Roughly 100 of our assets-under-management clients gathered for a wonderful evening of baseball memories, wine, good food, and a mercifully short talk by me. The event was a homerun. The biggest hit was the warm comradery among our clients who had a chance to meet each other and chat.

The Roberto Clemente Museum is a hidden gem nestled in Pittsburgh’s historic Lawrenceville neighborhood. It is a treasure trove of memorabilia celebrating the life and career of Roberto Clemente, one of the most impactful players in the history of baseball and an ambassador for humanitarian work. The museum houses a collection of items that tell the story of Clemente’s journey from Puerto Rico to baseball stardom, his commitment to philanthropy, and the legacy he left behind.

Our guests had a chance to explore this intimate space, guided by knowledgeable staff who shared stories and insights that added depth to Clemente’s inspiring life. From the feedback forms collected, our guests were delighted by the evening’s unique setting and its deep connection to Pittsburgh’s legacy. Many described the museum as a “great” venue, and one guest noted that they “didn’t even know that there was a Clemente Museum” and appreciated the opportunity to learn about a local legend.

The intimate setting made it feel like “walking through history,” and several attendees were particularly moved by the knowledgeable guides, who shared behind-the-scenes stories about Roberto Clemente’s life and humanitarian work.

One guest, while a lifelong Yankee fan, humorously admitted that “the game broke my heart,” acknowledging Clemente’s pivotal performances during the 1960 World Series. Another client captured the evening’s spirit by remarking that they “enjoyed the whole evening—food was delicious, and great friendship,” sentiments that seem to reflect the feelings of most attendees

A Successful Event

What gave me the most pleasure during the evening event was seeing my clients socializing and discovering shared interests. Before the event, I thought about what these folks might have in common besides at least a passing interest in baseball. I concluded that subject to exception, this crowd was a group of readers.

While only about 20% of Americans read for pleasure every day, would guess that among this group, most read for pleasure every day! I also knew that they would share a strong interest in family and a commitment to providing resources, time and money to ensure their family’s happiness and wellbeing.

But as I mingled with the company, it was catching snippets of conversations about everything from science to business to vacation destinations to fun local activities, that gave me the confidence to declare the evening a success even before I read the results of the survey that confirmed my thinking.

What Drew These People Together?

My method of attracting clients has always been about providing useful and meaningful information—usually totally free—whether that is through my books, newsletters, workshops, conversations in the office, or Zoom meetings.

Most of my clients probably first heard about me through a written communication, or from a friend who learned about me through the written word. As I mentioned, these are readers.

I don’t imagine many of them ever chose to attend a financial seminar that offered a free steak dinner. They were looking for meaningful information that offered enormous value for themselves and their family. Even if you look at the invitations to our workshops and webinars you will immediately know there will be a lot of “meat on the bone,” and I try my best to deliver.

Both of our two most recent 500+ page books had highly detailed—20 pages long—Table of Contents to make accessing relevant information easy and cover all the best of the information that I offer.

I have always had a detailed Table of Contents since my first book came out in 2006. As a result, I have been rewarded by attracting an amazing group of clients who recognize the value of solid, researched, and well-presented but also easily accessible information.

More Things in Common

I think I can safely say that among the invitees to the evening’s event, their biggest concern is not so much about acquiring more money for their own lifestyles—most have more than enough money to comfortably provide for themselves and their spouses. But they do want to feel confident that their financial future is safe and protected in the event of a market downturn, or high medical or care expenses down the road. Equally important to them was finding an advisor who could help them provide their extra financial resources for children and grandchildren now and through legacy planning. What they also got, perhaps unexpectedly, was advice on living well and how to enjoy their good fortune

Another common bond is that most of the people who attended the museum event have been clients for many years. Though I don’t have a current accounting, the last time we checked, we had a client retention rate of 97% for our assets-under-management clients. That is a ridiculously high retention rate in our industry!

A Final Unexpected Twist

We decided a survey-raffle—nobody had to buy a ticket, they just had to give us a bit of feedback on the event—would add to the evening’s fun. One of my friends made a beautiful quilt that some lucky winner would enjoy for many years.

For whatever reason, the event ended before we held the drawing for the raffle. So, with two team members present the day after the event, I drew the winning ticket. Now, that the winner was Doug Stark, might seem highly suspicious for two reasons...

First, Doug was the person who suggested this venue for our client appreciation event. When Erika introduced some of our team members, she thanked Doug for his suggestion and pointed him out to the crowd. In addition, Doug is a good friend of mine. But rest assured, Doug legitimately won the raffle, and he will shortly be receiving the beautiful quilt.

Making Memories

As I mentioned above, what some of my clients were perhaps not expecting from their financial advisor was little tidbits and advice on living well. During my short talk, I spoke about stepping outside your comfort zone—i.e., don’t worry about the money too much—to create experiences for you, your family, and friends.

I mentioned how my father stepped out of his comfort zone to blow off work to take my brother Jon, who was 9 years old at the time, out of school to attend the 7th game of the 1960 World Series. The Pirates were playing the heavily favored New York Yankees. Bill Mazeroski hit a home run in the 9th inning that even today stands out as one of my brothers’ most treasured memories. That memory, that connection, that win (on both counts) served a much greater purpose, creating a bond more valuable than any money in the bank or time spent at work or school.

Perhaps this makes you think of an event in your life that was like that, or if you are lucky, maybe more than one. Take a moment and think about one. Could you ever put a price on it? According to Meik Wiking (author of The Art of Making Memories), happy memories are essential to our mental health. They strengthen our sense of identity and purpose and bond our relationships. Happy memories are an important ingredient in present happiness.

In conclusion, I would like to say that the evening’s event at the Clemente Museum will remain a happy memory for me and hopefully the clients who attended.