TNLPG: An Evolved and Evolving Financial Planning Firm The seeds of The Next Level Planning Group were planted when its founder, Adam Stock, began his career as an investment advisor representative with Merrill Lynch in 1999. This turned out to be an inauspicious time to enter wealth management as the next three years saw the bursting of the “technology bubble,” the terrorist attacks of 9/11, high-profile corporate bankruptcies, and the first US economic recession in almost a decade. Yet, Adam persevered and by mid-2002, having earned his CFP® certification, he transitioned to Lincoln Financial Advisors, where planners are recognized for their intelligence and innovation in financial planning. By 2005, having learned to serve clients who value a holistic approach to personal finance, Adam felt the time was right to hire a protégé. In Josh Markowitz, he found a like-minded individual with a strong work ethic, breadth of talents, and eagerness to learn. Adam and Josh formalized their partnership in 2007 as The Next Level Planning Group (TNLPG), with a focus on helping clients identify, understand, and act upon important financial matters in increasingly effective and efficient ways. This focus on process and partnership proved especially important during the financial crisis of 2008-09 as clients, grounded in their long-term and up-to-date financial plans, kept their heads. Most of them even agreed to rebalance their portfolios which, at the time, meant buying more stocks after they had fallen precipitously in value. Adam and Josh continued developing TNLPG into an advanced wealth management firm during the economic recovery, hiring dedicated specialists such as Service Advisors, Planner Assistants, Financial Planning Analysts, and an Investment/Portfolio Strategist, while also mentoring a steady stream of college interns. In 2013, Drew Coleman (MBA/CFA), a seasoned investment professional, chose to grow his financial planning practice in partnership with TNLPG rather than having to build it all himself from the ground up. Building on its foundation of helping clients identify, understand, and act upon important financial matters in increasingly effective ways, TNLPG is creating a fresh approach to training and supporting financial planners. For the experienced-advisor looking to take his practice to the next level, the high-achiever seeking to learn financial planning as a profession on par with law and medicine, and the career-changer considering life as a planner, TNLPG provides the ability to deliver a college-level client experience without first having to survive the elementary and high school models that are prevalent in the industry. And most importantly to the financial planners of the future—our financial planners—the families who will depend on their advice, availability, and leadership will not have to first experience life as clients of an immature practice before enjoying the fruits of a sophisticated team-driven approach that puts them squarely at the center of everything.