July – Success Story
Full-time clients at Park OffiCenter, Jim Larson and Jill Longo of Northeast Securities are the Client Success Story this month! For over 20 years Jim and Jill have been helping people match their investments with their values. One reason for their ongoing success is that they practice Socially Responsible Investing, encouraging practices that promote environmental stewardship, consumer protection, human rights, and diversity.
1) Who are you and what do you do? Jim Larson and Jill Longo. We are Financial Planners in Minneapolis.
2) Which OffiCenters location does your business call ‘home-base’? Park Place East inSt. Louis Park.
3) How long have you been an OffiCenters client? Since January 1992!
4) What is your ‘elevator speech’? Don’t do that, but if we did, it would be: “We help people match their investments with their values.”
5) Where did you get the idea for your business? Both of our dads had their own businesses, worked with their wives, our business grew out of our desire to own our own business and work together in life.
6) What makes your business unique? We do Green Investing, not many financial planners in Minneapolis-St Paul are in this space.
7) What are the keys to your success? Constant client contact. Friendly, competent and interested interaction with clients.
8) How has officing with OffiCenters changed your business? The staff is wonderful, they help immensely. Having the professional environment is very important in our business.
9) What would you like people to know about you? We like what we do and can explain complex investment concepts in terms that our clients can understand. That’s because we take the time to understand our client’s goals, needs, objectives, money values, social values, money history, and then discuss the investments in terms that build upon their values and goals.
10) Do you use social media to attract clients? If so, which services do you use? Of course we do, it’s the 21st Century!! Facebook and LinkedIn are our primary connection points. Love using social media!
11) What is one of your favorite quotes? “Opportunity is missed by most because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” Thomas Edison
12) Who has been an inspiration in your life, and how? Our Dads. Both were independent business owners, both went thru massive downturns in their businesses and just came back. Taught us that every success builds on the next success, every failure contributes to the next success.
13) When you have 30 minutes of free time, how do you use it? Free time, what’s that?
14) If you could be any fictional character, whom would you choose and why? Jean Luc Picard. To go where no one has gone before.
15) If you could be any animal, what would you be and why? Owl. They live a long time, snack on yummy live mice, and look very wise.
16) What is your favorite restaurant in Minnesota? Ecopolitan. Totally delicious vegan food.
17) What is your favorite place to visit in Minnesota? Lutsen area on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Walking along the rocky shoreline.
18) What songs are included on the soundtrack to your life? Not really musical, but like Hotel California by the Eagles and anything from Olivia Newton John and Neil Diamond.
19) If you could paint a picture of any scenery you’ve ever seen before, what would you paint and why? Pont du Gard, a 1st century aqueduct inProvence,France. Awesome construction of a beautiful and functional aqueduct that has survived to the present day.
20) What is your favorite part of being with OffiCenters? The awesome teamwork we have with the excellent staff of Alyce, Carrie and Amy.
