"Let Go of The Vine!": Jeff Casey's Blueprint for Success

Join us for an exclusive conversation with Jeff Casey, the President of CG Financial Services, as he opens up about his professional journey and personal life. From his Michigan beginnings to steering a company that manages over $3.1 billion in assets, Jeff shares the delicate balance between his career milestones and family commitments. You'll hear about his daughters' impressive achievements in academics and athletics, his wife's upcoming retirement, and the crucial role of family support in his career. This touching narrative offers a window into the life of a dedicated leader and father.

Discover the transformative impact of the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) on CG Financial Services, spearheaded by Jeff and his team. Jeff discusses the hurdles and triumphs of adopting this new system, its focus on visibility, accountability, and aligning with company values. We also delve into the strategic expansions during the Great Recession, the mentorship of Tony Mazzali, and how these elements have been instrumental in guiding the company's growth. Gain insights into the balance of leadership styles and the importance of risk-taking and family support during times of change.

In this heartfelt episode, Jeff reflects on the pivotal moments that shaped his career, emphasizing the importance of delegating tasks and trusting his team. We explore the balance between providing positive reinforcement and delivering tough messages within the workplace, and Jeff's approach to empowering others through honest dialogue. As we wrap up, Jeff shares personal milestones and well-wishes, offering invaluable advice for anyone navigating transitions in their professional or personal life. Tune in for a wealth of wisdom and inspiration from a seasoned leader in the financial industry!

Please check out the amazing team at CG Financial below:

https://mycgfinancial.com/

Transcript

Financial Strategies With Jeff Casey

Speaker 1 0:00

Hello and welcome to the Bamboo Lab Podcast with your host, peak Performance Coach, brian Bosley. Are you stuck on the hamster wheel of life, spinning and spinning but not really moving forward? Are you ready to jump off and soar? Are you finally ready to sculpt your life? If so, you've landed in the right place. This podcast is created and broadcast just for you, all of you strivers, thrivers and survivors out there. If you'd like to learn more about Brian and the Bamboo Lab, feel free to reach out to explore your true peak level at wwwbamboolab3.com.

Speaker 2 0:43

Welcome everyone to this week's episode of the Bamboo Lab Podcast. I'm your guest, brian, and today we have a gentleman on that I've been so excited to talk to. I've actually thought about bringing him on over the past year. I finally reached out maybe three weeks ago and asked him Because for the past four and a half years I've had the privilege of working alongside of an amazing company and so amazing that my daughter now works there and I've worked with approximately 50 or 60 of their team members and today we have the president of that company on.

Speaker 2 1:16

That company is CG Financial Services and today we have Jeff Casey on and, as I said, jeff is the president of CG Financial and he's been in the financial industry now for more than 25 years. That's a long time in the financial industry. That's a quarter of a century of wisdom and experience. Cg Financial provides adaptive financial planning for individuals and businesses and right now they manage over $3.1 billion in assets. As a founding partner and senior financial advisor with CG, jeff has been a pillar in the company's foundation. He's specializing in areas of comprehensive wealth management, executive compensation and corporate retirement plans. Jeff works to build and implement business strategies across the four divisions of CG and those four divisions folks are individual wealth management, business services, cg advisory network and CG insurance. Jeff strives and he works hard trust me, I know to help his clients and employees reach their personal and financial goals. So today we're going to discuss how he does that. So Jeff Casey, my friend, welcome to the Bamboo Lab podcast.

Speaker 3 2:20

Well, Brian, I appreciate the introduction. I'm excited to be here with you today and appreciate the opportunity to spend the next hour or so with you.

Speaker 2 2:27

Yeah, we're going to have a good time and, folks, I want to go back because back in October 25th of 2022, we had the CEO of CG, tony Mazzalian, and he talked. His title is From a Box of Crayons to a Real CEO was the title of his podcast. So please, when you're done with listening to Jeff, shoot back to the October 22nd or 25th 2022 and listen to Tony. All right? So, jeff, I've gotten to know you over the past four and a half years. I know we've had some meetings, some phone calls and, of course, we keep in touch via text, but can you share a little bit more with me and with the Bamboo Pack?

Speaker 3 3:10

A little bit about yourself, where you're from, your family, where you grew up, whatever you'd like to share. Yeah, well, I guess there's a lot there, brian, so I'll try to. I'll try to not spend spend the entire time talking through it. But but I grew up. I'm a Michigander through and through. That's where I was born and raised. Obviously still work out of our home office in the Lansing area, which is in Williamston, but I grew up actually in Saginaw, michigan. Blessed to still have my mother and father living in Saginaw. I also have a sister who lives out in Littleton, colorado. She's actually a COO for an organization in mental health out in Colorado. So we stay in touch.

Speaker 3 3:42

I have two daughters. So I have my oldest, sophie, who's 20, going to turn 21 this fall. She's going to the University of Michigan. She's actually a pre-med student looking to get into the PA program. So she's really she's grown up. You know she's actually on her own now. We're really proud of the strides she's made and kind of where she's headed with her future.

Speaker 3 4:06

And then my second daughter, claire, who's actually 17 years old. She's a senior in high school, actually graduating. We've got her graduation party, just so be it, this Saturday. So we're going to be celebrating her graduation. She's actually heading to Georgia Southern University down near Savannah and we'll actually be playing Division I women's soccer down in Georgia. So as well as studying pre-med, she wants to go into sports medicine, actually be a physician. So she's got a plan, more so than when I went to college.

Speaker 3 4:37

I went to Michigan State University and graduated with a finance degree from the business school. Eli wrote college of business there at Michigan State. Proud to say I'm a Spartan through and through. But my youngest has already told me she wants to graduate in three years. She's got credits coming in. She wants to take a letter loader senior year, get ready to take her MCAT and still be able to finish out her senior year at soccer and then head to med school.

Speaker 3 5:04

So a tribute to her mom, my wife Susan, who is actually a schoolteacher, and she she's taught 26 years in Okemos public schools and she'll be retiring this fall. She's got her 30 for buying five years in, so she'll actually she'll actually be retiring this fall. She's extremely excited about that. I'm excited because through the years, um, you know, a lot of our travel has been around the school schedule, being having kids, my wife's. Whether it's spring break, um, you know, christmas time, uh, you know, for her being retired now I travel for work, she'll have the opportunity to be able to spend some time with me on the road, see different places.

Speaker 3 5:46

So a lot of stuff going on in our family life in transition. But you know, coming from Saginaw, it's, you know, came from a blue collar background. My father was a General Motors employee, which eventually became Delphi Automotive. My mother worked in a hospital, covenant, one of the larger hospitals in Saginaw. So a lot of great roots, good family, tight family. We're also close with my wife's side of the family. So that gives you at least a little history about myself, where I'm from and the family around me.

Speaker 2 6:18

So now with Sophie at U of M, are you a house divided? How does that look like on those October days?

Speaker 3 6:24

Saturdays yeah, that's a great question. So, being in diehard Spartan as I was, I never was a hater of the maize and blue. My wife actually went to school at the University of Michigan, so we started dating our freshman year. The end of our freshman year we had a friend that dated and we kind of got uh got together and so we spent kind of back and forth the last three years of school. So I spent a fair amount of time on both campuses. But when the two go head to head I'm a Spartan and actually you know, my wife, not having been a big sports advocate, uh, living in the Lansing area, has become more of a Spartan fan through the years, even though she still has her beloved Wolverines there.

Speaker 2 7:04

Jeff last. Well, the Thursday before the Michigan-Michigan State game this year, which obviously was held in East Lansing, my girlfriend and I went to. In her family they're all diehard Michigan State fans. Her son and daughter went to Michigan State and her son and, yeah, son-in-law, anyway, I think her son went there too. I'm pretty sure he did. But anyway, um, they're diehard. I mean season ticket holders, all this.

Speaker 2 7:28

So we went to the um, the ronald mcdonald house. It was called the house divided or something. It's a. It's a. It's a uh uh charity organization where you pay so much for tickets and you go in there and the money goes to the ronald mcdonald house. And they had, they had Spartan players there, ex-spartan players, they had ex-Michigan players there, and I forgot all the ones I met. I'm trying to get a couple on the show. Anyway, we went in there and I think there were probably 50 people there in the event. There was food and drinks and everything, and the players got up and spoke about their involvement with the Ronald McDonald House and I bet there were five Michigan fans there. And they call me a Walmart Wolverine Her family does because I went to Central Michigan, so I had all my Michigan gear on, you know, and I ended up taking my tag, my name card, that I carry around in my briefcase just in case I have to give a speech.

Speaker 2 8:28

It just says Brian Bosley, speaker, and I turned it around. On the backside I wrote proud to be a Michigan or a Walmart Wolverine. So when I walked in and they all read it and like no damn it, we can't tease you now, cause you owned it I'm like no, but you know, sparty was there and Sparty came up to me and he grabbed my Michigan hat and threw it across the room. Then I went and got it. We posed, with each of us looking at it like we're going to punch each other, and I met some of the. Those players were some of the nicest guys I've ever met in my life. On both sides we had such a good time. The Michigan State players that were there were so happy to shake hands with the Michigan Wolverine fan and to thank us for coming out Next year. This was the first event year. They're doing the same event but they're going to swap, so next year it'll be at in ann arbor, so really cool event but yeah, that's great.

Speaker 3 9:08

That's great. I think, as you've, as you've seen over the years with michigan michigan state, we all have to live together, so we spend a lot of time around each other outside of you know the events that trigger the, the rivalry, so while that day we tend to be at odds with each other, I think everybody knows we have to coexist and get along. So there's a lot, of, a lot of bets around having to wear the other's gear and other things that are fun for the rivalry and, and you know, that's what makes it so great.

Speaker 2 9:34

Yeah, and those guys up on the panel, the different players they were, they were really good friends. It was TJ, tj Duckett, tj Duckett, braylon Edwards were the two main guys there that were. They became really close friends, yeah, well, good. So growing up then, I mean, obviously you've done very well for yourself professionally. You've raised you and your wife Susan have raised two amazing daughters who are going on to do great things. What inspired you as a kid Like? Was there a moment, a person, a book or an event?

Speaker 3 10:06

You know, in really reflecting as they always say, knowing what you know. Now it's easier to reflect back and look at a lot of the moments you've been through and people that have inspired you. And I've been fortunate to have a great family. I've been around family. I could look at both my parents and I could talk to you for an hour on either one, you know. But today I'll spend a little time just talking about my mom because I think when I look back some of not only what she's done for me, my sister, my father, some of the adversity she's had to deal with things that I see her career and then looking back at some of now articles she's had to deal with things that I see Her career and then looking back at some of now articles that are being written about her. I think you know she, you'd think you know you look at the nursing industry and you look at the people that work in the and now looking at my daughters who are looking to get into the medical field. You know I look back now when I was a kid and I was being raised and having a mother that worked outside the home, right that she had a career in nursing that was full time, it wasn't anything where she went in part time and then you know, us kids went off. I mean she was raising kids. She was working a full time schedule. In that field it takes such a you have such an impact on the people that they're working with and taking care of. And she started when I was a kid and worked in, uh, the pediatrics intensive care unit. So you know, growing up watching her actually have to be around kids going through difficult times, a motorcycle at the, you know accident with a parent, you know people, kids actually on their deathbeds or recovering from major impacts, you know, seeing her go through that for her first 10 to 15 years in that career. It was wearing on her and at the same time she was having to, you know, raise two kids of her own right, provide for a family. So when I look back on that, that, I mean I recall one of the kids his name was punky. She actually worked in that intensive care unit with the kid for six or seven years I mean. So he became almost someone in the family that you knew, because every day outside she almost spent more time with him than she did with her own kids having to do that. So I look at how selfless she was in that career.

Speaker 3 12:28

She eventually then, after a 12 or 15 year period, went into nurse management, which was then totally different out of patient care to now managing managing actual um, you know, staff and people and filling roles people that don't show for work and you know, I think she went through that period and you saw the difficulty and how it impacted her having to go through that. It was different, finding stuff that she didn't really enjoy doing as much, and eventually went back to the patient care side of it, back into actual nursing, and then she finally ended her career. Um, you know, some may know she actually put in what are called permanent pick lines so they're ivs, permanent permanent lines that people need ongoing to put in a port, so forth, and she was extremely good at doing it for infants, which is pretty amazing to me, you know, being able to find the veins in those infants to be able to put those, uh, put those in and have those permanent ports in there. So seeing her evolve through that. But what I also saw is when she went through some of those difficult times.

Speaker 3 13:28

Um, you know, and I even asked my mom, or you know, she hasn't approved me to talk about this, but I think we're far enough down the road that my mom actually, for a period of time, suffered from being an alcoholic and so, um, she went through a period of time and I remember, when I was about 10 or 12 years old, seeing her go through that period, seeing my dad go through that supporting her, my sister and I being young.

Speaker 3 13:54

The amazing thing about it is, at that age she went through the process to get better and since that point she hasn't had a drink in her life. Get better and since that point she hasn't had a drink in her life. So, you know, I look at all the responsibility that she had, all that she provided for the family, and then to go through her own difficulties, deal with them. That's, you know, I look at, I look at that, and anytime I'm going through a difficult period, you can kind of reflect and say, well, you know what I mean. I look at what I've got, I look at what she's been through. That's something you can draw on and always look to get better, right? So I think when you, when you look at, you know something like that. I think that resonates with me, as you know, some of the things that really impacted where I'm at today.

Speaker 2 14:39

Wow, your mom sounds like an incredibly strong woman.

Speaker 2 14:46

Isn't it amazing how incredibly strong women oftentimes create incredibly strong boys, yeah, and girls too, and women and dads do the same thing, but especially when she was carrying two, it's such a difficult career choice. I mean to deal with children who are sick or dying. I mean, whoa, I always think being a teacher would be hard, or even running a daycare, because being around kids for me for too long at least too many of them is really challenging. I can't imagine at all being around sick or dying children. I, I there's, I don't have that kind of strength.

Speaker 3 15:18

Yeah.

Speaker 2 15:19

I just don't.

Speaker 3 15:19

Yeah, it's, it's amazing and I, I, you know recently what kind of prompted this. So I received from a friend of mine, I got a copy of an article and the current CEO of Covenant Hospitals, which is the main hospital in the Saginaw area, was someone that my mom hired and trained back when she was a nurse manager and she wrote she wrote a long article thanking two people, one of which was my mom, and telling the story behind her history and where she came from. So you, you look at that and it's not only impacts on my life, but I look at how many people she's impacted throughout the course of time and it it kind of tells you maybe how, how you were raised and what those attributes that you have today that you've been able to pick up as a result of those experiences no-transcript.

Speaker 3 16:14

Well, thanks, I appreciate that I'm not kidding.

Speaker 2 16:17

Well, let's just shout out to your mom right here. That was wonderful. That was one of the best who inspired you stories I've heard.

Speaker 3 16:25

Well, it's definitely inspiring, and I think too often we don't reflect and look at those things, and so I appreciate you having me in this environment to be able to reflect and look at some of those successes that have really made me into what I am today.

Speaker 2 16:41

Well, I like what you said best because you said I can draw on that strength. I mean, we have heroes in our lives and heroines in our lives or inspirations, but how often do we stop during difficult times and draw on the strength that we observed and witnessed and experienced by being a child of a person like your mother? I mean, that's awesome stuff, brother. Thank you for sharing that.

Speaker 1 17:05

Yep.

Speaker 2 17:06

Jeff, what do you think has been one of the greatest learnings you've had in the past 12 months? Or just to pick a time frame of any type?

Speaker 3 17:15

Yeah, so I would say so, brian. I know we've had a number of conversations around this. I think, if I keep it more in line with the last 12 to 24 months, we've gone through a number of shifts and changes in the last several years but most notably, we've adopted a business operating system. Some of the listeners may have heard of it, but it's called entrepreneurial operating system and I think, when I look at it, when I look back on this, while my title at CG Financial is president, I'm also the integrator of this system, and what's been extremely exciting and challenging at the same time is, while going through this change, starting to really build out document, when you start to look at the vision, where the company's headed, the accountability of people within the organization and making sure we focus on the right people in the right seats, our core values as an organization and what we focus on with all the individuals within the company.

Speaker 3 18:20

We've spent a lot of time at the leadership team level of adopting this new system to create greater visibility across the organization, to have a real system that everybody can see where the company's headed, how the performance of the company is doing, and begin to draw real, clear lines on the accountability and roles of each person in the organization so that we can go slower, to go faster, so to speak, and really adopt that growth mindset and make sure that, as issues arise, what the system really allows you to do by formatting it this way is find the issues quicker, be able to identify those, discuss them within the departments and the places that they're in, and then solve real issues and make sure, as an organization, all of our people are getting better at identifying those issues earlier so we can root those out, identify whether it's related to people, whether it's related to process, whether it's related to systems, and for us to really get our focus in on what we do best, which is helping people achieve their lifelong goals.

Speaker 3 19:26

Right, whether it's the clients we serve, whether it's the employees we work with, whether it's the vendors, whether it's our centers of influence around the community, whether it's other communities and organizations that we support, I think when we look at people, it's all of those, and I can't. I say that over and over in the department meetings that I talk to our people about, because I think we, as a community of our own, need to adopt those principles and make sure we're all on the same page and we're all going in the same direction. And so I think, while it's been challenging, think it's also it's regained the culture and and the traction we've needed internally to really get people excited again about what we do and look, reflect on the change and look at how the change is ultimately good for where we're going. But it's been tough, not enough. Nonetheless, you have to look back and recognize the difficulties you go through, because by doing that then you can really set the parameters for where you're headed no-transcript far the best thing I've ever seen.

Speaker 2 21:06

When I was sitting there that first meeting and going through that big binder, when the facilitator was talking, I thought who created this stuff? This is amazing and what I think. You know. Your company, cg, as you know, has not been afraid to implement changes. You guys, there were times I'm like what? What are you changing and what I think it's now.

Speaker 2 21:30

And you know, when you're doing that, people get confused because you know they all do. We get confused when there's a change, we get scared of change, we get scared of growth and it seems like now all those pieces are all coming together and and like I share with you I'm it seems like the culture at cg is doing so well right now and and I share this with a lot of people I've I always say I've got this group of people, I know this company that they grow at a rate like I've never seen and the growth is kind of focused on three things. This is how I picture CG growth for the client, growth for the employees, growth for the company and every. You know, not everything you've done has worked and that's just. That's just what happens. But when you try a lot of things, you're going to find the things that work. If you sit on your ass and try to make and keep everything as status quo, you are going to be. You're going to go the way of the buggy whip in the industry and you guys are always staying fresh and always moving the chains down the field, and I think that's one of the most impressive things I've seen about CG. Even if I've been confused at times, I've been always been impressed.

Speaker 2 22:35

And now it seems like everybody's like wow, now we get it, this is making sense Now. We went all through all that change and all those improvements. We didn't know what we did because there were so many going on at one time. You know, and you guys, you stuck your necks out there. You guys did man. There was no incremental changes. There was like we're changing this, we're changing this, we're improving this and you know what? You've got a good team of people to implement it. Now.

Speaker 3 23:03

Yeah, we're very fortunate. I mean, I'll say this We've got a lot of great people here at CG. You know there are a number of organizations who don't have a visionary the caliber of Tony Mazzelli, who's constantly flowing with ideas. He stays at the cutting edge and I think the balance is look, we've been through a major strategic change.

Speaker 3 23:23

Now to your point where there was a lot of change, and I think now what we've really looked at now, with the system in place, with the direction and the strategy in line, now we can focus more on those smaller changes that continue to improve the direction we've set. And so sometimes, when you're in the middle of that major strategic change, you think it's never going to end, and I think that's that was the challenge as we went through that period. But now what we're starting to see is we ripped the bandaid off, we set the strategy, we feel we're in the right place to where we need to go, and now it's. Now it's these minor changes to, to, to incrementally continue to improve the efficiency of what we're doing and how we help, help people moving forward.

Speaker 2 24:04

The thing is I, when I think about CG, it's always fresh. There's, you know, ideas come. Some get implemented, some don't, but there's always, there are always new ideas coming into the firm and then you know it's obviously you, it's obviously Tony, it's your senior management, I think it's right down to the newest person that comes aboard. You guys are hiring on a consistent basis, you know, bringing the right person, putting them in the right place. And I can say this, and I would say, and I've coached I don't know how many financial planning firms or financial firms overall in the last 20, almost 28 years now. There are two to three that I think would be the only ones I would ever consider working for if I wanted to go back in the industry CG Financial, Ameriprise and Corhorn Financial as well, which is a firm about the size of CG and by far out of the probably 30 different firms, different firms I've coached and, of course, different teams within those firms, and I mean, and I think for you guys, it's because there's always something cool happening and it's always focused on improvement.

Speaker 2 25:02

It's not just try it to try it, let's try it, let's make sure if there's a viable option here, the viable chance that it's going to succeed and make the firm a better place for the clients as well as for the employees. And then you try it. There's like you don't wait around too long, Just you know, wait for the perfect opportunity. You try things and that's how people grow, and I wish more companies and people did that, Not even companies.

Speaker 3 25:28

I wish more people did that. I mean no-transcript that we can look at, you know, adequately determine whether that's a good fit, not a good fit. Not all of them can we adopt, but we try to take the best ones and implement as we can.

Speaker 2 25:58

Well, plus, I let my daughter work for you, with you guys.

Speaker 3 26:03

And I must say Ashley has been a great addition to the team. We're happy. We're happy to have her and she's on a great path for her future.

Speaker 2 26:10

She loves it there. I remember when Tony called me a couple of years ago I don't know what the timeframe was now, I don't know how long she's been there now a couple of years and he said, hey, we're looking to bring on a financial advisor in the Marquette area of UP. And I said, okay, so ask your daughter if she knows anybody. Of course, ashley was with another firm at the time and I told her and I think it was like four days later she called me. She goes hey, I might, it's fast pace there. I would say grit is a gritty culture, like you guys. Just, you guys go for things. I said, so, here's Tony's number. And I think she called Tony and they talked and they met and you know, two years later, here's here we are. So yeah, I'm, I'm really glad she called me that day. I really am Wasn't even my recommendation.

Speaker 3 26:53

Yeah, we're. We're glad to have her as well.

Speaker 2 26:56

Jeff, now what would you say if you look at your career, 25 plus years? What has been a learning, what's something you've?

Leadership Styles and Overcoming Challenges

Speaker 3 27:07

learned in the second half of your career that you might not have known in the first half? Oh, that's a great question. That's a great question, you know. I think I'll kind of speak to an experience I had kind of in the middle of that. And you know, we as you, as you probably know, Brian around the 2008, 2009, 2010 period, Michigan was going through difficult times. We had the Great Recession that we went through.

Speaker 3 27:33

At that period in time, we had really those several years, started to connect with another firm down in the Southeast and so with that, we started to build some relationships. You know, Tony and I and some of the other leadership team had discussed the idea of expanding and having some offices down in the Southeast corridor, and today, obviously, we have offices in North Carolina, both Wilmington and Charlotte and I think you know I look back and so at that time, we made an acquisition in Charlotte, North Carolina, and we worked with a woman by the name of Rebecca Keenan who actually ran an estate planning firm. It was a prepaid legal and she also was in the financial advising business, and so at that time, right, Tony and I had gone down, spent a lot of time getting to know her, seeing if it was a good fit and we decided that we wanted to take the plunge. We thought Charlotte was a great growing area and so we decided to move into the Charlotte area, open an office partner with Becky and kind of move down the path of growing that office. And I look back at that now and I remember conversations Tony and I had because it was going to involve he or I's heavily involvement in the transition of that business and spending a lot of time down there. And I look at it and I had to have discussions with my family involved my family, because I had two young daughters at the time. My wife was teaching, we were raising kids and I was I was the one who really needed to spend that time. So I traveled down to that Charlotte location for a couple years every other week, five days a week, you know, spending the time getting to know the clients, transitioning. I was really heavily into the practice at that time and we had great success. It was exciting and we had great success. It was exciting and we had a couple of younger people within the organization that needed opportunity.

Speaker 3 29:23

Michigan was struggling at the time. We felt it was a good diversification even though we were still, you know, Michigan being our primary location. We thought it was a great opportunity and I remember having discussions back at that time both with Tony, my wife, about creating opportunities for others and, at that time, both with Tony, my wife, about creating opportunities for others and spending that time and, though it was difficult, being away from the kids, taking risk in order to grow and create opportunities for others. So I look at those uh things that happened throughout the course of that transition and my involvement even though my involvement down there uh uh trended downwards from the time constraint, I was still heavily involved in that business. Um, it was exciting to see the growth and the thriving for people within the business, that opportunities were created. Um, it helped us grow as an organization and you know what, my family supported me throughout that.

Speaker 3 30:14

So I guess when I look at the learnings of that and we talk about growing and change and those things that happen, it doesn't mean that every time you have to say yes to everything that's there.

Speaker 3 30:24

But I think when you look at things and you can look back and say you know, what did I learn from that? I, you know, I look at how I impact people, whether it's my family, the people I work with, people outside of that. I think, all taking all those things into account, you can reflect and say that's an experience I had. That was a very difficult decision. It was the right decision, as I look back, but it could have very easily not worked out the same way without going into it with full intent, with the mindset that you're going to make it succeed, and then having the people around you that are willing to step in and do the work and get it there. And so I guess you know I don't know that that directly answers your question but I think at least I can reflect on something in the latter half of my career, kind of in the midpoint, that I can take as a learning and helps me with decisions as we move forward and talk about things like that.

Speaker 2 31:17

I mean it answers the question directly. I mean that was you know. It's interesting, you know, getting to know you over the past four years or so and having known Tony for 30 plus years, it's so interesting to watch how very few companies implement this. You guys have very different leadership styles and I love the visionary integrator process. Eos kind of really helps to separate, put those aside or to kind of differentiate those styles of leadership, and I see so many companies where the leader is the CEO and president, or whatever the titles might be, are so similar.

Speaker 2 31:51

You guys have a lot of similarities but the style of the way you lead is different and that is such a strength in a company. And I, you know, I tell people you can't have two drivers or two expressives, or look at the disc profile. You can't have two D's or two I's or two S's or two C's in the same level running a company. It's like you can't have two people in a marriage who are her personalities are the same or a very. You have to have that differentiation and how do you feel that? That's? That's what's kind of working right now, as CG is really kind of coming into that next stage.

Speaker 3 32:24

Yeah, I totally agree with you.

Speaker 3 32:26

I mean, I reflect back on.

Speaker 3 32:28

I don't know if you've read the book Rocket Fuel, but it you know it talks a little bit about that.

Speaker 3 32:35

Right, when you look at visionary integrator, which you look at Tony's and I's personalities, and when I read the book I mean it was almost you could just see you could just put one of us in each one of those seats as you're reading through it, and so I think to your point, I think it creates that balance because I think the necessity of the visionary and keeping you on the cutting edge, keeping you competitive, always staying on top of all the things that we've talked about today, but then there's also the implementation and you have to have that back and forth to be able to push and pull with each other. And I think Tony and I have developed not only a close friendship but a respect for each other and I think over that course of time that's what's worked so well. And it's not always perfect. I mean, believe me, there's difficulties and things and difficult conversations we have to have, but I think striking that balance definitely is an advantage we've had through the years. That's worked extremely well for us.

Speaker 2 33:29

Well, I think the only time it's ever perfect or without flaws, when you're not trying to grow or change, you can just sit in that status quo and be comfortable in lukewarm water the rest of your life where you can get out there in the ice, cold water, and that's when things get difficult.

Speaker 2 33:40

But that's how you grow. So it's obviously. I can see it from my level of working with people from the outside your team members. I can see how it's really worked so well over the past year and a half or two years of things We've just started to. You just sense it. They're just coming together so much more to that next level for the company. It's great to see I'm glad I'm a part of it I like when you guys renew the contract every six months. So, jeff, here's a question that it's one of the more difficult questions for some people to answer on here, but it does get a good sense of kind of connects you with, with the listener out there, and that is what is the most, one of the most difficult things or most challenging things you've ever gone through in your life.

Career Decisions and Mentorship

Speaker 3 34:29

And then how did you overcome it? Yeah, that's a that's a great question. So you're not necessarily asking personal or business here, you're just talking about one of the most difficult things in general. Yeah, either way, either one, carolina, but I'll, maybe early in my career or very early on in my career. So, um, tony and I met each other very long so speaking to American express financial advisors or Ameriprise and, and um I worked at another group thereafter.

Speaker 3 35:04

Um, tony and I got to meet each other early in our career and he he's a few years older than me, so had had success early in his career actually became a mentor of mine. But I can remember early on what we were, um, we were at uh after leaving Ameriprise financial services and we had worked for a company called Ants Financial. That um, I got to know him really well and um, at that time I spent a lot of time late evenings listening, learning from Tony, you know, really absorbing information. And there was a point when Tony had decided that he wanted to go out on his own and you know, at that point was very early in my career, but we had kind of bonded and connected and I remember back because he and I played racquetball. So he and I were very competitive. We played golf against each other. We used to play racquetball until our joints and bones got old and we started getting injured because of our competitive spirit. But I remember specifically at a young age, we were in a racquetball court and that was the point when Tony let me know he had made a decision that he was ready to change and he had asked me to go with him. And uh, I look back to that moment, I was very young, uh, making that decision at that time, which doesn't sound like a big decision for a young person, that's, you know, on their own, doesn't have a family to support or anything at that time. But you know, basically we were leaving a secure environment that we worked within, you know, training, having the opportunity to go with nothing and start from scratch.

Speaker 3 36:43

And you know I went to my dad and had that discussion. So here's, here's where the respect I have for my father. You know, at the time when I had this discussion with him, I said to him I said I have from my father. You know, at the time when I had this discussion with him, I said to him I said what should I do, dad? And he looked at me and he says you know, jeff, he goes. I've worked for the same company for 30, 35, 30 years and I don't think I'm the qualified person to answer that question for you. He says you need to. You need to look at that for yourself and really look at what your gut is telling you, what you need to do. And so at that time I took it back and, obviously, being where I'm at today, I made the decision and told Tony that I was going to go with him.

Speaker 3 37:24

And I look back and reflect and I could say to myself how much different would my life have been had I not made that call at that time, have been, had I not made that call at that time?

Speaker 3 37:36

And for my father, who had been with a company for 30 years, to, you know, not steer me in a direction to go one way or the other, but actually let me make the call tells you a lot about my upbringing. You know to people how they allowed me the flexibility to make decisions on my own. I think that attributes to the entrepreneurial spirit and when you come from a family that that's all they knew and that was the culture at the time and, coming from that generation, that changed some things. So I guess that's a moment that changed the ultimate direction of where my life and direction went from a career perspective, and I think it was a big one. I look back and I wouldn't have changed that decision for a minute and uh, and there's several factors that came into play tony, creating the opportunity, the support from the family of of helping me, you know, make the decision on my own that I had to live with, and then now looking forward and seeing what, what fruits have come from that that's pretty exciting, that's how old were you then?

Speaker 2 38:33

What were you?

Speaker 3 38:35

Uh, so that would be. I was about 22, 23 years old.

Speaker 2 38:39

Wow, you were really young. Yup, that's a massive change at a young age. Yup, so were you at Ameriprise and then went to Hans, or did you start off at Hans financial?

Speaker 3 38:50

I started at Ameriprise. That's where I began some of the training and then went to Hans Financial.

Speaker 2 38:55

So what year did you start at Ameriprise?

Speaker 3 38:58

It would have been 1997.

Speaker 2 39:00

Oh, okay, that was a year after I left. I think I left November 19, 1996 to start coaching. Huh, I just drove. I went down two Saturdays to watch the Grand Rapids Tidal Waves play the Detroit Venom in its women's full pad, full tackle football. They have a spring season. I went down there and watched them play. It was two Saturdays ago. We drove by the Hans Bank and the Hans headquarters down there.

Speaker 3 39:27

Yeah, yeah, I'm what do you think life? I mean, do you ever think you don't have to say it now but do you ever contemplate what life would be for you right now if you had not gone, if you would have stayed at Hans Financial? Yeah, you know, I don't even think about that. To be honest with you, it's one of those where you've made the decision, you move forward and you think back to ifs, but never, really never, do I spend enough time to really reflect and think of where I'd be, because you never know, I mean, you could have a lot of the same successes you might not have. It might be in a different career. There's so many different directions that that could have gone had I not made that call.

Speaker 2 40:07

Well, I did the same thing. I left, uh, hans, when I was 29 years old. Um, of course, he was in the group vice president or regional vice president at the time for ameriprise and uh, much props to hance. I mean, actually, is I left the company for a lot of his firm, his, uh, I left his, his, his employee, not, I didn't really feel like I ever left ameriprise but, um, I left the. I left the company, um, and john, I should say uh, for specific reasons, but I got to give props to that guy.

Speaker 2 40:35

That guy taught me, he set me on the path to where I am today. He really did, yeah, he did, and I think I think Tony would say the same thing he, that was one of the greatest experiences I have ever had as a professional. Had I not gone to work for him and have the opportunity to live five houses down from him for a year and be, you know, taught, trained by him, mentored by him and led by him? That just set me in the path. You know, it pushed my. It pushed me offshore. I guess is what it did and got me out into the deep, the deep waters.

Speaker 3 41:07

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 41:08

No, when I left, though and I and I think I've shared this many times on air here, but I left at 29. And, of course, when I left, I lost really all of my friends, other than Tony and John Pitts, another guy that I worked with I stayed in touch with, but, you know, because all our friends were with the company, because you were working 70, 80 hours a week, you know, and you were there, that was your family outside of your, your familial family, and, uh, I remember living in this shack in Pinckney, michigan, where I didn't have a phone. So I started my company literally the next day, and I got a client within a week which was grateful, very grateful, but wasn't paying much, and I you would call me if you were a prospect or a client, my buzzer would go off. My little pager, I'm sorry. I would go down to the corner store and get on a pay phone, cause I had, I had calling cards that I got for Christmas or something that year, and um, and I would call the client and prospect back.

Speaker 2 42:03

And I remember one day watching my car get towed, um or no, I, I, I didn't. It didn't get towed, I, it was a sob 900. I was driving and I couldn't afford the last payments. Jeff and I owed like not a thousand or $1,100 on it and I had to drive it to the dealership and walk back to my apartment. This was before I moved to the shack and literally at one point I didn't have a car. So my first client that I got was an amazing man out of. He was an architect out of Ann Arbor and he would let me borrow his 16-year-old daughter's car for me to drive around and see other clients and try to get clients. I mean, that's how bad it was. So there were times at that time during that first year I thought, gosh, did I make the right choice? But after that I'd never look back either, just like you. I don't even contemplate it.

Speaker 3 42:49

Yeah, that's great.

Speaker 2 42:50

Jeff, right now, at your stage in life, with the family and the professional life going so well, what would you consider to be a victory or a win for you?

Speaker 3 43:02

Well, I think, the biggest wins to me.

Speaker 3 43:05

I'm a very relationship-oriented person, so to me, I think having good relationships with all the people you come in intact with is extremely important into how you maximize the growth and where you're trying to go as a person All the people that I work with within our organization, even outside our organization, being able to make an impact on where they're headed with their careers.

Speaker 3 43:48

I think I look at that and those are the things that I measure, as am I having success in the actions and the intentions of what our core values and what we believe in trying to help those people achieve lifelong goals. And I'm fortunate enough to be in a position where I can have an impact on more people's lives, whether it be clients, whether it be our employees, etc. And so I guess that's what gets me up in the morning, that's what gets me excited, and oftentimes that's really difficult and I wear a heavy burden on that. You know that that weighs on me at times when I don't feel like I'm doing it. So those are the things that I think now, with with my family and seeing my kids now start to grow and have their own successes, I'm excited about what's next for them and my, my ability to impact them as much as less. So hopefully I can have as much or more of an impact on the other people I'm around and who I work with and the people that we help on a day-to-day basis.

Leadership and Communication in the Workplace

Speaker 2 44:44

Well, one of the things and I don't get to see you in action. Obviously, I've been able to see Tony in action over the years and especially when we were young and got to see his style, how it's effective and how it's made him successful. But one of the things I teach obviously some of the a lot of the CG people is our primary role when you're in a role of influence whether it's sales or leadership or, you know, having kids is to increase other people's sense of self-worth. And that doesn't mean always saying you know, hey, you're doing great, you're doing great. Sometimes it means hey, get going behind the woodshed right now You're going to get a verbal lashing we're going to cause, we expect more of you, and that's kind of what I hear from people.

Speaker 2 45:20

They don't use those terms necessarily, but a lot of the people that see you will talk about you know you have a good. In fact, somebody today just said, um, that when you're on a call, a lot of times you'll stop and say, okay, this is not a short-term decision. Let's all go back and reflect on this and come back with some more facts and information. This is a long-term decision. Let's not make a decision today, and I think that empowers people to not to be able to think, to be able to have some autonomy and bring some of their own thoughts and feelings to a challenge or to a project. But that's the sense I get from your style was I think you do a really good job at increasing other sense of self-worth, whether it's having to deliver the tough message or a positive message, so I think that's kudos to you. That's the general theme I hear about Jeff Casey at CG Financial.

Speaker 3 46:12

Well, that's great to hear and I think you know, on the on that side, right, one of the things that is difficult for me is is delivering those tongue lashings and, you know, having those difficult discussions.

Speaker 3 46:23

I've gotten better at that over time, right, but because I'm relationship driven, those are, those are the more difficult things I've had to learn throughout my career and you know, that's where, with Tony's and I style differentials, we can really lean on each other and have honest dialogue about that and self-reflect and figure out how we get better.

Speaker 3 46:42

But I think as an organization, it's always been about, you know, rewarding in public and then correcting in private, right? So it's, how do we in difficult discussions like that, how do we take that where it's more one? How do we in difficult discussions like that, how do we take that where it's more one-on-one dialogue, right? Whereas the rewarding side is we need to let people know and we need to get better at making sure that we, you know, let everyone know the good work that's being done around there, because, like they say, you hear the good stuff, you know, but it takes 10 times to correct those negatives that come around. So that's a focus we've had is really making sure we were intentional about how we both reward and correct with the things that need to happen day to day.

Speaker 2 47:22

That's great. I mean, tony's probably one of the better ones I've ever met in 30 some years of being connected to this industry and being able to deliver a tough message. I don't think that's ever. I mean it's not because he wants to, but he can do it. He could when we. He could day one.

Speaker 3 47:37

Yep, there's no question. His, his, his ability, his ability to identify an issue and correct it on spot, there's. I've never seen anybody with the uncanny ability to really critically think and then actually solve and deal with the tough discussion that's he's. He's one of the best I've ever seen. No, I don't think I have.

Speaker 2 47:59

Well, so we both got hired on an IDS financial service, which then obviously became American Express and Ameriprise. We got hired in on the same day at the Okemos Michigan office and we walked in. I don't know who walked in first, but we were both in the lobby waiting for the receptionist to show us where to go. We introduced ourselves I'm Brian, I'm Tony, where are you from the UP, what? And we lived two hours away from each other.

Speaker 2 48:24

We both were connected to sports and played sports in college, and so we got put in a bullpen with, I think maybe five or six or seven other people that day with a phone, a phone book and a script and they said start calling. And I remember thinking we became. You know, he and I were incredibly close during our time there. We became roommates and, uh, we lived in a trailer at a trailer park at one point together and uh, but I remember, like the second day, listening to him call on the phone I'm still fumbling over the script, afraid to make phone calls, like who am I I'm supposed to call out of the white pages and he's over there just dialing, dialing I this dude is intense man.

Speaker 3 49:04

Was Brian Summer there?

Letting Go of the Vine

Speaker 2 49:05

Brian Summer wasn't there yet, it was Mark Chucci. Okay, yep, brian came in later and then Hans took over, and then Brian Summer came in, and then Tony and I and a couple of other people left and moved from Lansing and Okemos, michigan, to Detroit to be part of the Hans group. Gotcha yes, Small world, it. And yes, small world, it's such a small world, yeah. So, jeff, I'm going to ask you if we're going to we can go back at a point in your life and maybe it's when you're 22 and you're just deciding your time or whether you should go with Tony or stay with Hans or wherever it is. If we go back to a younger version of my time machine and we're going to, we're going to let you talk to your younger self on a park bench somewhere. What words of wisdom or advice or secrets to success would you share with younger Jeff Casey?

Speaker 3 49:49

You know, this resonates for me because it's with the different transitions I've had in my career from different roles across the organization, because I've done just about everything, coming up through the organization and starting out where I started. I you know, in the EOS terms, they call it letting go of the vine, and I think you know, when you talk about getting the right people in the right seats, what EOS will tell you is you have to focus on the things you're really good at and you love doing, and I think too often in our day to day, what we, what we tend to focus on, is maybe the things we do. We do because they're easy, versus focusing on the things that we should be focused on in order to get the things done. We want to get done, and so they call that letting go of the vine, which is, if I'm transitioning to a new position, what are the things that I have to let go of that I know I used to do and they were important, but I got to let somebody else do them. Right.

Speaker 3 50:47

As you emerge and you take on more responsibility, if you don't begin to let go of the vine on some of the things that someone else has better spent their time doing, you're going to constantly pull yourself back into the fray and not be able to elevate to the level you need to in the role you're in.

Speaker 3 51:04

So I think that's the thing that, as I look upon my career and some of the things that have impacted or you know, they've created the stressors, the anxiety, all the stuff you deal with that you think there's another reason to it, when the reality of it is you got to let go of some of those things because if you don't, they'll bury you. They'll bury you right in your tracks. So that's the stuff that I'm really trying to focus on and how I elevate, help people better, allow and start to trust people in doing the things that they need to do, because if you've got great people around you and you let them do what they need to be doing, yes, they're going to make mistakes we all make mistakes but at the end of the day, you've got to let go of that vine in order to empower them and them to get better, for you to continue to elevate where you're at, and you really started doing that when you were 22.

Speaker 2 51:50

That was a major letting go of the vine going from Hans Financial to going with Tony.

Speaker 3 51:55

Yeah, subconsciously you don't realize those small things, right? But I think they all become different Every time you go through a change. They're all different and the tendency of human nature is to revert back to what you know and that's that's not the way to continue to grow. If you want to continue, it's okay. If you don't, it's okay. You know. I remember back to my. My dad had a choice to. He had a choice when he was working at General Motors to continue to elevate, right, but it evolved to move and he looked at it at the time with the family and talked through it with my wife or his wife, my mom at the time and made the decision that you know what I'm going to forego that right and for some people. You have to make that choice of what's best for you, your family, whoever you're making that choice based on. But if you want to continue to grow, that's critical that you continue to elevate, let go of the vine and move on to the new things and take those risks you have to take.

Speaker 2 52:48

I love it. You know I've read all the EOS books, from traction to what is EOS to. I don't remember hearing that. That's what I learned that today. I love that phrase. It's probably. I probably didn't forgot about it or maybe it's newer since I went through the program and read the books, but I wrote that down here. I think I found a title for today's show. So did you say Susan's retiring this year? She is. You've got a lot of changes going on, you're going to be empty nesters.

Speaker 3 53:13

We'll be empty nesters in about a week. My daughter's graduation is Saturday and my wife and her fly down to Georgia Southern Sunday and I drive down with the car on Monday. So it's coming fast and furious. Brian, it's bittersweet, you know. There'll be some tears shed, but there'll also be some excitement around once.

Speaker 2 53:31

the next four Wow, so does she start practice. Is that why she has to go down early?

Speaker 3 53:36

She's. Actually they put her in class so they start classes so that you know they get acclimated. So I like his approach to coaches. He's a great guy. We're excited for going down there and so she'll be able to train with the strength and conditioning program. She'll be able to start classes and get ready because they start practice. I think it's July 30th, so she'll go through a semester. She'll come home for a week at the end of July and then head back in their first games against the University of Florida August 10th. Wow.

Speaker 2 54:05

Wow, wow, wow Great. So I guess I kind of answered the next question, but I'll ask it again what's next for you other than empty nester? Girls are going to be in school. Susan's retiring soon. Do you see anything else? That's next for you, personally or professionally?

Speaker 3 54:21

The next big move. You know I look at where I'm at and I think I've got a lot of work in front of me with the exciting things we have going at CG Financial and working with the team, the departments, the people we've got here, our leadership team. We've got a great leadership team intact and there's a lot of positive momentum. So, from a career standpoint, I'm just excited about what's next for CG financial and the people that we've got and all the clients that we serve. And then personally you said it I mean I'm excited to be able to spend a little more time with my wife, with her being retired, or to spend time with the kids and us us to try to spend our time now seeing what's next for them and enjoy enjoy some of the fruits of the labor that we've seen with them over the last 20 years.

Speaker 3 55:07

Well, CG's in good hands with you guys, there's no doubt. Well, I appreciate that, brian.

Speaker 2 55:09

I love the dichotomy between you and Tony. I think you guys play off each other so well. It's like bosom brothers of the odd couple. I'm going to call you guys the bosom brothers, for now.

Speaker 3 55:22

I wish I could hear Tony laughing right now at that one he's on vacation, isn't he? Yep, he comes back either tonight or tomorrow. So yep, got to spend a little time with him out in Colorado Springs last week for some meetings, but he's having a good time at some national parks out in Utah with the family and so a good refresher to get him back. And recharged.

Speaker 2 55:43

Yeah, I saw Pam posted some pictures on Facebook, I think yesterday. He and I texted back and forth a little bit this morning, but all right. So, jeff, as we wrap up, is there any question that I hadn't asked yet that you wish I would have, or any final parting message you want to leave with the listener out there?

Speaker 3 55:59

You know, I think, brian, this has been great. I just want to say thank you to you, um, in the bamboo lab podcast for for having me on and uh getting to share some of my life experiences and and uh kind of what's going on in my life over the last uh 48 years. But, uh, I think this is a great. This is a great program. Uh, I hope all you listeners got something out of it and uh, yeah, and keep the momentum going.

Goodbye and Best Wishes

Speaker 2 56:24

Thank you, brother. It's like I said. I thought about it a year or two ago it was probably after I had Tony on. Of course, we've had Tyler Sigmund on twice to talk about his life, and I got to get Jeff on. I don't know why I didn't ask you sooner. I wish I would have. This was one of the most articulate interviews I've ever heard, as far as that I've been able to be a part of. Anyway, I can't thank you enough for coming on. I just want to say to Susan best of success with your retirement. I mean, it's going to. It's what a what an amazing career of teaching. And Sophie, good luck on your next year at U of M in pre-med, and Claire, good luck at Georgia Southern. Georgia Southern, yeah, and soccer and in academics and kick University of Florida's butt. All right, I appreciate it. Brother. Thank you so much for coming on. I appreciate you for being such an inspiring, informative and educational guest on the Bamboo Lab podcast glad to do it appreciate it all right.

Speaker 2 57:19

Everyone out there, please I know you're gonna love what Jeff had to say today, so please smash that like button, please rate and review this particular episode and the show in general, and please share this episode with three people you care about.

Speaker 2 57:30

Some of the things jeff said can really help people who are going through a transition, who maybe are stuck in a rut and deciding do I want to go to that next level. This is a great, great um example of a person who has consistently let go of the vine and moved on to bigger and better things and continues to impact people more and more. And if that's what you're looking to do in life, this is a great episode for you to listen to and for you to share with others. I'll see you all in seven days, or I'll talk to you all in seven days. In the meantime, please get out there and strive to give and be your best. Show love and respect to others, but make sure you show it to yourself too, and get out there and live purposely. I care about each and every one of you.