See the show notes for this episode: S 01 | Ep 60 From Soldiers to Savvy Savers: Transforming Financial Planning for Military Families | Show notes
0:00:00 - Alex Shevelenko
I'm delighted to welcome Kellie Richter to the podcast. She's the EVP and Chief Marketing and Client Experience Officer at First Command Financial Services, serving the U.S. military families in their pursuit of financial security. Kellie, welcome to the podcast!
0:00:24 - Kellie Richter
Alex, it's a pleasure to be here, and great to meet you virtually. I'm glad to talk to you today.
0:00:30 - Alex Shevelenko
Awesome. Well, first of all, I'd love to dive into First Command and its mission. But the part of your background that goes beyond this initial introduction is that you've been at leading financial institutions in marketing, experience, and strategy roles, including American Express and AIG. Now, you're on a special mission at First Command. But let's start with your title, because I think it's my favorite title ever—Chief Marketing and Client Experience Officer.
In some ways, I think every marketer should be a leader in customer and client experiences, and vice versa. So tell us the story behind the title, and we'll circle back to your rich background later.
0:01:28 - Kellie Richter
Sure, sure, my pleasure. So, Alex, I've actually listened to a few of your podcasts, and I've heard you say more than once that everyone is in the business of client experience. Maybe everybody needs that in their title! When I was asked to join First Command, I was initially recruited as Chief Marketing Officer to focus on the company’s brand. When thinking about the brand, we had to get clear.
I like to call it the 'three C's,' which I actually learned during my time at American Express, a company that is very brand-focused. The three C's are clarity, consistency, and control. First, clarity of your mission—who are you to your clients? Second, consistency in the client experience. People often say a bad experience is the enemy of a good brand, but the reality is that inconsistency is the true enemy of a strong brand. Lastly, control—no one fully controls their brand today. As we all know, anyone can say anything about you online.
People are really in the driver's seat when it comes to what they view, listen to, and believe. So, knowing you can’t always control it, you focus on consistency. The brand is who you say you are. We say we are the personal financial coach of our nation's military families. The reputation, however, is what others say about you when you’re not in the room.
The trick is to make sure what you say about yourself and what others say about you are tightly aligned. When they’re not consistent—when you say one thing, like 'we coach our clients toward financial security,' but someone’s experience doesn't match that promise—that’s when trust breaks down.
So, we went on a relentless pursuit to ensure that our brand and our experiences align with our reputation. One of the first things I asked my boss was, 'Can I add client experience to my title?' I asked for that because it added personal accountability. If my name and title are on the website, and people see that, I'm often the first person they reach out to, whether they’ve had a great experience or one that didn’t meet expectations. That title carries responsibility and accountability, and my job every day is to make sure I’m earning it—whether through taking calls, responding to emails, or engaging with chat messages—to ensure we're consistent with our brand promise.
0:04:44 - Alex Shevelenko
I think this is remarkable. It’s really the job of a CEO to ultimately be the owner of the customer experience. Quite famously, the CEO of the world’s most customer-centric company, Amazon—Jeff Bezos—was known for being available and receiving customer emails. When he got a bad email, he would typically forward it to his team with a question mark or something like that.
I'm assuming you're a bit more inclusive and positive in your approach. But I think it's amazing that not enough people are stepping up to connect the dots. Instead, people tend to stay in their comfort zones: 'I’m a brand person' or 'I’m a product person.' Ultimately, if you believe in the mission and vision of customer centricity, everyone has to be in this business. I'm curious—are there others in the organization clamoring for that title, or are other parts of the company starting to express interest in what you’re doing? Have you become the source of customer wisdom at First Command?
0:06:00 - Kellie Richter
Well, I may be the source of it, but I share it. 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.
It’s about helping all of our employees, especially those on the front lines, understand what is unique and special about the clients we serve. I remember listening to one of your podcast guests—I think her name was Mary Poppen, and her name stands out because it reminds me of a childhood story—but she mentioned how important it is to focus on the employee experience, as it's so closely linked to the end customer experience. We believe that’s true.
We emphasize helping employees empathize with the unique challenges of our military clients, ensuring they understand our mission and vision, and making sure they’re equipped with the tools and resources they need to deliver a great client experience. So, while I have the title, which is a privilege and comes with responsibility and accountability, we make it very clear that all employees, during onboarding and throughout their tenure at First Command, affect the client experience—and we all own that jointly.
0:07:27 - Alex Shevelenko
Well, I think this is brilliant. It seems like the most sophisticated organizations really do connect the employee experience with the customer experience, and I think it's great to hear that this resonated with you. One interesting thing is when you mentioned the word "control." Everyone kind of thinks of the military in terms of a command-and-control structure. I quote you from one of your podcasts: you said, "Control is no longer in the hands of consumers; this is a fallacy." Do you have some folks who come to work with you that have their own military background or are more accustomed to that traditional hierarchical, command-and-control leadership?
0:08:19 - Kellie Richter
It is changing and evolving with the population and trends because they have to recruit, just like employees in companies. They need to retain their talent and be relevant to the people they’re trying to recruit into the military.
But I love that you pointed out the military’s traditional command-and-control background, because that historically has been how First Command approached financial coaching for military personnel. It was like, "Let me tell you how and what you need to do to take control of your financial life." However, over time, we realized that our brand really represents coaching. Our advisors are not only coaches; everyone at First Command is a coach. The experiences we deliver to our clients—who happen to be from military families, including active duty members, veterans, military dependents, and military spouses—should be tailored uniquely for them. This means that our approach to financial planning is not one-size-fits-all; it involves coaching that meets individuals where they are. So, 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.
0:10:02 - Alex Shevelenko
So, coached around that. You're not being drilled; this is not your drill sergeant. This is more... This is fascinating. If I could draw one parallel, I'm curious what you think about this. One interesting area we’ve found that has a lot of pent-up challenges is employee benefit decisions—educating employees about the range of benefits available. Some of these are financial, but others could be health and wellness or insurance.
Historically, you might have done some sort of webinar, sent out a bunch of documents, or had something internally on your secured portal. The problem we've found is the keyword you used: families and dependents. Sometimes, the decision-maker isn't the employee—in your case, it may not be the active military member but rather their partner. The partner may have a very different decision-making style compared to the military member. Can you tell us a little bit about how you're combining this holistic approach to families and the different styles of decision-making that could exist within a single family?
0:11:40 - Kellie Richter
Right. You bring up such an excellent point. Initially, we always focused on our primary client, who in most cases is the active-duty service member. However, after 16 years of monthly research—where we engage with not only active-duty military but also their civilian counterparts to understand the unique differences in their attitudes about finances—we learned that four out of five military spouses are responsible for the family finances. So, it’s not the active-duty service member who is our primary client; in most cases, it’s their spouse or partner managing the finances. This individual often happens to be home and faces unique challenges for career continuity because their active-duty spouse or partner is frequently moved to a new duty station, a new location, or may be deployed.
This person provides continuity in the finances and the family, so it doesn’t really surprise us that 80% of them are managing the family finances. We pay attention to their needs and the unique challenges they face. I love that you called this out because that is exactly what we learned through our research.
0:13:14 - Alex Shevelenko
Well, I think it’s almost universal that we sometimes assume one thing, and then it turns out to be something else. I can say I’m very supportive of the U.S. military. As a naturalized U.S. citizen who came to the U.S. as a refugee, I truly admire the sacrifice, commitment, and esprit de corps within our armed forces. On my own journey, I kind of treat the startup and entrepreneurial experience as my own little mini test of survival. But guess what? The primary decisions in our home lives are not mine; I’m not the CEO or the founder.
I see myself as a lowly pawn in the execution mode here, and I think it was a shift. People tend to think one way or the other, but eventually, most couples find some sort of balance. It’s just too easy to get caught up in who our first customer is, and I think a lot of organizations fail because of this. So, tell me a little bit about that journey of discovering this insight. You mentioned it took 16 years. Was there a moment when it became an obvious realization, or were people saying, “Hey, are we talking to the right audience?” Did it change as society evolved and roles shifted?
0:14:55 - Kellie Richter
I'd love to say we identified it ourselves, but the truth is that First Command has a military advisory board. We have an independent fiduciary board of directors, but we also maintain a separate military advisory board made up of retired senior enlisted and senior flag officers from all branches of the service.
What we do uniquely, however, is include the spouses of those military advisory board members in our quarterly two-day conferences. One day is dedicated to the board members themselves, and the second day is for the board spouses and partners. What we learned was that the spouses were managing the finances.
In many instances, they were advising on the challenges of military life, and they suggested we should pay more attention to military spouses. While service members have their unique challenges, military spouses also face difficulties. They are trying to maintain continuity in the home, but they often struggle to hold down careers of their own, which is difficult when they’re constantly moving. This impacts family finances significantly; for example, they may never have a chance to vest in their 401(k) because they are changing employers frequently.
So, we start to understand that the situation with the family isn’t just about the active-duty service member and the challenges he or she may face, but also about the partner or spouse who has unique challenges. How do we at First Command understand what those challenges are, and more importantly, how do we create an experience that is supportive, conveying that we empathize with that understanding and offer solutions that speak directly to military spouses?
0:17:05 - Alex Shevelenko
Well, I am very glad that our military families are in your safe hands because it sounds like there's a lot of love, care, and attention that you put into your work. Tell me a little bit about where this comes from. Where do you draw the ability to connect and seek out these human experiences for yourself? Is it early in your career, or do you have some memorable experiences from pre-career, like from childhood or your teenage years?
0:17:37 - Kellie Richter
Okay, well, I am one of four children of two parents who are both educators. When I think about the unique challenges of educators, for the most part, they work for about nine months of the year. We had summers off, so we got to enjoy camping, touring the U.S., and learning a lot about the country, but we never did anything without trying to learn something. My parents were always teaching, and it's sort of embedded in me: How do we learn? My philosophy is to never stop learning and never outgrow learning, which is why I'm always curious about what else we can learn about our clients and customers.
I think a bit about my career; I've been in financial services my entire career, spanning over 30 years now. Early on, it was all about whether I was doing good work. Were people going to recognize my work ethic? Would they acknowledge the output of my work? I was fortunate to have leaders early on who did recognize that. Through that process, I was able to get organically promoted within a large organization at that time, American Express.
Then I started to think about my own family. Is this work working for me? I began to grapple with the work-life balance challenge of how to juggle a full-time job, going to graduate school, pursuing financial licensing, and having a family. Those demands became a priority for me. As I progressed in my career, it became much more about what my work was doing for others, and that’s what really attracted me to the mission of First Command.
I know I’m not alone in this at First Command because we conduct text analytics on our Glassdoor and Indeed career site reviews. Far and away, the biggest factor that attracts people to work at First Command, or keeps them here, for that matter, is our mission. It’s really the purpose. We are a for-profit company, but our chairman likes to say this is the most mission-driven for-profit organization you'll ever know.
0:20:06 - Alex Shevelenko
Well, if I connect this to the startup universe, there is a clear divide between mission-driven organizations and what I might call mercenary organizations. I think this is very real, and you can see it in Silicon Valley, for example. People hop from one hot trend to the next, and it doesn't matter if they're related; it just has to be popular. They’re just trying to catch the right wave and maximize their options.
But the most impressive people I’ve met have found an organization where they align with the mission and vision, and they stick with it, working there for many years in different roles while continuing to learn. I think that if you’re with one organization, you need to try different things to stay on top of it. That seems like a much more fulfilling way to have a demanding career, demonstrating a commitment to kids in a world bombarded by shiny objects, where everyone is trying this and that. It’s like a menu of options that we think is great, but I’m not sure it’s that great all the time. Having some choices is good, but having too many can be overwhelming. What really matters is committing to what’s important to me and pursuing it with vigor. It sounds like the same motivation is driving people to self-select to work at First Command.
0:22:03 - Kellie Richter
They are, and we know that through the text analytics I mentioned. Another important point is that this is such a mission- and purpose-driven company. We are a private company structured as an employee stock ownership plan, which means we are all owners of this company. However, from a tax standpoint, it is a non-tax-deductible business; in other words, we do not pay corporate taxes. So when we give to charitable organizations, most of which are military-based nonprofits, those contributions come straight from company profits.
First Command actually donates more than 7% of company profits to service organizations benefiting the military and our local communities. That’s pretty interesting because I serve on the board of a nonprofit organization, and recently they shared a study showing that less than 1% of companies donate to charitable causes. Yet First Command donates 7% of corporate profits, not including the personal contributions that our employees and financial advisors make in their own communities. Last year, we tracked over 25,000 hours of volunteer support and provided 36,000 complimentary financial plans for active-duty military. These are the ways we demonstrate a purpose-driven culture that aligns with our mission. I think this not only attracts people to work at First Command, but it also helps us retain them, even when there may be a shiny new opportunity at a place across in Dallas from Fort Worth, where we are on the western side of the Metroplex. That’s where we have a competitive advantage for folks looking for that.
0:24:09 - Alex Shevelenko
I couldn't agree more. When I think about what motivates employees, I can even speak for myself. Most nonprofits sign up and use our platform just like any regular customers, but we can offer discounts. One of the innovations we've implemented is allowing our team members to pick a cause or charity of their choice and share the platform with them, offering more premium capabilities.
I can tell you, people really get fired up about that in a very meaningful way because it’s their specialty and expertise. They’re applying it not only to the bigger part of the organization but also to a very specific area that’s dear to them on a personal level. Even for me, just picking an organization I love and wanting to make sure they succeed is empowering. It’s great for everyone, including an intern who might be doing an unpaid internship but gets a chance to support a cause. I think this echoes the fact that we’re all looking for meaning in what we do.
Now, tell me a little bit about your customers. How do you help them find meaning? There’s meaning in being part of a military family, and then there’s the meaning that comes from raising a family and the security that entails—all the other things people have to balance. How do you uncover that meaning for your customers, and does it differ significantly from one customer group to another?
0:26:00 - Kellie Richter
Yeah, there's probably not one answer to that question, but I'll give you at least a couple that I think make the biggest impact. The first is that we recruit directly from the military. We're partners with an organization called Hiring Our Heroes, which works with for-profit organizations to employ military veterans and military spouses. We recruit from the military because it helps reinforce the culture. It also embeds automatic empathy for those who have served, along with an understanding, at a level that a civilian can't necessarily appreciate, of what it's like to be in the military. In fact, 25% of all our new hires last year were military spouses. We aim to demonstrate support not just for active duty members, but also for military spouses and dependents.
The other aspect is, you know, many companies claim to be customer-centric, and that's critical for us too. But what we had to do was understand: what does that really mean for our customers? What is the vision of a great client experience at First Command?
We conducted extensive research with our clients and found that it's not just about being effective in helping them achieve their financial goals. What mattered to them was how they felt throughout the process of being coached by First Command, by one of our advisors, and when engaging with our tools. We needed to understand what that meant and what it looked like. What we learned, uniquely important to our customers, was that they wanted to feel respected. For our clients, respect meant keeping their data secure, having accurate and up-to-date information, addressing them by their military rank if they served, and understanding how long they’ve been a customer, where they are in their financial journey, and where they need to go next.
So, demonstrating respect means having clean and accurate data, allowing us to personalize their experience in a way that shows we know and value them. Another key element we learned is the importance of support—how First Command uniquely supports military families. They know they have a dedicated team that's there for them no matter where military life takes them. Even if they are deployed and we don’t have an advisor on the ground, we are still there for them as a virtual advisor, making it convenient and flexible.
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.
0:29:56 - Alex Shevelenko
I love it, and it’s interesting that you brought up respect, right? Let's say it: respect is the most fundamental human thing we can offer. But the way you've connected respect to what it means for customers is slightly different, maybe, from one customer to another. It feels like respect is about, again, personalizing what it means to each individual. That's right.
I'm curious, when it comes to communications, because you're dealing with very complex topics. Maybe some of these folks aren't financial experts—they’re not studying financial planning in their spare time. They probably didn't join the military for financial reasons, right? It's a different mindset. You’re right, there’s a lot of responsibility, and the family risks associated with active service are very different from those in many other careers. So I'm curious: how do you communicate that complexity in a way that's respectful and acknowledges that some people might be curious, some may not be, some may want things laid out linearly like a book, while others may prefer to get to the answer quickly because they value their time and know what they’re looking for?
There are different learning styles and levels of expertise. We find that a lot of organizations have historically struggled because they hand everyone a book, say "good luck," and then offer some coaching on the side. But increasingly, if you can’t be physically one-on-one with everyone (since it’s expensive), self-guided resources become really valuable. What have you done or seen that's interesting in this area?
0:32:04 - Kellie Richter
Yeah, it's such an important point. We have the great fortune (or challenge) of being regulated because we are a registered investment advisor, a broker-dealer, and we have a bank. So we answer to regulators like the Fed, the OCC, the SEC, FINRA, and many state regulators. That means there are a lot of requirements around how we communicate with our clients.
We have to keep all of that in mind, but more importantly, we have to keep the end customer in mind. What’s really clear is that our clients value communication, and communication has to be understandable and clear. It’s easy to get caught up in the legal jargon that may be required in your communication, as well as financial industry jargon that means nothing to an active-duty service member. I love how you pointed out that most of them didn't join to get rich, but none of them deserves to struggle financially either. So how do we clearly communicate a coaching experience that often can’t be done in person?
We always make every effort to be available. We have 170 offices across the U.S., most near major military installations, but we can’t be everywhere they are. So, how do we convey that coaching experience, even through something like their client login portal? And how do we help our frontline service associates provide a clear communication and coaching experience when clients call us? It’s really about helping them understand that their job is to be understood. The goal isn't just to push a message; it's to ensure that the client understands it. We need to communicate clearly and simply. That’s a challenge for every organization, but I think it’s a bigger challenge for financial services organizations, given the added complexity of the regulatory environment.
0:34:19 - Alex Shevelenko
One thing we’ve noticed in regulated environments is this exact tension between needing to be compliant but also needing to be clear. Take insurance products, for example—like AIG, where you worked. Every insurer I've spoken with kind of secretly wishes they could create an insurance policy that fits on one piece of paper, right? But what often happens is we end up with lots and lots of paperwork, and people feel like someone’s hiding behind the small print. It sounds like your philosophy is to say, "You’re more than a piece of paper to us; we’re here for you." So, have you found ways to combine compliance with a simpler experience? Is that an ongoing journey? I wish I had the secret sauce for that.
0:35:21 - Kellie Richter
Alex, it is definitely a challenge to combine the two.
It’s not just about including the disclaimer language; clients have to acknowledge receipt of that information, so you can’t hide it. You need to make it clear. For us, the journey is always about being transparent. 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. Communicating all of that clearly is key. And if you can’t have that conversation in person, you need to organize the content online in a way that’s easy to navigate, making it easier for them to find and understand the information.
You’re an innovator and an entrepreneur, and you know that most innovation comes from constraints. And in our case, those constraints—compliance and clarity—are what drive us to continuously improve. We must ensure we’re clear communicators while remaining comprehensive and compliant. This is one of the reasons why I’m particularly drawn to regulated industries; they add a lot of complexity, which sparks innovation.
0:37:02 - Alex Shevelenko
The world we live in doesn’t care if you’re regulated or not, right? It’s just—
0:37:10 - Kellie Richter
Exactly, and with the title you have, you kind of have to say, “Yes, and…”—like in improv, right? I know you’re a fan of Jerry Seinfeld, so this is like improvisation—you’ve got to roll with the crazy.
0:37:24 - Alex Shevelenko
Exactly! It’s like Kramer in there with the “Yes, and…” mentality. We’re going to make this happen! And that’s why we’ve been trying to help folks, especially in regulated industries. Like you said, it’s not easy. You think, “Okay, we’ll just build a website for everything,” but then you have to get the documents approved, and that approval process delays your time to market. Whether it’s life sciences, insurance, or financial advisory work, there are extra challenges that other organizations might take for granted. As a startup, you could just build a website and sell a widget quickly—you don’t have that luxury.
I’m glad the audience is in safe hands, but I think a lot of people don’t appreciate how hard it is to combine compliance and simplicity in regulated industries.
0:38:27 - Kellie Richter
It’s very difficult. And since you brought up Seinfeld, I’ll share an interesting insight. I read an article in the Harvard Business Review where they interviewed Jerry Seinfeld, and of course, I had to read it. He was talking about his latest innovative project, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. They asked him, "Why did you take this route?"
0:38:56 - Alex Shevelenko
By the way, I was in that—I'm in the coffee! Yeah, there you go with your coffee mug.
0:39:02 - Kellie Richter
Yeah, I love it. It’s funny because he said, “My whole career has been built around asking the question, ‘What are people sick of?’” In his case, as a stand-up comic, or thinking about traditional talk shows where the host is behind a desk, the guest comes in, sits on the couch, and they have the usual interview. He realized people are kind of tired of that format, so he came up with something unique. He also used the example of the Savannah Bananas. I’m not sure if you're familiar with this minor league baseball team, but they innovated based on the fact that people were sick of the slow pace of nine long innings of baseball. So, they created an entertaining experience throughout the game to make it more fun for families.
I’m always thinking about First Command in the same way. What are our clients really tired of? Is it reams of disclaimer language? If so, how can we make sure we deliver clear and transparent information about what they’re paying for, their rights, how we keep their information secure—all the required details—but in a digestible and understandable way? These are the challenges we face when trying to deliver an experience that’s truly relevant for the clients we serve.
0:40:39 - Alex Shevelenko
Since we’re on the topic of Seinfeld, I’m curious—when you think about how we communicate, do you ever use humor, either internally or even with customers?
0:41:14 - Kellie Richter
Yeah, humor is important, right? It helps people relax and creates a more enjoyable work environment. But when it comes to client-facing interactions, you have to be very thoughtful about the humor you use and ensure that it’s received as intended. One of the things we really focus on is the fact that, while it's important to our customers that we are effective—that's the baseline—it’s also crucial that they feel good about their path toward financial security.
0:42:02 - Alex Shevelenko
That’s the emotion you're trying to convey, right? You’re aiming for an emotional connection, but not necessarily laughter—more a sense of connection, right?
0:42:09 - Kellie Richter
Exactly. In some of our traditional ads, we aim to show that we truly understand. For example, we have an ad called The Hero Behind the Hero. It highlights not just the service member who’s defending our country and freedoms, but also the spouse, partner, or family member back home who’s keeping things running, so to speak. The hero behind the hero is that unsung figure, and connecting with them on an emotional level is key. It shows that we empathize and understand. We don’t typically aim to connect with humor, and we need to be sure we fully understand what our client finds humorous before we go in that direction.
0:43:04 - Alex Shevelenko
Got it, that makes sense. You don’t want to be risk-taking with humor, especially with CFOs and financial advisors. In a way, you're the family's outsourced CFO to some degree.
0:43:18 - Kellie Richter
Exactly. It’s funny because we watch some of our ads and end up wiping our eyes, and we're like, "When are we going to do something where we're laughing?" But, for now, making that emotional connection has been a really effective way to convey empathy.
0:43:39 - Alex Shevelenko
Well, one of the topics I wanted to circle back to—when we talked before the call—was your experience with other leading financial institutions. We mentioned Amex and AIG. How have you seen the client experience evolve, not just at one company, but over your time in the industry?
0:44:12 - Kellie Richter
Yeah, when I think back to early in my career, it was all about protecting and promoting the brand. What’s interesting about my early career at American Express Financial Advisors—later spun off as Ameriprise—is that American Express was, rightly so, very protective of its brand. As the regulatory environment became more restrictive for broker-dealers and registered investment advisors, they decided they didn’t want the risk to their brand, which is why Ameriprise was spun off. I was part of that process. Back then, the focus was on building brand awareness and growing the company through the promotion of its products and services. When I think about AIG, the tagline at the time was The Strength to Be There. It was on Manchester United jerseys and was, at that time, the third most recognized brand in the world.
0:45:30 - Alex Shevelenko
That was when Manchester United was Manchester United. That's right, back when they were still a dominant force.
0:45:35 - Kellie Richter
Yes, back when it was Man U! That definitely dates me in terms of my career, but it’s all about the brand. Today, however, it’s more about delivering value to the end customer. Your product can be just okay, and your brand can be okay, but if you're not ultimately delivering value, none of that matters. Clients and prospective clients will hold you accountable for that, and no matter how effective your advertising campaign is, if you're not delivering, it won’t matter.
0:46:17 - Alex Shevelenko
Clients are more sophisticated now, a bit more cynical, and they keep you on your toes.
0:46:23 - Kellie Richter:
Exactly, they keep you on your toes and they keep you honest. Social media is both a powerful ally and something to contend with for sure.
0:46:37 - Alex Shevelenko
Got it. Well, Kellie, what other wisdom would you like to share—as an educator, as a parent? For those early in their careers who want to become the next executive VP or CMO, what are one or two skills they should start investing in right now?
0:47:09 - Kellie Richter
I’ll start with something very practical: really understanding data and the power of data, especially with the advent of AI. Understanding the insights you can gain from proper use of data, what it can reveal, and how it can guide your decisions is critical. Of course, you always need to validate and verify your data, but knowing how to manage data, analyze it, and derive insights from it will be an essential skill for many years to come.
Additionally, communication skills—especially when it comes to building relationships with colleagues, customers, and clients—are crucial. While younger generations entering the workforce are digitally native, they may be missing some of the ‘lost art’ of relationship-building. Rather than sending an email, you might be better off picking up the phone or stopping by someone’s office if you’re in a collaborative, physical workspace. Relationship-building and communication skills are not always second nature for many who are just entering the workforce today.
0:48:50 - Alex Shevelenko
Got it. The perfect balance—bringing the brain and the heart together—that’s the future of marketing and client experience. Kellie, it’s been such a great chat. Where can our audience learn more about what you're doing and what First Command is doing?
0:49:20 - Kellie Richter
FirstCommand.com is a great place to start. And if you google First Command, you’ll see that we’ve won awards for our financial services website—three times in my career! But, as you know, it’s not just about the website. It’s about the content and the brand we represent. Please do look us up and check out the great stories our clients have shared about us, because, at the end of the day, it’s really about them.
0:49:39 - Alex Shevelenko
Well, I want to thank you for joining us, thank you for sharing your insights, and thank you for taking care of the families of America’s military.
0:49:47 - Kellie Richter
It’s our pleasure and privilege. It’s also been my privilege to get to know you, Alex! Great conversation today.
0:49:53 - Alex Shevelenko
Likewise!