The Effner Financial Group |
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Contact Us1901 Butterfield Rd Office: 630-353-2300 Take the first stepAre you ready for financial independence? Are you ready to be your own boss? Are you ready to make a positive impact on people's lives? Take The First Step
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Career ChangersChanging careers doesn’t have to be a daunting proposition. With the support of a quality organization, it can be an easy transition. Many attorneys, bankers, accountants, educators, and military personnel have two things in common … they enjoy helping people and have transitioned into successful careers as financial representatives with the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network. A career as a financial representative can give you the independence you are looking for, while having the extensive resources of Northwestern Mutual available to you. Enjoy the below video which features 'a day in the life of a career changer.' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SPPDU-nkKY Meet our Director of Recruiting
Testimonials from our very own Career ChangersAfter five years in the banking industry, I was ready for a change from the world of “transactional” finances to “relational”. I appreciated the training I received as a branch manager and investment advisor, but realized my passion was to make a difference in client’s lives and that was difficult to do as promotions and branch openings kept me transferring from one branch to another.
I’d be lying if I didn’t mention I was fearful of making the transition from a steady salary to an income that is dependent on my success and work ethic. It was that fear that motivated me not to fail, rather work hard to make it in this business. Within my second year though, I was confident that I found a career that I would enjoy forever!
Many years later, I feel blessed to have the recurring revenue I’ve established from my practice, work the hours I chose so that I can be at my children’s event of my choosing. Most importantly though, I truly enjoy the impact I have on my clients and prospective clients on a daily basis!
Gary Wilberg
I started my career in 1980 with a few key goals and visions.
· I wanted to own a company in 10 years.
· I wanted to work with Presidents of companies.
· I wanted to earn a lot of money.
I started my first job with all the excitement and energy that every college grad does! But within 2 years the entire industry changed and I was told that they were reducing the sales force and I was low man on the totem pole. Goodbye first job.
Next job – selling software! Million dollar sales! Make big bucks for the 80’s! I was getting into see the Sr Levels at big companies! This was almost the perfect fit for my goals. But then the dominos begin to fall. First the SVP of my division goes, then the VP Sales, then my Regional Manager. I wake up with the entire management team who knew me and I was comfortable with –gone. Once more my world gets changed – and I begin to think that it’s time to own my own company.
1990 – I do whatever guys wants and buy a Franchise! It’s B2B – nice margins – has huge upside potential. I enjoy the business – have 15 employees – and then the dream day comes. We have a company that wants to purchase all 80 franchises….for $160 million. My dream of “lots of money” comes true. I’m still under 40 and just became a millionaire. But wait – this is the 90’s with companies buying other companies everyday….with strings attached like “hold the stock for a year to avoid IRS scrutiny”. You’ve heard the story before – the stock drops from $30 to $10 in one day – then falls to $3. 80 millionaires just became ordinary guys again, over night.
1998 – I can do this again. I buy another B2B Franchise. This time I know better than to sell – or at least not sell for just stock. I get the ball rolling, sales are up to $2m and once again I am making great money and having fun. But wait – the world changes before my eyes. 2001 something about a Bubble Bursting. Then 9/11. Within a few months my services are no longer needed in the market. My business will bounce along the bottom for years. I continue to be optimistic that “the market for my services will return”…..but that day just never seems to come.
2007 – It was time to make one more change. I needed to find that opportunity that really achieved my 3 goals – and was something that I had total control over. No more did I want to be subject to my company being downsized, or the market determining the needs for my product/service was gone. I wanted to find a service/product that would never be replaced by new technology. I wanted to find a role that I had control over my destiny.
In my research I determined a career at Northwestern achieved all these personal objectives. I run my own business. I get to call on CEO’s and they really want to meet with me! I get to determine how much money I make – and there is virtually no limit. And, I am no longer worried that either the need for my product/service will evaporate – nor will the company I represent be sold.
I have found the career that exceeds my goals and vision for the perfect business opportunity.
My first “job” was teaching elementary school. But, it was not a job, it was a calling. I loved working with young people helping them understand concepts that didn’t originally make sense, to see how learning would make their lives better. Unfortunately, as gratifying as teaching is, it doesn’t pay the bills very well. So, I moved on to working with teachers on funding their retirement plans. Within 18 months, I was making 10 times what I was making as a teacher and I was loving my job. I was still teaching, but now at a different level by explaining how my clients could become financially secure. After seven years, I got the “itch” to do more. My business was growing but I really didn’t have a business background. I applied to and was lucky to be accepted to attend the Harvard Business School in their MBA program.
Wow. What a life-changer! So many avenues were now open that I didn’t even know existed. After business school I spent 20 years in corporate America managing a national sales force for a major international bank, running a trust company with over $2 billion in assets and finally leading a regional brokerage with over 100 brokers. So, why am I at the Effner Financial Group?
During my journey through corporate America, the firms I worked for were bought 4 times. Each time resulting in my organizations being dismantled, and not because they weren’t successful but rather because another firm bought the companies where I worked. He who buys, decides who stays, and each firm moved my organization to one of their executives.
After the last corporate disruption, I wanted to go back to what I loved. Working with clients, having virtually no limits on my income, and doing what I thought was best rather being managed by someone who might not be thinking of the clients first. I chose Northwestern Mutual and the Effner Financial Group because they are the best. Northwestern Mutual is one of the finest financial institutions in the world and EFG has some of the highest professional standards I’ve ever seen.
I am lucky. I get to spend my time doing what I believe is right for clients and educating them on how to protect, grow and distribute their financial assets. I always did want to be a teacher.
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