I love milestones, the markers in the road that remind you of how far you have traveled. Each one is a sign of the progress that we have made, the obstacles we have overcome, and the opportunity to start fresh in the next mile. As we pass the milestone of 2018 and into this new 2019 it is a perfect time to remember where we have been and chart where we are going.
2018 reminded us that markets do have risk and was a negative year for most markets. Nonetheless, I am proud of how we handled the volatility. Our focus on planning helped us remember the long term. Our diversification helped dampen the swings and our discipline helped to take advantage of down markets by buying into depressed positions.
Along the way Cedarstone Advisors continued to grow, achieving another record year and pushing past $124 million in assets under management. Cedarstone is now an SEC-registered firm with more than 160 clients in 11 states. Our team continued to grow too as we added John McMahon as a Client Services Associate.
In 2018 Hannah Boundy published “A Gal’s Guide to Finance”, a book written to help women find financial freedom and peace of mind. The feedback from the book has been tremendous and we are so proud of what she has accomplished. Check it out on Amazon.
We also continued many of the events that have become traditions in the Cedarstone family: The Investor Conference, Dodger Game, and Give back day. We enjoy being with our clients. I must admit, the Give Back Day is my favorite since I love working side by side with my clients and continue to be inspired by you all.
As we look toward 2019, we seek to continue to refine those things that make us great, setting standards for how our clients should be treated and continuing to refine our processes. There is a great track saying, if you don’t have the will to train then you don’t have the will to win. In the business world, I think that ‘training’ means focusing on the daily processes that result in clients receiving the service they deserve. Excellence doesn’t come just because we wish for it, but because we have put the work in day by day.
I hope that you all have an amazing 2019 and look forward to walking alongside you in your journey!
Warmly,
Steve Coker