Scott Edelman’s clients sleep well at night. Why? Because he and his team assure their clients that their goals, plans and dreams are given the utmost consideration in planning for their financial success and overall well-being.
Edelman founded Edelman Wealth Management Group Inc. (EWMG) in 1996, after realizing his true passion was helping people improve and transform their lives through solid, sensible financial strategies.
“I had been working in the corporate world for a number of years dealing with high-level corporate executives,” says Edelman. “I reached a point where I was no longer fulfilled because my talents weren’t being utilized in a fashion that was of service to people,” he says. “I realized that to truly be of service, I needed to have my own business.”
Edelman launched EWMG with a solid business strategy: to connect with business owners, individuals and families to provide exceptional value and personalized strategies for those clients. Each of the individual team members he has brought on board has helped turn that strategy into reality.
For individuals and families, which account for more than half of the firm’s overall clientele, EWMG can assist clients in areas such as retirement planning, college funding, life insurance, long-term-care insurance, disability insurance and investment management. For business clients, Edelman offers assistance in a number of areas, including to the clients’ employees.
Back when he first started out in the business, he noticed that many companies “were going from traditional group health insurance to more of a PPO (preferred provider organization)-type environment,” he says. “Not many were talking to business owners about it, and not many understood it. All they knew was that they were paying high premiums, and I was able to not only lower their premiums but provide an updated type of health plan. In addition, we were able to work with their 401(k) and business succession planning. It gave me the opportunity to meet with the employees and talk about their personal financial strategies.”
Edelman understands the needs of small-business owners because he runs a small business of his own. “The same things our clients want are the same things that we want,” he says. “So, it makes us very valuable to the small-business owner. A lot of people can go out and sell employee benefit plans, maybe even manage retirement plans, but they don’t necessarily live it. We understand the challenges firsthand, like medical insurance and the fiduciary standards around 401(k) plans. It’s important stuff.”
In the years since starting EWMG, Edelman has assembled a tight-knit team of smart, compassionate professionals who share and support his vision of over-the-top customer care. One of those professionals is Stacy Brilliant, EWMG’s chief operations officer, whose primary responsibility is the day-to-day management of clients’ experiences with the firm. Brilliant earned her M.B.A. in finance from Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business and a bachelor’s in finance and management from Ithaca College.
“Stacy is unbelievable,” says Edelman. “We’ve been working together for 15 years now, and I can’t give her enough praise. She is all about the client experience and making sure our clients are completely comfortable, that they fully understand the process, and that they have access to her any time. There is nothing that she won’t do to take care of a client, no matter what it is. People just love dealing with her.”
Brilliant says one of her strengths is an aptitude for understanding and then translating complex financial concepts. She would have no joy in the number crunching alone, however, if she could not share her knowledge and devote her time to helping others.
“I love getting to know our clients beyond just the financial aspects of their lives,” says Brilliant. “I want to understand their parents, their children and what kinds of restaurants, books and movies they like. I enjoy spending the time to uncover those kinds of things.”
Another important member of the team, according to Edelman, is Deena Weissman, client account manager. One of her areas of focus is employee benefits.
“She is another person who goes above and beyond to give our clients the best service experience,” says Edelman. “Her job has been very challenging lately with all of the changes in the Affordable Care Act. It’s an area where people are confused and upset with the system, but Deena is at their side, being a go-between on their behalf and even working on their individual claims. She cares that much.”
Weissman admits that the group benefits arena has become rife with confusion. She attributes this to the fact that the industry seems to be in a constant state of flux.
“Things are changing constantly, and I do my best to stay on top of what’s going on so that I can educate our clients and help them through any hardships,” she says. “I’ll call in claims for our clients and get on the phone with doctors’ offices. It’s absolutely my pleasure.”
Edelman, Brilliant and Weissman all have children living at home, and this love for and care of family extends to their business lives. Clients have told Brilliant that when they enter the EWMG environment, they feel “a strong sense of family.” It may be the main reason, the three team members agree, that clients stay with and become part of the EWMG family for the long term.
As “high touch” as the staff of EWMG is with its clients, providing what they call “the Ritz-Carlton experience,” Edelman and his team also remain closely connected to the community.
“We’re community partners,” he says. “We often do work with the Newtown Athletic Club, sponsoring events for a good cause. We are also supportive of our clients’ charities, and donate a significant amount of money each year. On top of that, I am the treasurer of my synagogue, which is a job in itself, and I am the state chair for the Pennsylvania Million Dollar Round Table, which is the premier financial services organization worldwide.”
The Million Dollar Round Table represents more than 70 countries and is interpreted in more languages than the United Nations. Edelman holds “Top of the Table” status, meaning he is considered one of the top financial advisors worldwide. He is even chair of the member content committee for Top of the Table.
Additionally, Edelman participates in the Strategic Coach Program, a business coaching program headquartered in Chicago that he attends once per quarter.
“If you look it up, it is entrepreneurs who want to keep improving their business and the client experience,” he says. “I mentor other advisors and get mentored myself. I think you can never stop learning. The more that we know, the more valuable we are to our clients.”
About Edelman Wealth Management Group Inc.
Founded in 1996, Edelman Wealth Management Group Inc. is a wealth management and employee benefits firm based in Yardley. Scott Edelman and his team of skilled, people-centric professionals assist individuals and businesses with the design and implementation of coordinated and customized wealth management and employee benefit strategies. For additional information, visit www.edelmanwealthmanagement.com or call 215-579-5601.
Edelman Wealth Management Group, Inc. is independent of Signator Investors Inc. Registered Representative/Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through Signator Investors, Inc., Member FINRA,
SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser, 290 West Mount Pleasant Avenue, Suite 2300, Livingston, NJ 07039.
973-994-0100. SMAR 374-20150505-230969
Photograph by Jody Robinson
