Every year, Tallgrass Freight hosts its much-anticipated Agent Roundtable event, with our top-performing freight agents invited for a day of education and growth. “At Tallgrass, we really love investing in our agents,” says COO and co-owner David Barnes. “These are the kinds of resources you won’t find anywhere else.” One crucial aspect of the 2020 Roundtable was a financial and estate planning session, featuring our friends from the world-class financial advising firm Creative Planning.
With smart, strategic planning for safe travels and a socially-distanced gathering, we were fortunate to fly top-tier freight agents into Kansas City from the East Coast, West Coast and everywhere in between. We’re grateful to our hosts at KC’s unbelievable new Loews Hotel, whose safety protocols ensured everyone in attendance stayed healthy and safe, and had a fun day of learning and camaraderie.
So — why financial and estate planning at a freight agent event? For our agents, the sky’s the limit for compensation. Our industry-leading commission and high split means many Tallgrass Freight agents are taking home more than ever before. And because we care about our agents and their families, we want to equip our agents with the tools they need to invest their paychecks and take care of their families over the long term.
To lay a financial and estate planning foundation, we brought in the best of the best: experts from Creative Planning. Headquartered right here in our KC backyard, Creative Planning is one of the top independent wealth management firms in America, with more than $50 billion in assets as of October 2020 and advisors serving clients in all 50 states.
Michael Persell, CFP and Private Wealth Manager, and Jon Davis, an estate planning Attorney at Law, delivered a wealth of knowledge covering the importance of making fiscally responsible decisions and proactively planning for the future. The presentation kicked off with the importance of estate planning. While wills and trusts may not fit the definition of attractive or glamorous, Creative Planning emphasized the value in proactively preparing for the future.
From defining goals to strategically investing money, freight agents learned about the benefits of delayed gratification. Other discussion topics included diversifying income, 401Ks, trusts and the gravity of setting aside an “emergency” fund for all of life’s unanticipated moments. The session wrapped up with a fantastic Q&A session in which they opened the floor up to agents, allowing them to ask questions pertinent to their needs.
Our top agents walked away empowered to manage their money and take care of their families, having learned lessons they can take with them far beyond their time at Tallgrass Freight. The financial and estate planning education was just a portion of the event, truly symbolic of TGF’s mission to help our agents thrive. The annual Roundtable is just one of the many ways in which we live out our culture.
At Tallgrass Freight, we furnish our agents with a healthy balance of freedom and support, providing the resources needed to build a successful book of business. We work hard and we play hard. Ready to experience a culture and career you can’t find anywhere else? Learn more about becoming a Tallgrass Freight agent today.