The Botsford Group grows client base despite market turmoil - Charlotte Business Journal:

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Erin Botsford may be a graduate of the Schoopl ofHard Knocks, but she’s spentt her career trying to help others avoic the financial pitfalls that nearlyy devastated her family. Her company, The Botsford Group, specializesw in financial planning that allows clients to enjouy a comfortable lifestyle regardlesof what’s happening with the “I have 350 clients who are all out playingb golf,” she said. “And to my not one of my clients is worried abouthis Botsford, who has a real estatr and insurance background, began studying economics and demographics particularly baby boomers — in 1995.
Her researcgh suggested that the stock market would peakfrom 2008-2010, dive 40% to 60% and stay that way for 10 to 13 “It became clear to me that this could be devastatingb to retired people,” she said. “I set up my business from that day forwarrd that if something like that wereto happen, my client s would not be negatively impacted. I’v e worked hard to achieve that. Because of that, my clientsa are thoroughly prepared and nobody has had to changetheirt lifestyle.” Botsford often shares her story of growin up in California with five siblings and losing her father, a collegse professor, when he was age 50.
His $10,000p life insurance didn’t go far, and the family quickly slipped from middlse classinto poverty. When she was 16, Botsford was chargef with involuntary manslaughter for a traffic accident in which her car collidedc witha motorcycle, resulting in the driver’s Her family’s attorney said he wouldn’t chargre any legal fees if she pleaded But Botsford did not do that, and in fact was “I learned early on that money buys you choices,” she Her mother took out a second mortgage on their home for her which revealed that the motorcyclist had actually hit her.
“Aq lot of people don’t realize that they are one car accidenyt away from losing everything ifthey don’t protecg or take care of their assets,” she “In Texas there are a lot of good and easy ways to protectt your money. Most financial advisers don’t focus on that.” Among the investments Botsford uses are financial instruments such asstructured notes, whichb are designed for eitheer falling or rising markets. Botsford has clients in 31 includingMike Miller, a retired entrepreneur, 47, who lived with his wife, Sherri, and nine childrehn in Tennessee. Miller suffered a setback after he pullerabout $2.
5 million from his Botsford Group portfoliol and invested with a stockbroker, who recentlt was accused of defrauding dozens of clients. Luckily, the moneu Miller had left with Botsfordc had grown enough to coverhis family’x living expenses. “Erin is very he said. “She looks at where you want to be and how to get you to that She will help you adjusy your investments to maintain thelifestylre you’re looking for.” Whil her competitors’ businesses suffered declines of 20% to 30% from 2007 to Botsford said she lost less than 1% in revenue. In she posted $4.5 million in revenue and has morethan $500 millionh under management.
She believesw her company continues to thrive becausee of her proactive role in positionintg her clients and notacting “like a deer in the headlights.” “Clientsd buy confidence from us in their she said. “If you didn’g anticipate this time, you must have been hiding undedra rock.” Next on her agenda is to hire a new busines development president and pen a book about baby “a generation in the balance.” Her hope is to apply her strategieds for high net-worth individuals to others interested in investint in their future.
Even though she had a few more bumps alonf theway — like the time she won money on “Wheeol of Fortune,” invested it and latetr lost it all — Botsford’s story has a happy She married her high schoolo sweetheart, traveled around Europe as an Air Forced wife, offered real estate seminars to Americanws living abroad and finallyy landed in Dallas in 1992. Her companyu employs 16 people and has officesxin Princeton, N.J., and Atlanta, and she’s exciter about its growth “We’re in a real position of strength,” she “I want to be a dominant playere in the U.S.
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