Like many others in the business world, Aaron Cirksena was forced to pivot when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. As a financial advisor who spends a significant amount of time mapping out investment strategies during face-to-face meetings with clients, the shelter-in-place orders triggered by the pandemic forced him to shift those meetings to a virtual format.
When Covid-related restrictions were lifted, Cirksena anticipated a shift back to business as usual. But that didn’t happen.
“I had switched to Zoom meetings to keep things moving during Covid, expecting it to be a temporary fix,” Cirksena recalls, “but after Covid, my clients still wanted to meet virtually — even those who only lived a few minutes from our nice Class A offices. They decided they preferred the ease and comfort of a Zoom meeting, including no traffic or parking to navigate, to how we had done it in the past. That was when the lightbulb went off.”
Cirksena realized that embracing a fully virtual model would give clients what they were looking for while reducing his overhead. He launched MDRN Capital to bring the vision to life and quickly found it to be a win-win.
“Going virtual with our advising, which practically no other firm had done at that point, allowed us to build something that makes the client experience better and more efficient while also making our business run more efficiently and cost-effectively,” Cirksena says. “By making the switch, we can now provide service with management fees on the entire client portfolio that is on average 30 to 40 percent lower than your typical advisor, and we can add in things like estate planning, tax planning, and tax preparation at no additional cost to our clients.”
Setting The Right Tone with Virtual Advising
Mapping out an effective retirement strategy requires developing a clear understanding of each client and their financial needs. Cirksena’s goal is to provide a fully comprehensive and cultured plan that considers every nuance of the lifestyle his clients are currently living and the lifestyle they want to experience in retirement. Shifting to a virtual format made that goal easier to achieve by providing a more authentic connection.
“When you have an important financial conversation with someone — the kind that is establishing the vision for their future — you want them to be comfortable enough to share from their heart,” Cirksena says. “As we began having those conversations virtually, we saw how much easier it was to get to that place. Our clients are at ease, sitting in their home or their office, often in their favorite chair while drinking their favorite coffee from their favorite mug.”
MDRN Capital’s virtual model also sets the right tone by cutting out distractions. Clients don’t need to fight traffic and hunt down parking on their way to their meetings, tasks that can leave one scattered and on edge.
“Our clients get an experience that is direct, focused, and efficient,” Cirksena shares. “They connect with our team face-to-face, with no distractions or barriers, and all of the documents they need to understand their investment results are readily available. It’s real-time financial planning that meets you where you are and gives you everything you need.”
Providing Accessibility that Meets Modern Needs
MDRN Capital’s virtual model also meets the needs of modern investors by improving accessibility. Today’s investors must face a higher level of volatility than existed in the past, which can give rise to investment questions that require quick answers. When clients need to connect with their advisor, Cirksena and his team are a few clicks away, providing the tools and the expertise they need.
“Retirement in the modern age is not ‘set it and forget it’ like it once was,” Cirksena says. “Today’s retirees live longer, face a different investment landscape, and have more situations that require adjustments, meaning they need more availability from their financial planners. The model we provide provides this, making it easier for our clients to secure a healthy financial future.”
Opening The Door to a Full Suite of Services
Cirksena started his advising career working for a large corporate financial firm, where he found standard practices were not always focused on what was best for the client. When he moved to an independent firm he discovered the benefits of an unbiased approach to retirement planning that included a broad range of investment vehicles.
Cirksena built MDRN Capital on the independent firm model to provide clients with a custom financial strategy that meets their specific needs with the right type of investments. His approach prioritizes precision, giving clients only what they need to achieve their retirement dreams.
In the future, Cirksena sees financial advising evolving into an industry that supports an all-inclusive approach. “Helping clients to thrive in retirement requires more than just providing investment advice,” he argues. “They also need advice on estate planning, tax planning, medicare, and many other issues that come into play in retirement.”
As that future unfolds, MDRN Capital will be there to help clients connect with the comprehensive plan they need efficiently and affordably.