business continuity

The Last 30 Years and the Next 30 Years 
By Greg Leibman, Billy Garver, and Caitie Leibman

Friends, a lot of things can happen in three decades. In December 2024, our President Mark Leibman celebrated 30 years of affiliation with LPL Financial. There is a lot of work a person can do in that amount of time, and Mark has chosen to spend a lot of it with you and on this enterprise we now share.

He still intends to work until age 92, and he is energized by the work. Mark’s the founder and he’s still in it for the long haul.

So what’s our story, we “next generation” advisors? All three of us may very well have more years in this industry left ahead of us than there are behind us. It behooves us to remember the importance of the long view.

Thirty years. Something about it just sounded so lovely, it got stuck in our brains.

Back in December, we also celebrated our system of longevity discounts. This is one of the ways that we at 228 Main try to walk the walk: we reward the commitment it takes to become an effective investor, so the program includes fee reductions at certain milestones.

Clients get a fee reduction after 5 continuous years with us and then again at 15 continuous years. Beneficiaries or descendants who come on board with us may also take advantage of their forebears’ start date. In this sense, the longevity discount becomes a “legacy” discount.

But this stuff is all contagious, so we couldn’t help ourselves. We told Mark that we needed to add another level: why not include a 30-year discount? Can you imagine the joy of getting to tell a client of 30 years that you would like them to start paying you less? We could. We’re hungry for it.

And we wanted to give Mark this chance. Another excuse to celebrate some of his oldest friends? Yes, please. Why not?

This is what it’s all about. Growing the buckets. For the long haul. As a team. We’re trying to put our money where our mouth is—which is to say, we’re trying to put our policies where our values are.

Want to talk about this or anything else? Write or call, any time.

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The Last 30 Years and the Next 30 – 228Main.com Presents: The Best of Leibman Financial Services

This text can be found at https://www.228Main.com/.

Enduring Value

© Can Stock Photo / EpicStockMedia

We think a lot about how to make things last. It is a key concept for your assets, our relationships, and the securities in which we invest.

But our enterprise here at 228 Main has to endure so we may continue to be of service. We therefore work diligently on its sustainability.

Thinker Morgan Housel wrote about the sources of sustainability in business. Relative to the competition, these attributes provide an enduring competitive advantage:

1. Learn faster.

2. Empathize more with your customers.

3. Communicate more effectively.

4. Be more patient.

These things resonated with us because they represent much of what we strive for. Patience is a prerequisite of successful investing. It is free, but not easy to practice. It also is what lets us be content to work with you at your pace, on your schedule, since we are talking about your money.

You know by now how highly we value effective communication! Listening to you and talking to you in various ways is one of our three core activities. We put a lot of effort into it.

Empathy—understanding what you are going through, where you want to go—is perhaps the key to being able to meet your needs.

We are surprised at how much we are still learning after so many years of experience. In this rapidly changing world, continuous learning is required in order to be able to survive and thrive.

Clients, we are not claiming perfection in any of this. But we are mindful of the things we must do in order to be a reliable partner for you through the years. If you would like to talk about this or anything else, please email us or call.