S 01 | Ep 60 From Soldiers to Savvy Savers

Transforming Financial Planning for Military Families

Kellie Richter is the EVP, Chief Marketing and Client Experience Officer at First Command Financial Services, serving U.S. military families in their pursuit of financial security.

Key Takeaways

(00:00-08:19) How Military Values Shape Client Experience in Financial Services

(08:19-13:14) Empowering Military Families Through Financial Coaching

(13:14-22:03) The Personal Journey Behind the Mission

(22:03-29:56) How First Command Supports Military Families and Communities

(29:56-38:27) The Way of Building Trust and Confidence

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Empowering
Through Empathy

Kellie Richter, Chief Marketing and Client Experience Officer at First Command Financial Services, blends her extensive experience from financial giants like American Express and AIG with a deep commitment to serving U.S. military families. She champions a "three C’s" framework—Clarity, Consistency, and Control—to ensure First Command’s brand promise of trusted financial coaching aligns with exceptional client experiences. Rooted in military values and a philosophy that "everyone owns the customer experience," Kellie fosters a culture of empathy and empowerment, evolving from a prescriptive approach to personalized financial coaching that meets each client's unique needs and reinforces the company's mission-driven purpose.

1. How Military Values Shape Client Experience in Financial Services

Kellie Richter shares her journey from leading marketing and strategy roles at major financial institutions, like American Express and AIG, to her current mission at First Command Financial Services, where she serves U.S. military families.

She emphasizes the critical connection between marketing and client experience, explaining how she requested the unique title of Chief Marketing and Client Experience Officer to take personal accountability for ensuring that First Command's brand promise—being the trusted financial coach for military families—matches clients' actual experiences. Using her "three C’s" framework—Clarity, Consistency, and Control—Kellie stresses that consistency, not just avoiding bad experiences, is key to building trust with clients.

Kellie also highlights how every employee at First Command is trained to own the client experience, drawing a direct link between employee engagement and client satisfaction. She shares how military values, like dedication and service, guide their client relationships.

The conversation touches on the broader business philosophy that everyone in the company—from the CEO to the front-line staff—plays a role in creating a positive client experience. Kellie’s approach is about leadership through empathy, transparency, and empowering employees to deliver on the company’s brand promise every day.

One of the very first initiatives we embarked on to ensure we were customer-centric was including, in all of our employee training and onboarding, the idea that we all own the customer experience. (Kellie Richter)

2. Empowering Military Families Through Financial Coaching

Kellie explains that First Command initially approached financial coaching with a more prescriptive style, similar to how the military operates. The idea was to tell military families exactly what they needed to do to take control of their finances. However, over time, the team realized that this method wasn’t truly serving their clients in the best way. Military families, just like any other group, have diverse needs and experiences, and a one-size-fits-all approach wasn’t cutting it.

Instead, the company evolved its approach to emphasize financial coaching that meets individuals where they are. This shift meant that instead of dictating financial plans, First Command’s advisors became coaches, helping clients navigate their financial journeys in a way that is customized to their unique circumstances. Kellie highlights that this coaching mindset isn’t limited to advisors—it’s part of the entire company culture. Everyone at First Command is seen as a coach in some way, contributing to the overall client experience and ensuring it reflects the organization’s brand values.

We embarked on understanding what our coaching philosophy is. If our brand represents coaching, we want to provide an experience that feels like coaching, not telling clients what to do. (Kellie Richter)

3. The Personal Journey Behind the Mission

Kellie shares that her early career at American Express was about proving herself through hard work and dedication. As she advanced in her career, she began to focus more on work-life balance and the impact her work had on others. This shift in perspective is what eventually drew her to First Command, a mission-driven organization dedicated to helping military families achieve financial security. She notes that many of her colleagues share the same passion for the company's mission, which is what keeps them committed to their work.

This sense of purpose is what attracts people to work at First Command, and it’s also what keeps them there. Employees feel connected to the mission of helping military families, and this drives them to deliver excellent service. For Kellie, the mission is more than just a tagline—it’s something that resonates deeply with both her personal values and her professional goals.

We embarked on understanding what our coaching philosophy is. If our brand represents coaching, we want to provide an experience that feels like coaching, not telling clients what to do. (Kellie Richter)

4. How First Command Supports Military Families and Communities

Kellie explains how First Command operates as an employee-owned company structured under an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The company has taken a unique approach by not paying corporate taxes, which allows them to donate over 7% of their profits to military-based charitable organizations and community causes. This is a remarkable commitment, especially when compared to the less than 1% of companies that donate to charitable causes on such a scale.

Beyond corporate donations, First Command’s employees and financial advisors have personally contributed by volunteering over 25,000 hours in their communities. They also provided 36,000 free financial plans to active-duty military members last year. This strong commitment to giving back highlights First Command's mission-driven culture, which attracts employees who are passionate about supporting the military community and keeps them engaged despite opportunities elsewhere.

Finally, and this ties back to hiring from the military or through military family members, is empathy. It’s about truly demonstrating that we know what it's like and we understand the unique challenges of their lives. Understanding those emotions and how our clients express them helps us deliver the experience they’re looking for, and that’s how we keep our clients at the center of our actions and decisions. (Kellie Richter)

5. The Way of Building Trust and Confidence

Kellie emphasizes that First Command operates within a heavily regulated environment, which brings additional layers of complexity to communication. They are accountable to various regulatory bodies, meaning they must balance compliance with the need for clarity. This creates a challenge: how to convey essential information without overwhelming clients with legal or industry jargon.

Kellie explains that their approach focuses on understandability. They strive to make financial coaching accessible, even when face-to-face interactions aren’t possible. With 170 offices located near military installations, First Command aims to maintain a personal touch, but they also recognize the necessity of providing clear online resources for clients who may not have the option for in-person meetings.

A significant theme of the conversation is transparency. Kellie discusses how First Command prioritizes open communication about fees, services, and the company’s financial practices. This transparency is crucial for building trust with clients, especially in a regulated industry where clients often feel overwhelmed by the volume of paperwork and disclaimers.

Kellie acknowledges the challenge of balancing compliance with clarity. First Command works continuously to innovate within these constraints, focusing on making their communication straightforward while ensuring it meets all regulatory requirements.

We did research and found that our clients really want to trust and have confidence in their financial plan and financial partner, which, in this case, is First Command. The only way to build that trust and confidence is to be completely transparent about how we make money, what our fees are—upfront and clearly—and what the service model looks like, as well as the options available to them. (Kellie Richter)

Check the episode's Transcript (AI-generated) HERE.