After 27 years with Thrivent, Martin Cole has learned that financial planning is rarely just about the numbers.
People want knowledge and experience, of course. But they also want someone they can call. Someone who knows their family, understands what they’re working toward, and will still be there as life changes.
“People really want someone they can connect with and trust,” Martin says. “Competence matters, but the relationship matters, too. Trust builds over time.”
That focus on relationships is also behind the latest evolution of Martin's Waconia-based practice. As longtime clients stay and new clients continue to come in, Martin realized he needed a larger team to provide the level of service he wanted. Advisors Nathan Perbix and Adrian Huang have recently joined the practice, bringing different experience, perspectives, and skills to the group.
“I want my clients to feel like it’s easy to do business with us,” Martin says. “Additional advisors allow us each to do our jobs better.”
Nathan brings extensive familiarity with Thrivent and the financial services business. After spending time at Thrivent’s home office and working with advisors in the field, he was drawn to the opportunity to work more directly with clients.
“What drew me to financial planning with Thrivent was the opportunity to serve clients holistically by understanding what matters most to them and providing personalized guidance throughout their journey,” Nathan says.
Adrian brings another perspective to the team, along with a connection to Martin that started close to home. Martin, a Luther College graduate, reached out to his alma mater while looking for students interested in financial services. Adrian's parents both work at Luther, and Adrian and Martin discovered they also shared roots in Decorah, Iowa.
An economics major with a minor in data analytics, Adrian first joined the practice last summer as an office assistant. He had also worked in a tax clinic, experiences that helped deepen his interest in personal finance and financial education.
“Financial anxiety is a common stressor in people’s lives, and I’ve become passionate about personal financial education after seeing the impact of intentional financial planning,” Adrian says. “I look up to Martin and admire the role he plays in the community. My goal is to serve clients and build relationships in the same way he does.”
Martin sees Adrian's analytical background as another asset for the growing practice, with opportunities to improve efficiencies, make better use of technology, and continue refining the client experience.
That mix of experience and perspectives matters because the financial questions clients bring through the door can vary dramatically depending on where they are in life.
For someone nearing retirement, the concern may be whether decades of saving will translate into sustainable income.
“People are taught to save for most of their lives,” Martin says. “Investing for income is different than investing for long-term growth.”
The questions become practical and deeply personal: Will my money last into my 80s? Will my income keep up with inflation? Can we buy the house we want and still retire comfortably?
Younger clients face a different set of pressures. With housing, everyday expenses, and other costs weighing heavily on young adults, Martin often hears another version of the question: What do I need to be doing now to be successful later?
The answers aren't necessarily the same from one household to the next.
“Everyone has their own money language,” Martin says.
For some families, talking about money comes naturally. For others, it can feel uncomfortable or even taboo. Often, a milestone finally starts the conversation: approaching retirement, sending a child to college, buying a home, or wondering how the family would manage if a primary earner became disabled. Martin describes financial planning as preparing not only for goals, but also for life’s “what ifs.”
Those conversations are one reason personal relationships remain so important to him. Most of Martin's clients live within about 25 miles of Waconia, but those relationships don’t necessarily end when someone moves away. He recalls one longtime client who moved to Virginia. Rather than hand off the relationship, Martin became licensed there so he could continue working with her.
That same emphasis on connection carries into the community. Referrals remain a primary source of new clients, and Martin has spent years involved locally through organizations such as the Waconia Chamber of Commerce and Rotary, along with sponsorships of community events.
As the practice enters its next chapter, Martin hopes the larger team can pair that personal approach with increasingly sophisticated planning.
Five years from now, he wants the team to be known for helping clients at every stage, from those beginning their careers to those already in retirement, understand what is possible and build a plan around their individual goals.
Even as the team grows, Martin wants clients to feel like the relationship itself remains just as personal.