Entrepreneurism and experience leads to a partnership destined for success
A passion for finance brought Tina Sun and Yisha Wang together when their paths crossed in 2016 at a financial industry conference. They realized with their combined backgrounds and desire to work for themselves, building a business together would be the next step in their careers.
Sun moved to the U.S. from China to earn her master's degree in financial engineering, and spent the next 10 years at a global investment bank. Her daily responsibilities included designing and distributing financial products to institutions and advisors. Engaging with advisors compelled her to earn her Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation and become an advisor herself. With her deep understanding of financial products and markets, as well as her wide network of major product providers, Sun feels she’s able to better serve her clients.
Wang, who is also from China, started her career as a CPA at a multinational accounting firm, and then spent several years at a Fortune 500 investment bank. After meeting Sun and learning about financial advisory, Wang’s well-rounded background enabled her to obtain her Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) license quickly.
“Tina is a person who has a vision, so I was willing to join her,” said Wang. “She told me about the industry and because I already had my CPA, I thought it was very interesting. It turns out I made the very right decision.”
Founded in 2016, Taurus Financial mainly services two types of clients: those in large Silicon Valley-based technology corporations, and entrepreneurs running small businesses such as doctors, dentists, and lawyers. Their technology clients frequently ask for advice on equity compensation, trust and estate planning, and complex investments. As for their small-business clients, Sun and Wang are a one-stop shop, providing them with business solutions such as payroll assistance, bookkeeping, tax filing, group health insurance services, and retirement planning assistance.
In this video, Sun and Wang share how their combined expertise and breadth of client services are the keys to their continued success: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TCgWo5FxvY
Reach your clients’ goals with a holistic approach
Sun and Wang believe in offering diversified services to their clients, including tax and financial planning, and insurance options.
“We can provide a client with a true guide to meet their financial goals,” said Wang. “Financial planning is a tool to guide clients toward their monetary goals. However, a plan isn't complete without considering tax, as tax can significantly affect their returns.”
Sun and Wang feel by providing both tax and financial planning, they offer their clients a comprehensive, streamlined service that not only grows their clients’ wealth, but also retains wealth post-tax, helping clients reach their goals “efficiently and effectively”.
Taurus Financial has also been one of the top insurance producers at LPL Financial for several years.
“I always tell our clients that insurance is not for everyone,” Sun said. “If you're financially self-sufficient and won't have estate tax issues, you may not need insurance. But insurance is more than just a product — it is a tool when properly leveraged.”
By offering a variety of financial services, Taurus Financial has positioned themselves as specialists in certain areas, which has created a wide network of high-net-worth clients, that, in turn, has led to numerous referrals.
The power of successful client experiences and satisfaction
When Sun and Wang founded Taurus Financial, they didn’t have any clients, and have since grown their practice to more than 1,000 clients in over 30 states. Their practice is based solely on word-of-mouth referrals. They haven’t met 95% of their clients in person, showcasing how recommendations from one person to another in the same company or same city is helping them work toward achieving success.
Sun says, “Our tagline is, ‘Wall Street knowledge, boutique experience’.” She feels what differentiates Taurus Financial from other firms is the value-add experiences they deliver to their clients and the advanced knowledge she and Wang possess.
“The number one reason we get so many referrals is due to our many years of experience handling complicated investment products and complex tax-planning situations,” said Sun.
Both Sun and Wang feel a sense of accomplishment when a client recommends their business to a colleague or friend. Wang said, “The best moments for me are when a client says, ‘Thank you for making this so clear for me. Your help has made a huge difference.’ Knowing I made an impact is incredibly rewarding.”
Advisor diversity support and resources through LPL
Considering themselves triple minorities and both being first-generation immigrants, Sun and Wang feel finding the right peer group in the financial advisor community is important for their personal development and the growth of their practice.
“We're women, we're women of color, and we’re first-generation immigrants. I came to the U.S. when I was 22 years old and English is not my native language,” said Sun. “The LPL advisor community truly creates a sharing experience for all advisors. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve already developed a mature practice or if you’re like me, someone who still has a long career ahead.”
Sun describes attending LPL diversity advisor events where she meets peers who ask questions and share ideas. They discuss industry trends, best practices, mentorship opportunities, and useful business tools such as planning software, billing systems, digital marketing resources, and more. She finds coming together in these forums helps her “grow as a businesswoman and as a person.”
Taurus Financial is comprised of English-, Mandarin-, and Cantonese-speaking team members and Sun remarks it's no surprise that many of their clients are first-generation immigrants from China. She feels there are too few Asian advisors in the industry and encourages anyone within that heritage to explore a career in finance.
How partnering with LPL makes a difference
Sun and Wang feel that one of the most important offerings from LPL are the structured products and the amount of alternative investment options.
The Taurus Financial team also appreciates that they feel heard and supported as a partner by LPL leadership. “When we have someone from the LPL leadership team come to us and listen to what we truly need, that’s very powerful,” said Sun.
Sun and Wang chose to join LPL because they enjoy the freedom to leverage their investment bank experiences and run their own business. The resources they receive on the day-to-day operational side from LPL allows them to focus on helping their clients work toward their financial goals.
Sun said, “I always say we were born and raised with LPL because they provided tremendous support and education in our early days. At LPL, we are not employees. It's a strategic partnership.”