Seth Hendricks - Northwestern Mutual

06/04/2025

Happy Wednesday!

🌈Let’s talk about the elephant in the room…rainbows🌈
How neat is it that we can take something that isn’t always desired (rain), combine it with something that many people typically enjoy (sunshine), and come out with something as beautiful as a rainbow?! Think about it: when was the last time you saw a rainbow and didn’t point it out to someone?

Why is that?
It’s because they’re interesting, a little mysterious, and very pretty to look at (which is how you should describe your significant other next time you’re asked).

Having said all that, do you know what makes a rainbow appear? Yes, it’s the sunlight combining with the raindrops. But what actually happens is quite cool.

Refraction, reflection, refraction again, color separation, then visible rainbow…I learned that from Google (and probably a high school teacher 😊).

❤️Refraction - Sunlight is bent as it enters a water droplet
🧡Reflection - The light bounces off the back of the raindrop
💛Refraction Again - The light changes and bends again as it leaves the raindrop
💚Color separation - Think Pink Floyd’s album cover; the white light separates into individual colors as it’s bent through the prism
💙Visible Rainbow - This is the part where you say, “Hey look, a rainbow!”
💜And to think, all this happens within millions of individual raindrops to create the collective beauty of a rainbow.

Or think of it this way… A person combines with an environment.

❤️Refraction - That person grows and has different experiences as they pass through stages of life
🧡Reflection - They reflect on their experiences and feelings
💛Refraction Again - They continue to grow and change as they understand themselves more
💚Color Separation - They see the cover of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon and realize each color is beautiful and unique on its own. It’s okay to separate, be different, or stand out
💙Visible Rainbow - That person comes to find their sense of self and, if we’re lucky, they’ll openly share it with the world
💜And to think, all this happens within millions of individual people to create the collective beauty that is the rainbow of humanity.

🌈We should all be proud 🌈

**This post was co-authored by Jessica Lee Hendricks

❤️🧡💛💚💙🩷💜

05/30/2025

It’s Friday morning…
✅ Cup of coffee ☕
✅ Walk the dog (and myself) 🐕🚶‍♂️
✅ Get an oil change 🚙

During the last of my morning ‘to-dos’ I have time to sit and think. I clean up a few emails, continue to read over highlights from the new federal tax proposal, and I catch a glimpse of the news for yet another “Breaking Story”. And that’s what spurred this post today…. Breaking News.
If you turn on the news, follow the markets, listen to the radio (yeah, it’s still a thing), then you likely realize that the Breaking News moniker is saved as an auto-text insert for everyday use by all forms of media.

So, what will it be today? What will it be… for you?

For me, I know what’s on my calendar well in advance of the day. I know which clients I’m meeting with and at what time I’ll be proactive in building my business.

What I don’t know is what Breaking News will come to me via email or phone.
- I don’t know which clients were laid off or who received a promotion.
- I don’t know who is ready to plan today that wasn’t ready when we originally met a year ago.
- I don’t know who had an accepted offer on a house, found out they are pregnant, are relocating for work, or (fill in the blank)
… but I will!

What I love most about the work I do is not that I can predict the Breaking News in my clients’ lives, but it’s that I do get to be a part of it. And, more than that, they trust me to help them through it.
I don’t know when the myriads of possible changes, challenges, or good fortunes will present themselves. But I do know we are actively preparing for them.
It’s this proactive planning and preparation that allows me and our clients to be well positioned at times of uncertainty.
- We aren’t waiting to react.
- We aren’t making knee-jerk adjustments based on Breaking News.
We are a steady ship… moving forward… staying the course… blocking out noise… standing tall like the Red Rocks in Colorado...
..And doing what we know is the best for them for today and for the decades to come.

Dream Big and have a great Friday!

P.S. It’s now 11:02 I had 3 Breaking News updates from clients so far today. It’s fun to be a part of their lives!

04/12/2023

More than four years ago, I wrote in my vision statement that I would pass five different investment exams in three years. Of those five, the one that carried the most weight and presented the biggest challenge was getting my CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification. Well, here’s how things shook out…

A little more than four years later, I passed the last
of those exams and am now recognized as being a CFP® professional. While I was little off on my timing, I know in my knower the only reason I raised my hand for this designation was because I wrote it down and reviewed it years earlier. For years this has sat in the back of my mind waiting to present itself and here we are.

While designations alone don’t make someone the best in their profession, for me it does show a commitment to those who I serve and partner with. It shows a commitment that, while I do push you to do more for yourself, your adventures, and for your plan, I too am pushing myself to be better and do more for you!

Last and not least, shout out to my wife Emily Hendricks who gave me as much time away as needed to prepare and my friends and colleagues Michelle Lother, Ryley Tennyson, Zachary Schlegel, CFP®, and Nathan Altendorf, CFP® for spending long weekend days in the office helping me prepare!

03/07/2023

These are some great tips. Sometimes small financial changes can make a big difference.

If you’re looking for 5 ways to improve your finances in March, here’s how you can lower your tax bill and prepare for homebuying season.

02/22/2023

A recent Northwestern Mutual survey found that moving to a new city or state is a top life goal many people intend to pursue in the coming year. Reach out if you have questions about how a change of scenery could impact your financial plan.

Thinking about relocating to a new city or state? Here are five cost-related questions to research as you contemplate the move.

02/09/2023

You should spend some now. But this is also a great time to tackle some financial goals.

It can be tempting to spend your year-end bonus right now, but there’s more you could be doing with your yearly windfall.

02/07/2023

Here are some simple steps to keep your finances on track this month. Please reach out if you want to have a conversation about your situation.

This month, take stock of your retirement savings and start to prepare for tax season. Here are 5 ways to improve your finances in February.

01/25/2023

Stop putting off that thing you keep talking about doing. Reach out so we can make a plan to help you do it in 2023.

These are great 2023 financial resolution ideas. Make this the year you make a financial plan to do the things you want, now and in the future.

01/13/2023

Research finds that most people give up on their New Year’s resolutions nearly as soon as they make them. We can help you turn your resolution into goals and create a plan that shows you a path to reach them.

Research suggests many of us give up on New Year’s resolutions before we get to February. Here’s how to keep your financial resolution.

01/12/2023

Please reach out if you’d like help getting off to a good financial start in 2023.

Let’s start the year off right, at least financially. Here are 5 ways to improve your finances in January.