Clarity, Simplicity, and the Right Starting Point

By Craig Wright

After working with clients and other financial professionals for more than fifteen years, I’ve come to believe this: the best financial plans are not always the most complex — they’re the most understandable.

I’ve sat across from hundreds of families who were overwhelmed by charts, products and piles of paperwork. What they really wanted was to make sense of their financial world and feel confident about their decisions. That’s where Leap comes in — and that’s why I use it every day.

If you're trying to grow your practice and deliver more value, here are three areas that I believe can have the biggest impact.

1. Start with Protection

When I meet with a client, I don’t lead with investment options or try to chase a rate of return. I start by helping them understand how to protect what they already have.

Too often, clients assume everything will just keep working — their income, their ability to save, their health. But what happens if something unexpected hits?

When I show them, using Leap’s visual tools, what’s at risk and how income and asset protection fits into the bigger picture, the light bulb goes on. They begin to understand that protection isn’t about fear or sales pressure — it’s about building a stable foundation that supports everything else.

And once we’ve addressed protection, the rest of the planning becomes clearer.

2. Make Retirement About Income

This is a big one. Most people come in with a number in mind — how much they want to have saved. But having $1 million in a 401(k) doesn’t automatically mean they can spend $50,000 a year for life.

I use Leap to help them shift their thinking from asset accumulation to income generation. We look at:

• Which accounts generate predictable income

• How different income streams are taxed

• What gaps exist between their future lifestyle and their current plan

  
  

Seeing this laid out visually changes the conversation. It helps people stop chasing returns and start thinking about sustainability. And when they feel like they can retire with confidence, they act.

3. Ask Better Questions

One of the biggest changes I’ve made in my practice is this: I stopped trying to sound smart and I started asking better questions.

Clients don’t want to be talked at — they want to be heard. So instead of leading with a sales script, I start with curiosity:

• “What’s important to you about money?”

• “If something were to happen to your income tomorrow, what would change?”

• “How do you picture your retirement, and what worries you most about getting there?”

These types of questions uncover real needs. They open the door to honest conversations. And they let me use the Leap System to guide the client toward a plan that actually fits their life — not just a set of numbers.

When you simplify the conversation and use tools that show cause and effect, clients start to understand how money works. And when they understand it, they trust you.

Final Thoughts

Financial professionals don’t need to have all the answers. We need to ask the right questions, use the right tools and start with what matters most — protection, clarity and income. That’s how we help clients move forward with confidence.

About Craig

Craig Wright, MBA, CFP®, ChFC®, is a financial advisor with Strategic Financial in in Springfield, Missouri, and a Leap Systems trainer with a passion for simplifying complex financial conversations.

A Summa Cum Laude graduate of Southwest Baptist University, Craig also completed his graduate studies there and worked as an admissions advisor. His early work helping families navigate college funding sparked his passion for strategic financial planning, particularly around higher education and retirement.

Craig is active in his community and is a member of Ridgecrest Baptist Church. Outside the office, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two children, playing music, golfing, hunting and exploring new places on family travels. He’s been recognized with several honors, including the Springfield Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 award and the NAIFA Quality Award. Craig was recently appointed for a 3-year term to the Department of Labor ERISA Advisory Council where he serves as an advisor to the Secretary of Labor regarding ERISA matters.