OUR FIRM IN 2008
By Mark Little

My business aspiration is to help create a company that changes the financial services industry, and have fun doing it. I would like to build a team that is passionate about growing a business successful at helping clients focus on what matters by delegating their money to us. Gather a team that becomes an enjoyable business where the work is meaningful and fun. Establishing this company gives me a sense of personal security & peace of mind as well as a feeling of accomplishment that we've made a difference and succeeded in business. We can then all experience that contentment that comes from significant achievement and that enjoyment which comes from knowing that we had purpose and meaning in our lives.

In addition, our team has its sights on making a mark on the financial services industry leaving it better by constantly raising our own bar of standards. As a result, my aspiration is that our clients and our team members will each set an inspiring example of stewardship by amassing huge amounts of personal wealth which allows all of us to make a difference with those things that are most important to each of us.

My purpose is to see that every member of our team is driven to continually create & hone systems & processes focused on being accountable for "high-touch" proactive service helping each of our clients:

1. Make smart choices about their money in all areas,


2. Create the greatest probability that clients achieve their goals,


3. By being highly proactive in seeking ways to relieve them of the burdens of their money.

As a result of treating each client like royalty, our firm becomes known as the elite, first-rate... "Four Seasons Hotel" organization within the financial services industry by having a consistent process for delighting and "WOWing" each of our clients.

Our specific goal as a firm is to maintain a simple & elegant, highly profitable, business operation which simplifies our clients' lives. My vision is of a business with margins at 70%, is valued at over $80M. A firm with $2B under management (four times the current assets), valued at a multiple exceeding four, and ready to go public no later than December 31, 2008.

By helping establish this firm which creates an abundant life for those it touches, it helps me fulfill my life's mission of serving others by continually seeking ways for myself and others to grow.

2006 CHICAGO RACE TO 100

In support of this, I will devote my efforts in the year 2006 in the Chicago office managing the "2006 Chicago Race to 100" with the following objectives:

• Acquire 100 Ideal Clients by December 31, 2006


• Deliver on the promise to be our Ideal Clients' "Personal Chief Financial Officer" by offering Proactive Wealth Management through "The Ten Client Deliverables" in Chicago:

1. Annual update of Financial Road-map: Clarity about how values are connected to goals (Comprehensive planning).
2. Greatest Probability Strategy (GPS): simple chronological list of action steps required to implement the plan.
3. Progress Reports: Delivery of a quarterly progress report. A simple one-page summary of assets which is designed to show the progress made benchmarked against the goals set.
4. Wealth Management: Recommend how assets are allocated and give advice on how to best deploy or allocate those assets to create the highest probability of achieving the goals (including asset allocation & money management).
5. Income Tax Planning: During the last two months of each year we will complete a written income tax projection for that calendar year (to identify tax opportunities & eliminate surprises before year-end).
6. Income Tax Preparation: We will prepare the basic state & federal income tax returns.
7. Estate Planning: A guided process to be sure the estate plan is current and is designed to accomplish the result intended.
8. Goals: We contact proactively prior to every goal date to give the "game plan" for the accomplishment of each goal.
9. Cash & Debt Management: We are going to advise exactly how much cash reserves are needed and how to get it there. In addition, we are going to give specific advice on how to reduce and or eliminate debt on a schedule that makes sense.
10. Insurance Review: We are going to take a look at every type of insurance that exists in order to asses if it's needed and to recommend the right kinds and exact amounts necessary to ensure the safety of the plan.

• Capture $15M in additional assets from existing clients in the Chicago practice by March 31, 2006.

Time hands us many wonderful learning experiences, and I have benefited from more than a few. The reason I am passionate about helping business owners make smart choices about their money is that I have been faced with the need to separately care for each of my own aging parents. In doing so I continue to sucessfully navigate the emotional and financial complexities which come with caring for each of my parents with dignity while staying on-track with my own personal financial road-map.

Therefore... I created a Parent Caring team specifically to help our clients simplify and implement the complex framework of solutions I have discovered so our clients don't feel they are reinventing the wheel when faced with the need to care for an aging parent.

For the purposes of the "2006 Chicago Race to 100" an ideal client will look like this:

#1.) Niche

We work with adult children who are caring for an aging parent with combined asets exceeding $1M.

#2.) Ideal Client Profile

The Client we serve the best has the following qualities:

• THEY ARE CARING FOR A PARENT: We work only in the Chicago area with adult children who are financially, physically or emotionally caring for a parent.


• THEY ARE FINANCIAL DELEGATORS: Our community of clients is comprised entirely of financial delegators. They appreciate, and are willing to follow, the advice of an expert.


• THEY ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT GOALS: All of our clients are passionate about their desire to accomplish their goals. They realize that achieving those goals requires both money and planning.


• THEY ENJOY SIMPLICITY: Our clients enjoy the simplicity, freedom, and peace of mind that comes from having all their financial assets under the watchful eye of a single trusted advisor.


• THEY VALUE OUR WORK TOGETHER: Our community of clients is comfortable with our fee structure. We charge a percentage of assets under our management, according to our fee schedule, with a minimum fee of $10,000 per year.


• THEY FOCUS ON WHAT'S IMPORTANT: Our community of clients values our relationship. By delegating, they can focus their valuable time and energy on those things in life that are most important to them.


• THEY CAN HANDLE THE TRUTH: Our clients want to hear the truth from us regarding their financial situation...no matter what.

We work with a select few individuals who are caring for an aging parent in the Chicago area. Families we can add huge value to by helping them make smart choices about their money so they can spend more time doing what they love.

We work exclusively with the unique financial and intellectual as well as emotional needs of clients so they can,

• Guide meaningful "talks" within the family regarding dealing with unavoidable important subjects.
• Enjoy more time with each other, instead of spending their precious time "managing the situation"
• Coordinate the family finances in a way that helps our clients provide for their parent's necessary care while staying on-track with the adult child's financial road-map.
• Propose ways to deal with the emotional issues that works for everyone.

Our process is focused on helping our clients take-charge of the wealth-management process by first gaining insight into their priorities. It's all about the simplicity and clarity that comes from making the connection between your financial goals and what's truly important. Our guidance allows individuals caring for an aging parent to focus on cautiously but consistently moving toward their financial goals in order to experience the things that are most important to them in life.

#3.) Value Proposition

We have an organized process to help individuals make smart choices financially & emotionally as they care for an aging parent.

#4.) Elevator Speech

We serve as the Personal Chief Financial Officer simplifying the lives of a small group of individuals who are caring for their aging parents. We have passion about showing the families we work with how to make smart choices financially & emotionally as they confront the challenges of balancing the caring of a parent with managing the other things in their lives... including staying on-track with their own goals.

HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

Well, just like in building a house the first step is pouring the foundation... first we work together with the families to be sure their financial house is in good order to deal with the situation. Then we cycle through all the most important financial issues and create a plan which has the greatest probability you're going to accomplish all your personal financial goals in order to experience the things that are most important to you in life.

REALLY, HOW?

Initially we have a discussion to be sure there's a good fit; we only look for situations where we can have a huge impact. It all starts with a conversation we have with every individual caring for a parent about what's important about money to them. Is money important to you? Well (name), we have a couple of minutes here, do you want to walk through it briefly? What's important about money to you?

#5.) Call to Action

I don't know if there's a basis for doing business together or not, but it seems like the next logical step would be to consider doing a mutual discovery meeting to better understand what you're doing and what you feel you need as well as what we do well to determine if there might be a "fit" in working together. If there is, we can discuss it... if there's not, we might be in a good position to point you in the right direction.

Mark Little
Summit Wealth Management
888-467-8593