, Cheng joked that it would be impossible to go to conference like Exchange and not learn anything. “I find that incredibly valuable. To be able to take that knowledge back when I am working with clients — it’s priceless.”

You can register for Exchange here.

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