Larry Witzel, CFP^®, CLU^®, has been interested in financial services since his early teens when his father introduced him to a financial advisor. In 1990, he entered the industry when he was 25 years old and later founded Strategic Financial Solutions.

The Keys to Success

Strategic Financial Solutions is both a retirement advisory firm (working with firms on 401k, profit sharing, employee stock ownership, and defined benefit offerings) and also a wealth management firm (offering services including personal financial planning and individual investment management). The key to becoming a successful advisor, says Witzel, is by tying together a servant's heart, energy, hard work, people skills, and organizational skills.

Witzel enjoys working in a service-oriented industry. He says the most exciting parts of his job are giving clients confidence in their retirement planning and helping them solve problems. He loves seeing their appreciation when they retire. A memorable moment, he says, was when he got his first invitation to a client’s retirement party. His client said to him, “You're responsible for this. I want to make sure you're part of the celebration.”

The Value of NAIFA

Witzel says that NAIFA has been a consistent touchpoint for him. The hands-on training that he received from NAIFA and LUTCF classes provided—as well as the opportunity to interact with others in the industry with different perspectives—has been critical in his career. He believes that every industry professional should be a NAIFA member, saying, “[NAIFA is] the [professional organization] that's protecting our best interest as well as our clients.” Witzel believes that NAIFA's political advocacy is a central part of that protection. “NAIFA’s got our back,” he begins. "We're very fortunate to be operating in this industry. It's critically important to support the organization that supports us, that protects our opportunity to continue to take good care of our clients.”

Outside of the Office

When he’s not working, Witzel enjoys spending time with his family, working on his farm, and staying active with racquetball, biking, golfing, and boating. He’s also invested in his community with his church, his local chamber of commerce, and local charities. After a recent natural disaster, Witzel and his team gave back to their community by helping with relief and rebuilding efforts. 

For his service to his community and our industry and association, we’re #NAIFAproud to have Larry Witzel as a part of our NAIFA family.