The Power of Relationships and Building Human Connections with Chris Koon

The Model FA

Chris Koon is a financial advisor at Northwestern Mutual, a financial planning and wealth management company dedicated to helping businesses and families achieve financial security. Chris is a Lifetime Member of the Million Dollar Roundtable and was Top of the Table in 2021. He is also a winner of the Master Achievement Awards and has $10 million worth of career production. Through his work, Chris has served thousands of people protecting and providing for their loved ones for the past 25 years.

Chris joins us today to share his steps to building strong human connections with clients and prospects. He discusses his sobriety journey, his challenges with dyslexia and ADHD, and how he uses his vulnerability to help others. He describes how the RIA industry has pivoted from transactional selling to planning-based financial services and outlines his advice on asking for referrals. He also reveals where he draws his passion for serving his clients and outlines the steps he takes to keep himself centered and rooted in gratitude amid life’s challenges.

“We all have gifts and wounds, but I share my vulnerability in the hopes that it’ll get somebody else to share theirs in this journey of life. When they do, it’s inspiring.” - Chris Koon

This week on The Model FA Podcast:

• The power of personal branding and networking
• How Chris and I connected through social media
• Chris’s backstory and how he worked through the biggest challenges of his life
• Building a human connection with clients, prospects, and other people
• How the financial advisory industry has shifted from transactional selling to wholistic financial planning
• Creating raving fans for your business and Chris’s advice on asking for referrals
• Where Chris’s passion for serving his clients comes from
• Being grateful and the value of learning to center yourself

Resources Mentioned:

• Book: Conversations: How to Manage Your Business Relationships One Conversation at a Time by Ivan Farber
• Book: Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
• Book: Rhinoceros Success: The Secret to Charging Full Speed toward Every Opportunity by Scott Alexander

Our Favorite Quotes:

• “Advisors are great with planning but sometimes fail to connect with clients as humans, first.” - David DeCelle
• “Whenever you deal with what life throws at you, be good at two things: centering yourself and being grateful.” - David DeCelle
• “When you’re a young advisor, you tend to talk too much. The more you can listen and ask great questions, the better it gets.” - Chris Koon

Connect with Chris Koon:

• Chris Koon Website
• Northwestern Mutual
• Northwestern Mutual on LinkedIn
• Northwestern Mutual on Instagram
• Northwestern Mutual on Facebook
• Northwestern Mutual on Twitter
• Chris Koon on LinkedIn
• Email: [e-mail]

About the Model FA Podcast

The Model FA podcast is a show for fiduciary financial advisors. In each episode, our host David DeCelle sits down with industry experts, strategic thinkers, and advisors to explore what it takes to build a successful practice — and have an abundant life in the process. We believe in continuous learning, tactical advice, and strategies that work — no “gotchas” or BS. Join us to hear stories from successful financial advisors, get actionable ideas from experts, and re-discover your drive to build the practice of your dreams.

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Our Team:

President of Model FA, David DeCelle

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