TheLiveBigWay® Digest: New Energy
When we first introduced the phrase New Energy, Same Standard last year, our goal was to convey both the heart of Yeske Buie and our aspirations for the future. The phrase speaks to our commitment to remain anchored in our core values and to embrace creativity, collaboration, and shared ambition as we evolve.
In our last piece on this topic, we explored the “same standard” that defines us – the values, structure, and culture that form our foundation. Now, we’re excited to focus on the “new energy” that keeps us vibrant and future‑focused. And we want to begin with a story.
At our recent annual staff retreat (photos above), each team member was invited to write a short essay answering the question: “What matters most to Yeske Buie? What is enduring and should never change?” The exercise was designed to spark a conversation about the foundational aspects of both our profession and our firm.
The responses – offered by team members whose tenure at Yeske Buie spans from just one month to over 15 years – were profoundly aligned with the vision of our Founders. Their words so clearly reflected our core values and culture that they left our leadership deeply moved. Our CEO, Elissa Buie, reflected that the essays beautifully captured the legacy she and her husband and co‑Founder, Dave Yeske, have long envisioned: an independent firm that serves clients to the highest standard while remaining deeply rooted in shared values and intentional about preserving the firm’s culture. Dave later echoed Elissa’s sentiments, sharing that he felt a sense of arrival – an immense confidence that the firm will continue to thrive in alignment with this vision long after the two of them retire.
Because these reflections resonated so deeply with us, we wanted to share them with you. Hover over the images below to read each team member’s response. We hope you find the team’s words as meaningful and inspiring as we did, and that they serve as a powerful illustration of how we strive to serve you, now and in the years to come. If these reflections spark thoughts about your own enduring values and goals, we’d love to hear from you – conversations like these are at the heart of how we continue to serve you best.
What Matters Most, Endures, and Should Never Change at Yeske Buie?
Our obsessive pursuit of making sure our Clients are taken care of and that they feel that support. Nearly every piece of everything we do is to empower our Clients to pursue their Live Big goals, and that empowers us, as it gives us a unifying goal and theme; a lens through which we can frame all of our decisions. I believe that all-encompassing passion for supporting our Clients is what makes Yeske Buie, Yeske Buie.
What matters most to Yeske Buie is helping people live their most meaningful lives, and that financial planning is a powerful tool to help make that possible. What should never change is our commitment to putting people first, leading with empathy, and acting in service of our Clients’ deepest values and goals. We believe in creating a lasting impact not just through smart strategy, but through genuine connection, curiosity, and care. Ultimately, it’s about creating a client-first culture.
What matters most? Our values, our Clients, and our team.
What is enduring/should never change?
- Our relationship with our values and commitment to keeping them alive.
- Our dedication to upholding our communication agreements in service of protecting and deepening our relationships with each other.
- Our focus on living our leadership principles, so that we can show up as our best each day in everything we do.
The first thing that came to my mind when thinking about what should never change is our independence. Having complete internal control of everything that happens at Yeske Buie allows us to keep our values at the forefront when making every decision, as well as keeping every aspect of the financial planning process to our standards, not someone else’s.
What matters most to Yeske Buie, in my opinion, are our values and standards. They separate us from every other financial planning firm in the country, and that is why they are the most important.
At Yeske Buie, what matters most is our unwavering commitment to serving Clients with excellence, empathy, and integrity. This enduring dedication to the highest standards of care is the foundation of everything we do. It guides us through every Client relationship and every life transition, and it represents the essence of what it truly means to be a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™. This core value is timeless — and it should never change.
Approaching financial planning from a holistic perspective. Having the desire and feeling the responsibility to use the most advanced tech, best data, and available learning, so that we can best serve others. Taking your CFP, getting your master’s degree, exceeding continuing education requirements annually, writing articles, participating in the advancement and support of the industry – all of this is with the broader purpose of helping serve others in their lives.
At Yeske Buie, what matters most is living our values out loud — thinking, feeling, learning, and giving in a way that empowers others to Live Big. Enduring is our belief in the dignity of every person’s vision, the power of evidence-based service, and the ripple of shared humanity. We are a learning organization, a giving community, and a team built on courageous vulnerability. We show up fully — for Clients, one another, and the profession. What must never change is our commitment to authenticity, social capital, and a radical belief in what’s possible for others and ourselves.
Our standard of excellence and our purpose. Our standard is all encompassing of what matters most to Yeske Buie. It is the way we show up for our Clients and for each other. It is within our core values, our communication agreements, and our leadership principles. Our dedication to our Clients and our goal to support them in their pursuit of their limitless vision is another unchanging piece of Yeske Buie. While the way we support Clients in this (new software, processes/policies, etc) may evolve with our “new energy,” we should always bring ourselves back to the power of Live Big.
I think remaining independent is incredibly important for Yeske Buie so that we can continue serving Clients in the ways that best suit them. It’s important that we remain committed to the people who help make this firm great — both the Clients and each other. Our dedication to living our values should remain, as well. It’s easy to get lost in the greys of the world, and having a core set of values that we live through practice makes it easier to differentiate what’s important from all the outside noise.
At Yeske Buie, what matters most is building and nurturing authentic relationships. The relationships we have with our Clients, with each other, and with our strategic partners, professional peers, and local communities are the lifeblood of our work and the pathway to fulfilling our mission. Our enduring commitment is to show up fully and genuinely in every interaction, guided by our leadership principles, communication agreements, and core values. These pillars support the trust, empathy, and intentionality that define our relationships, and no matter how the world changes, the focus on meaningful human connection is a constant we will always protect and prioritize.
Every answer I could think of came down to this: core values, core values, core values! First, I wrote down “evidence-based.” That’s Think Big. I then thought about how the firm cares about building a strong, unified team. Be Big. Then there’s Learn Big: an openness to new ideas and a willingness to change course when presented with new information or perspectives. The list goes on. Overall, the most important thing to Yeske Buie is living out our values through the firm’s leadership, decision-making, and the way we serve our Clients. (And perhaps our commitment to remaining independent as well!)