Nearly 30 years ago, Lamar Barden was a full-time minister who authored a tax manual tailored to the clergy while launching a tax preparation company on the side. Ministers who used his record-keeping guide began contacting him for help with personal financial matters.
The requests increased steadily enough that Barden decided to pursue a career in financial planning. In 1988, he joined Peachtree Planning Corp., eventually rising to the rank of vice president and senior partner. He maintains the tax preparation gig, with his employer’s blessing.
Q. What attracted you to Peachtree Planning?
A. I wanted to be with a firm that allowed me to maximize my personal talents and skills and that had the resources and capabilities to handle comprehensive needs. I also liked the structure that allowed me to earn an income up to my personal capabilities with no limitations. The clients that I work with belong to me, and as long as I serve them and help them become successful, they are never taken away and assigned to someone else.
The firm gives advisers the platform to build their business as large as they may want. It has several support people in the corporate headquarters that are available anytime to me and my clients, providing the resources and expertise to help us handle very sophisticated financial planning and estate planning cases.
Q. Anything special about working for the company?
A. Peachtree Planning provides a family-type atmosphere where everyone is willing to help and assist each other with whatever scenario we face. We work as a true team. There is no internal competition like it in the corporate world, where at any time they will take away your territory or assign your customers to someone else.
Q. Is Peachtree Planning that much different from other financial planners?
A. Most firms are independent one- or two-person operations with limited resources. We have over 30 offices across the Southeast. Because of our size, we have leverage with investment firms. We are able to get special consideration for our clients with insurance carriers because of our volume of business.
Q. What advantages does Peachtree Planning provide to its employees?
A. It would be hard to find a company that offered better employee benefits. Virtually no other company in the marketplace offers three retirement plans. In addition, we have top health insurance, disability insurance and life insurance with highly rated companies.
Q. The company’s slogan is “Help some people, make some money and have some fun.” Is it valid?
A. Yes, it is true. We do help our clients achieve financial success. Our clients become friends and we become part of their family to a certain extent.
Yes, we make a good living. However, we only achieve financial success if our clients are well-served and achieve success themselves. Our clients do not object to us being compensated fairly because we bring so much to the table for them.
We do have fun. Peachtree Planning has several events during the year where we relax and enjoy recreation, training and enrichment — not only advisers but their families.
