Every company needs a person (or people) capable of taking ideas and bringing them to reality. Sometimes these talented professionals are immersed in the day-to-day operations of the business. At others, they’re the higher-level strategists who set a vision for the organization’s growth and success, then enact a plan to reach those goals. When we founded Bridgewell Financial nearly five years ago, we were fortunate that our partnership group had collaborated for years in different roles. They knew each other’s strengths, along with the unique talents they brought to our fledgling business. They also understood that one of them needed to make sure the ship stayed on course.
That turned out to be Partner Graeme Martin. As our main organizer and unofficial chief accountability officer, Graeme is the one who ensures that our goals are met, while managing the minute operational details of a fast-growing financial services firm. In our latest Meet the Bridgewell Team profile, Graeme outlines his career path—including how he first got a foothold in the finance sector—explains his workplace role in greater detail and provides a snapshot into his life away from the office.
Can you provide a few details about your professional background?
After university I was exploring career avenues and had an opportunity to speak with someone in financial services who had been very successful. He was gracious enough to give me his time and provided me with the career insight I needed to hear: That successful people in this business grow consistently, rather than shooting out of the gates and disappearing.
He suggested getting a start under another advisor, so I took a position at Clarica, which is now SunLife. Not long after, I met (Bridgewell Financial Partner) Chad (Tranter) through a friend. Chad worked in the insurance industry and said his mother, who also worked as a broker, was looking for someone to help her transition out of the business. This was 20 years ago, and Judy’s still working, with no plans to retire.
I entered the brokerage world with Chad and worked from 2007 to 2019 at Creative Planning Financial Group. Early on, I gravitated towards the process side of the business, helping to manage day-to-day operations.
What was the original catalyst for building Bridgewell Financial?
I think we were lucky and were unique in that we’d worked together independently, but under the same umbrella for many years. I knew Chad and Michael very well before committing to being business partners, so I knew that we shared the same moral compass and values. We trusted each other and that was a great foundation for a business relationship.
When I and the other partners were thinking about founding Bridgewell, we knew that we all had unique skill sets, and agreed we’d be stronger working together. We’ve all contributed in different ways to bring Bridgewell to life. We have a belief in each other and that things will work out—and they have. One of the reasons is that we don’t push matters under the rug. When we have different views, we deal with disagreements and resolve them.
How do you support the Bridgewell team on a daily basis?
I manage firm operations and liaise with our sales and business development teams. That includes handling other duties such as commission tracking and certain HR matters.
My job is really to be the integrator who keeps Bridgewell moving forward. I’m responsible for making sure all aspects of the business are healthy. That means managing accountability, developing business plans, moving forward with expectations and removing barriers so the leadership team can do the things they’re good at.
What do you think is unique about Bridgewell’s service offering and culture?
There are a lot of companies willing to give back to the community and who provide the services that we do, who utilize the latest technology to service their clients. What makes us unique is that we bring all of those things together in one firm. We can help our business owner clients with the broad spectrum of their planning needs including tax, estate planning, employee benefits and we can even develop a full financial plan for them. There aren’t many companies that provide such an extensive suite of services.
Our relationships have been built working with clients who also want to give back and make our communities better. That differentiates us from a lot of our competitors. We really live and breathe our core values, which encapsulates who we are and how we want to excel in business.
What do you like to do away from the office?
I spend most of my time with my family and our two-year-old. Between work and a busy toddler’s activities, that fills most of my days. I also love cycling, but at the moment I have less time to ride.
The Bridgewell team
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