Ensemble Practice Makes Perfect

An ensemble is a group of people who come together to make a complete unit. Perhaps “ensemble” makes you think of musicians playing together in a chamber quartet. Actors performing in a play. Or the dancers in a ballet. Each individual has their own unique role. Each person contributes their distinct skills and experiences. And in the end, when all of the pieces come together – when all of the musicians are playing in harmony – something greater is created.

But when you think “ensemble”, you likely do not imagine your financial advisor and the team at Christopher Street Financial (even though many of us do have performance backgrounds). But that is precisely what we are: We are a team of uniquely skilled financial professionals who have come together to create something for our clients that is greater than any of us could provide on our own. We see ourselves as a whole – something that is greater than the sum of its parts.

This thinking led Philip Palaveev, a strong ally to Christopher Street Financial and longtime mentor to Jen Hatch and me, to coin the term “Ensemble Practice” over a decade ago. Philip literally wrote the book on the subject, and it has been the guiding principle for us for years. It is the foundation of our thinking as we continue to structure and build Christopher Street Financial as a financial planning firm that remains true to its legacy, and that will endure long beyond any single individual. At the core of an “Ensemble Practice” is what we refer to as our “Team-Based Approach”. Yes, we look to build strong relationships between clients and individual advisors. We know (and cherish) that for many clients, the long-term relationships with Jen and our other advisors are the most valued aspects of working with Christopher Street Financial. But we think of client relationships as relationships with the entire team. This means that there is not just one person looking out for you, but rather 17 of us who are focused on providing the best possible experience with your best interest in mind. With each of us playing our individual role – each musician playing our individual part – we’re able to play a full score.

An Ensemble Practice recognizes that one person can only do so much. But as we grow as a group, we can provide an ever-improving experience. We can do more for our clients. We can provide new services. We can be more responsive. We can let the lead violinist, your advisor, play a solo while the rest of the musicians keep time. And with each additional member of the team, we can play a richer score. What started as a chamber quartet, can become an orchestra.

An Ensemble Practice also provides consistency and continuity. In our approach, having a team of advisors and client service professionals assigned to each relationship ensures there is always someone available – an understudy, fully trained in the part, ready to step in at any time.

But bigger is not always better, and being unified is essential. This is why Jen and I have been so deliberate in forming and maintaining this team. Each individual in an Ensemble Practice has to be aligned to a common vision – needs to be playing the same song. Without a shared vision, a beautiful melody can be a painful cacophony. Everyone at Christopher Street shares the same vision – one that stands by our values and our community. We are playing the same song. We are an “Ensemble Practice”.