Brittany Taylor, CFP®

Principal, Senior Financial Advisor

As a Principal and Senior Financial Advisor with HBKS® Wealth Advisors, Brittany Taylor guides her clients in achieving their overall financial goals, by establishing and overseeing a plan of action that is specific to their unique economic and life situation. She does this through a holistic approach helping them to preserve and grow wealth and developing investment and wealth protection plans that help attain their families’ objectives. Her client base is characterized by mostly long-term collaborative relationships with individuals in or near retirement and their families. She serves clients in many states from her office in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Brittany started with the firm in 2001 and has helped many families and individuals through major life changing events, including the loss or disability of a loved one. She is able to help them navigate through these difficult times and provide guidance on how to move forward financially. Although these are unhappy occasions, Brittany stresses the importance of proper planning both preceding and following these inevitable events, in order for her clients’ wishes to be carried out. She is passionate about providing her clients with the highest level of coordinated service in a detailed and personal manner.

Brittany earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Management and Finance from Mercyhurst University. Her professional education includes the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER designation. She is a member of the United Way Young Leadership Society and the Holy Cross Church Finance Committee.

Why have you stayed at HBKS® as long as you have?

I started as an intern while in college and then transitioned to full-time upon graduation. I began as administrative assistant, then worked my way through my licenses. Frankly, I never thought I’d be a financial advisor – and if I wasn’t here, I probably wouldn’t. What spoke to me was how we work with clients, how everything we do is done in their best interests. That’s our process. I wouldn’t want it to be about selling. I’m just helping people plan for their future, whatever those goals are, solving problems for them.

Another reason I’m still here is that the people here are a caring group. They are moral and want to make the world a better place for their clients. You can really see it in how the firm supports us. Over the years, when employees have gone through tragic times, the company has stood behind them. That means a lot to me. The things that I really care about are the values of the firm. I tend to be a people pleaser, so I want to help my associates here and my clients, and that’s what excites me and why I love this company, because I don’t have to compromise my values. (Greg and Chris) Sorce took a pay cut to start this business, to build a firm around doing what is right for clients. They were on the leading edge of that; they had the foresight to know that this is how this business should be done.

How has your process changed due to new technology, etc.?

My relationships have gotten deeper because I have more time to spend with my clients. Our financial tools are so much more interactive than in the past, which allows me to work with my clients more closely. I’m kind of a geek, so I like working with the software, running different scenarios for them, and they can actually see how their decisions affect their retirement planning or planning for their kids. I’m able to solve more problems for my clients, have a deeper conversation with them and broaden what I do for them. We have a very powerful software platform that enables us to provide a much deeper level of service. Financial planning used to be stagnant. Now we update a client’s plan every time we meet, and they can see how they’re doing: here’s your return and what that means in terms of your goals. Some financial advisors fear that technology will replace them but it just helps us do more for our clients.

How has your experience outside the industry affected your role at firm?

As a client or customer myself, I buy a service because I don’t have the time or knowledge to do it myself. So for my clients, I like to do as much of the work as I can. For example, when there’s paperwork to complete, I’ll get with them in person or over the phone and work through it with them as opposed to just sending it to them to fill it out on their own. I like doing everything I can; I’ll go out of my way because I’ve experienced the frustration of not being helped as a customer. I don’t want my clients to experience those frustrations – not with me.

Sometimes my clients are faced with difficult issues, like losing a loved one and having to settle an estate, or working with a spouse of a client with dementia or Alzheimer’s. My work is to help them navigate through those hardships. It’s difficult because I get so attached to the people I work with. Working in the face of those tragedies is really hard.