Year-End Client Letter

Some thoughts on the year we leave behind and the hopes for a year ahead.

Dear clients, colleagues, and friends,

As the year comes to a close and we gather with our closest friends and family, I have a few thoughts on the year we leave behind and hopes for the year ahead.

If the 2022 economy were a season, it would be winter. We’ve seen a year of upheaval as the aftershocks from the pandemic and shutdowns reverberated through the economy causing runaway inflation, high energy costs, poor stock market returns, and job losses.

One thing I’ve come to appreciate living in one of the harshest winter regions in the lower 48—full of snow, cold, and darkness—is that every season has its purpose. Without the brutal winters in the North Country, the untouched beauty of this place would not be nearly as magnificent. The same can be said of economic cycles; without the periods of decline to clear away the lifeless and fractured parts of the economy, robust growth cycles would be impossible. So, if 2022 was winter, then spring will not be far behind—perhaps even as close as 2023.

Winter forces a contemplation of the coming renewal of the spring. At Chisholm, we’ve spent the last year preparing for that revival. We have recently entered a growth mode—adding two new members to our team; Connor Mahoney and Vanessa Alanis.

Connor is our Client Services Associate. For those of you who have worked with Connor, you know the enthusiasm he brings to our business. He works closely with clients to facilitate all administrative aspects of their financial planning and also assists in creating and producing Chisholm’s educational content and customer-related communications. Vanessa, a Certified Financial Planner™, brings over 15 years of financial counseling and education experience to Chisholm where she provides para plannings and runs our budget management program. Many clients have expressed how much they appreciate Vanessa’s experience and perspective on their financial planning.

In the coming year, we will remain focused on providing comprehensive financial planning services to clients but will also begin to expand our services to provide financial education to the public through various media channels. I founded Chisholm on the belief that we are pioneers of our own financial destiny. And now, especially when winter feels especially dark, I believe individual freedom is the ultimate objective of a life well lived and financial freedom is the central component. We seek to improve the financial literacy not only of our clients but of anyone interested in traveling on the path to financial freedom.

But most important to me personally—beyond the aspirations of growth—is the trust you’ve had in me over the years to help you with something as personal and important as your financial planning needs. My life is richer because of each of you and I feel blessed every day I get to work on this endeavor. With that, I wish you all a wonderful holiday season. Cheers to the close of a tough year and let’s look forward knowing whatever 2023 brings, we will face it together.