Brett L. Moore, CFP®, grew up in the insurance and financial services business. His father, long-time NAIFA member William C. Moore, CFP®, founded W.C. Moore Financial Services, LLC, and Moore remembers spending hours at his dad’s office, stuffing financial papers into plastic sheets and helping out any way he could.  

The Power of Doing What’s Right

When Moore graduated from Mount St. Mary’s University with a bachelor’s degree in financial services, he went to work for his father’s agency while playing professional baseball. Those two experiences shaped both his character and the way he does business. From his father, Moore learned the value of doing right by people. Through baseball, he developed his never-give-up mentality and synthesized his own style of play from working with several different coaches, each with their own way of doing things. With these formative experiences, Moore crafted his own philosophy—work hard, do what’s best for your client, and always be open to new ideas and ways to improve. 

In 2017, after working for his father for several years, Moore decided it was time for a change and moved with his wife from northern Virginia to Georgia. He wanted to see what the “other side of the industry” was like and became a captive agent at a large insurance and financial company. Within a few months, he realized that an independent model would serve his clients better. He spent four years with an independent advisor before setting out on his own. In December of 2021, he opened RBM Wealth Management Group with J. Ryan Bickel, CPFA™, APMA®, who had joined him the previous year. 

Moore built his business on his father’s philosophy: always do right by the client, no matter what. “The first few years were tough,” says Moore. “I could never have done it without the emotional and financial support of my wife, as well as keeping my faith in God.”

Camaraderie and Advocacy Through NAIFA

When his father suggested he join NAIFA, he didn’t know anything about NAIFA, but he took his father’s advice. At local NAIFA meetings, he learned from perspectives outside of his own agency. Now, he credits the relationships he’s made with fellow NAIFA members as one of the major factors in his success. In addition to networking and learning new strategies and best practices, Moore appreciates NAIFA’s advocacy at the local, state, and national levels to protect Main Street Americans and he’s been working more closely with local politicians recently to further that mission. 

When he talks about the impact NAIFA has had on his life and his career, Moore poses a challenge to industry professionals who aren’t yet NAIFA members. “Why would you not want to be part of an organization that is there to support you in many facets—whether it's the political side and working with the government or whether you join to hear other perspectives to help you grow and learn?” he asks. “Why would you not want to be a part of an organization like this?” 

Building Trust and Loyalty

When he started his own business, Moore knew he wanted to do things differently than much of the industry. He took a page out of his father’s book and creates a free financial plan for anyone who walks through his door. While offering services for free doesn’t seem like a sustainable business model, Moore has found it to be a much more effective way to build trust and gain loyal clients. “I'm willing to show that there's no pushy sales techniques here,” he begins. “[My clients] see me as more of an educator and a fiduciary, someone who's on their side to help them make the right decision themselves.”  

His policy of offering a free consultation and financial plan is better than any marketing strategy he could devise, says Moore. His clients become advocates for his business and share their stories with family and friends. Selling ads may be a good way to get more consultations, Moore says, but the clients who come in because their friend or family member recommended them are the ones who stay. 

Moore doesn’t have a typical client; he’s willing to help anyone who wants help and is willing to listen. He believes in karma—the good he puts into the world will come back to him. Sometimes, that means spending nine months helping five beneficiaries of an estate get their equal share and seeing the relief on their faces when they realize they don’t owe him anything. Other times, it’s helping one man with $1,000 in a 401k account, expecting not to make a profit, then getting a call two years later and hearing that his client won the lottery. Moore puts in the work, knowing that someday his efforts will pay off. 

Looking to the Future

One of the most important roles Moore plays is as a mentor for newer advisors and students interested in becoming financial services professionals. He’s willing to sit down with anyone to share the lessons he’s learned over the past decade. When talking with advisors starting out in their careers, one piece of advice he offers is to keep learning and growing. “Never catch yourself doing nothing,” he says. “When you settle or think there is nothing to do, you will get stuck.” He believes that perseverance is key to success, especially in an industry with a 90% attrition rate in the first three years. “I hate to lose more than I like to win,” he begins. “When you can learn from failures, that’s when you get better. And at the very end of the day, your character is what is most important and what people will remember when all is said and done.” 

As RBM Wealth Management Group continues to grow, Moore plans to bring in more partners and more young agents, and—eventually—open more offices to continue serving Main Street USA.