Trailhead Financial Group - Thrivent

08/19/2026

The best part of the Global Leadership Summit 2026 wasn't just the speakers. It was the people.

For two days, our Trailhead Financial Group team joined local business leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals at Freedom Financial Planning Group's host site to invest in leadership growth and development.

We're incredibly grateful to Gary Everhart and the Freedom Financial Planning Group team for inviting us to be part of the experience and for their generous hospitality throughout the event.

One highlight for our team was seeing our founder and lead wealth advisor, Michael Jay Raymond, share insights on business transition planning. His session sparked meaningful conversations around succession, legacy, and the importance of preparing both businesses and families for the future.

The summit reinforced something important: leadership begins with personal accountability. We can't control everything around us, but we can choose how we show up, serve others, and lead through challenges.

We're leaving GLS26 with fresh perspectives, new relationships, and a commitment to put what we've learned into action.

# FFPGThrivent

No Products were sold. See Thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.

07/24/2026

We're always looking for ways to better serve the people who walk through our doors.

As Trailhead Financial Group continues to grow, we recently took a step back and asked ourselves: What should our Hendersonville conference room be?

The answer went far beyond a meeting space.

We envisioned a room that could comfortably host client meetings, welcome community partners, support future team members, provide a collaborative workspace when needed, and create an environment that feels warm, approachable, and inviting.

Rather than hiring outside help, we turned the project into a team effort. Together, we painted walls, assembled furniture, moved boxes, and transformed the space ourselves. What started as an office project became an opportunity for teamwork, camaraderie, and a lot of laughs along the way.

One of the most rewarding parts? Giving our gently used furnishings a second life through Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry and their Moving Crew, with additional support from Movers Near Me, LLC.

We're grateful to everyone who helped make this project possible and excited to share this refreshed space with our clients, community, partners, and future team members.

We may be finished painting and assembling furniture, but we're not done dreaming.

What do you think this room needs next? Comment below! More plants? Local artwork? A coffee station? We'd love to hear your ideas. ☕

07/14/2026

We're Growing — Join Our Team!

At Trailhead Financial Group, we're looking for an Administrative Assistant/Receptionist to help deliver the exceptional client experience that defines who we are.

This role is much more than answering phones and greeting visitors. We're seeking someone who enjoys serving others, building relationships, staying organized, and helping a growing team operate at its best. You'll play a vital role in supporting our advisors, assisting with office operations, and creating a welcoming experience for every client who walks through our doors.

If you're professional, detail-oriented, and passionate about helping people, we'd love to hear from you.

👉 To apply via Facebook, click here: https://bit.ly/44ydGsP

LINK IN BIO for Instagram.

Know someone who would be a great fit? Please share this opportunity with your network.



See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.

07/04/2026

250 years. Built on courage. Guided by hope.

As we celebrate Independence Day, we're reminded that the American story is still being written by families, neighbors, communities, and everyday acts of service, kindness, and perseverance.

This year marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a milestone that invites us to reflect on our shared history while looking ahead with hope.

From all of us at Trailhead Financial Group, we wish you a safe, meaningful, and happy Fourth of July.

06/26/2026

Most business owners are great at running the day-to-day. That's the job. But every now and then, it's worth stepping back to sit with a few harder questions.

Three worth asking:

Could your business run without you?

Do you know what you'd need to walk away from it?

And when you step away, what are you stepping toward?

It comes down to the three-legged stool: business, financial, personal. Get one leg wrong and the whole thing wobbles. Most owners have one or two figured out, but rarely all three.

Join us for Own Your Future, a webinar hosted by our founder, Wealth Advisor Michael Jay Raymond, ChFC, CEPA, FIC.

It's not a pitch, just good questions worth your time and practical strategies to help you plan for what's next.

🗓️ Thursday, July 16th at 7:00 PM EST

🔗 Register here: https://bit.ly/4wx7Ow3



No products will be sold. See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures

06/21/2026

Happy Father’s Day to the dads, grandfathers, and father figures who lead with strength, patience, and quiet consistency.

Some of the most important lessons in life don’t come from a textbook... they come from watching, listening, and learning from the people who show up for us every day.

To the dads and father figures who guide, support, and lead by example, thank you.

Happy Father’s Day from all of us at Trailhead Financial Group.



See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.

06/12/2026

A message from our Founder, Wealth Advisor Michael Jay Raymond ChFC®️, CEPA®️, FIC :

I’m sharing something personal as we prepare for our upcoming Own Your Future workshop.

I come from a long line of people who built things.

On my father’s side:

My great-grandfather, Benjamin Levi Raymond, farmed land in Missouri in the early 1900s. His son, Jay Lynn, ran a mechanic shop and gas station. My father, Kenneth Lee Raymond, built The Piano Man—a piano tuning and moving company in Mississippi—from nothing but skill and stubbornness.

On my mother’s side:

My great-grandfather, Cullen Eugene Vetter, owned a Ben Franklin dime store, a hardware store, and the Vetter Lumber Yard. His sons, John Oliver and Robert Eugene, took the lumber yard to New Orleans. John Oliver later moved to Mobile to build a real estate business.

My mother built something different—she was a published author. Her book explored the Christian faith and the founding values of this country. She built with words instead of timber. That counts too.

Farms. Garages. Dime stores. Lumber yards. Real estate. A piano shop. Books.

Two families. Multiple generations.

And not one of them had an exit plan.

No succession strategy.

No buy-sell agreement.

No valuation.

No roadmap for what the business was worth or how to transfer it without losing what had been built.

They were extraordinary builders. They just didn’t have anyone in their corner thinking about the finish line.

That’s the job I’ve given myself.

I work with entrepreneurs and business owners across Western North Carolina as a Certified Exit Planning Advisor—helping people who’ve built something real make sure it actually transfers, transitions, and lasts beyond them.

Eight entrepreneurs. Two family lines.

One lesson that took me a lifetime to be able to act on.

If you’ve built something, let’s make sure it outlasts you.

If this resonates with you, I’d invite you to join us for our upcoming virtual workshop -Own Your Future - on 7/16

This is a conversation for business owners who want clarity around what they’ve built—and what comes next.

I invite you to bring a guest or share this with someone you know who may not yet have an exit plan in place.

Register here: https://bit.ly/4uDDpKZ



No products will be sold. See thrivent.com/social for important disclosures.

Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams

05/29/2026

Over 150 volunteer hours.
Over 200 donated items.
Over $20,000 raised.

And last night, 39 individuals came together in service to veterans—whose service to this country will always be honored.

Trailhead Financial Group – Thrivent and Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry leadership gathered for a simple but powerful ask: open your hearts—to each other, to your community, and to our veterans.

Hosted at Ruth's Chris Asheville, the evening brought together local community leaders and business owners who showed up in support, including Claywood ShareWell Coffee Co. & Roastery SunSpots Voices - Voiceover Talent Agency & Creative Audio Production

Michael Jay Raymond shared the impact of our clients’ and members’ generosity, and how Thrivent’s member benefits empower people to give back in meaningful, tangible ways.

Tim McElyea, Chief Administrative Officer at ABCCM, delivered a heartfelt look into the future of the Veterans Restoration Quarters and the critical role generosity plays in supporting veterans, families, and individuals displaced after Hurricane Helene.

This was a true community effort.
We need more of this.

Because generosity is contagious when passed from hand to hand.

05/25/2026

Today, we remember—and we honor them, holding a deep reverence for the freedom they made possible.

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day. 🌷

Today, we’re taking a moment to honor the mothers who shape our lives through their love, guidance, patience, and strength. So much of who we are begins with them.

We’re grateful today, and always.

Note from the Director of Marketing: This post was entirely Michael’s—heart, words, and all. I just had the pleasure of hitting publish.