ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
There are multiple options in Liberal for financial planning services and recently, one of those providers opened a new office space.
Last week saw McKensie Hood open her new Edward Jones space at 23 Professional Drive, and Hood said she could not be happier with the move.
“I've been with Edward Jones for almost five years at this point, and I've had my own office, but it was in Village Plaza. It's been a dream of mine to have a standalone building with a front door and all of that,” Hood said. “We've been looking for a space for a little while now, and we purchased our property at 23 Professional Drive last May. It used to be a dentist's office, so there was a lot of construction to be done to make this space the way we want it to be, and that started last August. Everything finally got finished up and we started moving in around the middle of March, and our contractor was amazing in bringing everything to life. I wanted a space where I could sit down with clients, have those conversations, use the available technology to show them what they need to see, and also make sure everyone's comfortable. It can be a little nerve-wracking walking into a financial services office, so I wanted to create a space where everyone feels comfortable coming in, but it's also professional so we can talk about everything we need to, and I love how everything came together. At our previous space, there were no windows, and since I consider myself more of a country girl, I love looking outside and watching the traffic and everything else. We're really excited to have clients come in here, it's a great location, and we're happy to be in a spot where people can find us easily.”
Hood said the new space was perfect for the company’s needs.
“This is still a rather new building for this community, and it's in a great location since there are some other financial institutions in the nearby vicinity, so it just felt right. We had looked at some other spots, but I'm very involved in this community, so to have my business kind of in the heart of town is something that's amazing to me. Everything just worked out, and we all just absolutely love it,” Hood said. “It was amazing when we finally started to be able to move in. We've been here for about a month now, and I still can't believe this is my office space. If you're a business owner or want to own your own business, and you want to have your own space but can't fully decide if that's what you want, I would absolutely encourage you to go for it and spend the money. I work quite a bit, so why not work in a space you really like?”
Hood also offered encouragement for people in the community to come in and see how she and her staff can help with any financial planning needs.
“We do a lot of retirement planning, 401(k)s, CDs, money markets, etc. We also buy stocks and bonds and other investment work. We do overall holistic financial planning,” Hood said. “To start everything off, just ask – you don't know what you don't know. I have a lot of new clients who come in and later tell me 'I didn't know you could help with THAT,' and it's a good feeling. If you have any questions or old 401(k)s or if you're working with a big firm but want someone whose office you can easily visit, come in and drop by, we'd love to meet you and help you with whatever you have going on. We're open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays. We work with anyone and everyone. It can be a little intimidating to walk into a financial advisor's office when you don't know even where to begin. But come in and ask us any questions you have, and we'll be happy to help you. I've got some really great clients already, and I'm expanding all the time, so I hope to see a lot of new clients come through our new doors.”
Overall, Hood said, she is here to help.
“I want to provide my clients with the services they need and deserve, and in this elevated environment we've created through this new space,” Hood said. “I'm also glad we have the technology available to show people in real time what's going on so we can assist them the best we can. But the big thing is we're in a new space that's way more visible, and I couldn't be more excited about that.”
