Shakespeare Culture and Structure:

Celebrating 25 Years

Written By: Brittany Hintz

As we celebrate our 25^th anniversary, we reflect on what is important to our team and how we serve clients. On our windows and above our office door, you will see “Planning for Life – Providing Peace of Mind.” Why? Because people matter. This was the why of Kevin Reardon, CFP®, when he founded Shakespeare 25 years ago.

“Because People Matter” remains the guiding principle today for the team of nine who work to serve you through our strong values and company structure. The framework of our why is molded from the popular and proven business planning book, Traction, written by Gino Wickman. Our collaborative team culture, shared core values and the structured team meetings and committees we have in place implement this framework. A team built on the unique strengths of each individual with defined roles drives our planning and enables us to deliver the highest level of service to our clients.

As an operating manual, Traction consists of several components that help the entire Shakespeare team work towards a unified goal and vision. It gives us the language for effective communication and the tools to help execute our goals. One tool utilized is an annual meeting where your Shakespeare leadership team meets to discuss prior year metrics and goals. During this meeting, the team recommits to the vision and creates a list of goals for the upcoming year. The magic occurs throughout the following year as each goal on the list is assigned to a specific team member. Accomplishing these goals helps further our vision to best serve clients.

Shakespeare’s vision is grounded in our four core values, which guide our daily decisions. A video of these core values lives on our website and on our office wall. Our first core value is the belief that “relationships come first and foremost,” as these connections foster trust and motivate our actions. Because of the importance of maintaining relationships, our “Live the 3D’s” core value was developed: the idea to ‘Do your job’, ‘Do it well’ and ‘Do it now’. This ensures we always put clients first, act in their best interest, and respond promptly. Our responsiveness is partially driven by our next core value: “Team Shakespeare.” Our collaborative structure allows any advisor to answer a client call, plan a solution, and respond. Lastly, Shakespeare believes it is our responsibility to give back to our “Community,” and we live it through our involvement in non-profits, pro-bono initiatives, charitable contributions, and acts of service to those in need.  

Our team’s strength lies in our continuous collaboration, where we actively engage in planning discussions, investment reviews and business development. Our advisors meet regularly in a Planner Roundtable to discuss proposed rule changes that may impact taxes, estate planning or charitable giving. These meetings allow advisors to make proactive decisions and stay current on plan implementation.

In addition to the Planner Roundtable, the advisor team consistently holds Investment Committee meetings. This allows client portfolios to remain actively managed with ongoing oversight. With an agenda of reviewing and discussing Shakespeare’s investment philosophy and methodology, advisors talk through market changes and respond accordingly.

We also hold Marketing Committee meetings where we discuss content, webinars and client appreciation events. Because we have open communication for all aspects of the business, we’re able to offer cohesive, yet personalized, financial planning for each of our clients.

Our internal succession plan is built on Shakespeare’s “Because People Matter” principle. As of 2024, five team members are Shakespeare shareholders. This shared ownership enhances our team culture and long-term vision. An internal succession plan helps identify, develop and retain key employees while preserving the values, mission and culture originally cultivated by Kevin Reardon, CFP®, and the team. Shakespeare’s ownership structure allows us to forge long-term plans for clients and the company, knowing the current team of shareholders will be here to execute these plans. Clients can trust the level of service and relationships formed over the past 25 years will continue for decades to come.

In our ever-changing world, we aim to provide peace of mind, knowing our team will be here for you and your legacy. Because People Matter.