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Lia Hess knew it was fate when the office building near the corner of Hess St and King St in Hamilton came up for sale – there couldn’t be a better downtown location than having a business close to Hess Village, but furthermore, image your own name at the closest intersection!
Lia has always wanted to be her own boss and work in a business with lots of upside potential. After graduating University, her husband, a landscape architect ran a design/build Landscaping Construction business and Lia managed the retail part of their joint venture. The garden and flower shop satisfied both her business and creative interests however the seasonal hours and 24/7 care of plants was exhausting and demanded a disproportionate time away from family activities.
After 15 years of this successful retail business and raising their 3 children among soil bags and flowers, it was time for change. “When we had our landscaping business, there was always a feeling that I should be at home with the kids but when I was at home I felt guilty about not being at work” So when , the opportunity for Lia’s husband to develop Hamilton’s waterfront came up, we felt the time was right and after much consideration the family decided to close the business and make a move from Barrie.
This move to Hamilton came just at the right time for Lia. She had always liked management but disliked the extended retail hours. The financial world seemed the perfect fit. In 1996, Lia took the plunge, moving into the insurance arena first and underwent the licensing process for Securities. In 2003 she went on her own with 2 assistants and opened Hess Financial Centre.
Using her people skills she found that listening to your client is the most important thing. As an Investment Advisor she can help identify the weaker financial areas for people, and then layer selected investment "products" so that each individual will have a rewarding retirement, protection from misfortune, and a tax-efficient estate plan.
She firmly believes that financial balance will enhance and protect your way of life which in turn, can provide you with financial peace of mind.
It takes skill and research to find investments that can suit a persons individual risk tolerance, tax bracket, and financial goals.
Lia screens her clients to make sure she deals with those that trust her and will follow through. “They need to be at a place where they are serious about their future,” she says including that while net worth has nothing to do with how she selects her clients she does require commitment from them.
Lia is truly at a place in her life where she feels balanced. Now, a self-proclaimed ‘empty-nester’ she has the experience and time to do what she loves on her own schedule. |
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