Today we’d like to introduce you to Paul Ragone.
Hi Paul, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Shortly after college, I started working at a financial services company in Alcoa, TN that mostly focused on personal loans and 12 month same as cash options for retail businesses. I worked there for a couple of years before being offered the management position at another branch in Marietta, GA. That was a fun time to be in Atlanta as the Braves won the World Series and the Olympics were happening the following year. I really enjoyed that job. I was proud of the work that I and my team did to quickly turn that branch around. We went from last in our region to the top 3 in the first year. As much as I liked being in Atlanta during that time, I found myself driving back to Knoxville many weekends since I missed my family and friends. I made the hard decision to quit my management position and move back to Knoxville to work for a large insurance company focusing on investments and insurance products. I had two weeks to pack up the items in my Atlanta apartment, move back to Knoxville, study for and pass my series 6, 63 and Insurance exams. It was a very hectic time to say the least but it all worked out. As I gained experience, I began to realize that only being able to offer my clients proprietary investments was not always in their best interest. After a couple of years, I left that company and decided to go independent. I’ve been an independent financial advisor ever since 2001 and eventually I formed Integrity Wealth Services.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It was anything but a smooth road. It was 1997 when I started with the insurance company. The markets were doing great. My clients were experiencing fantastic returns. I had very little experience but began to think it was an easy job and that I was an amazing advisor. Wow, was I wrong. Reality caught up with me in early 2000 when the dot-com crash began. My clients fantastic returns were no longer fantastic and having limited options to pivot my clients to became a major factor in my decision to go independent. Being naive, I made that decision at the worst possible time. I suddenly had to pay all of my business expenses instead of them being heavily subsidized. The dot-com crash continued, I couldn’t afford an office yet so I had to work from home…long before working from home was a thing. Restaurants and coffee shops was where I held client meetings. It was a very tough time to be a new independent financial advisor. Oh, did I mention that my wife and I had a 1 year old at the time while she was pregnant with our second child? Looking back, I wanted to quit so many times and just get a job with a salary. I am so glad I never did that. I always believed I could be successful being a financial advisor because it was a job I truly loved. I always felt like I could make a difference in my clients lives and that was something I wouldn’t be able to do had I left the profession to do something else.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Integrity Wealth Services is a fee based comprehensive wealth management and financial planning firm. We use a disciplined and structured investment philosophy based on evidence and academia. We also act in a fiduciary capacity so our clients best interests always come first. We specialize in pre-retirement planning and post retirement planning to make sure our clients don’t outlive their money.
I believe what sets us apart from others is the amount of time we spend upfront educating our clients so they truly understand what they are investing in and why. That means that we might schedule one or two more appointments than other advisors typically would before any paperwork is signed or accounts are opened. It might seem like a lengthy process at the beginning but it truly pays off later. Because of the education we provide upfront, our phones are not ringing off the hook when the markets are not doing well.
Integrity is a word used quite a bit in our business. We didn’t start with the company name Integrity Wealth Services on day one. For a very long time we were Ragone Wealth Management. I had been a financial advisor for over 20 years when we decided to change our name. Integrity was the first choice because I felt like we actually earned the right to use that word after having spent so much time in the business and always looking out for our clients best interests. That word actually means something to us and we don’t take it lightly. I am very proud of that.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I listen to quite a few podcasts but the one that stands out to me the most is called Financial Advisor Success by Michael Kitces. This is a business where the learning never stops and it’s great hearing insights from other successful advisors. I like to cycle a lot in the warmer months and this podcast is long form which is great for long rides. I occasionally listen to audio books as well and one that I listen to at least once a year is called Good to Great by Jim Collins.
In my personal life, my favorite app is Zwift. It’s an app for an indoor bike trainer that is extremely addicting. There are thousands of people on it at any given time from around the world. There are group rides and races. It’s very competitive and very good exercise.
When it comes time to decompress, you will find me out on my boat. No apps, no podcasts…just some music, sun and fun.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.iws.one
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/integritywealthservices/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/integritywealthservices/
- Twitter: https://x.com/iwealthservices
