Meet the Leadership: Nikki Newton’s early introduction to the investing world

With more than 30 years of wealth management experience, Nikki Newton knows a thing or two about preserving and managing wealth. Nikki has a lifelong passion for wealth management that started when he was a young boy.

When did you first know you wanted a career in wealth management?

I knew from the time I was 12 years old that this was the career for me, odd as that sounds. As a kid, I believe it's difficult to picture yourself in a career you can't visually see, and that's where my path started.

I grew up in a very small town in Arkansas with limited entertainment options. At that time, we had only a few television channels and programs like "Gunsmoke" and "The Andy Griffith Show" were popular. While I enjoyed those shows, I didn't see myself in those characters whether that be as a sheriff or a cowboy.

One night I stumbled upon a PBS program called "Wall $treet Week with Louis Rukeyser". The host and panelists would discuss the market, investing and the economy in a way that I had never been exposed to. I was immediately hooked. Not only did the subject matter interest me, but there were people who looked like me on this show. They had different panelists weekly, and there was usually at least one African American. To me, this reinforced this was a potential career path and one that excited me.

We heard you actually met one of the investor panelists that inspired you. What was that like?

Yes, and funny enough, it was also on a panel. In 2017, I was on a panel at the National Association of Securities Professionals in Baltimore, and seated next to me was Eddie Brown‡, chief executive officer of Brown Capital Management. He was one of the investors I had watched all those years ago. During a pause in the session, I leaned over and told him he was one of the reasons I chose this profession - it was a truly full circle moment.

How does UMB view financial planning?

UMB views financial planning in three phases:

1. Growth
2. Protect
3. Transfer

It is our job as advisors to help our clients discover how to manage their assets so they can create a surplus and be profitable as they achieve their goals. We like to start the financial process with a discovery session with our clients where we sit down and ask a lot of questions. It is a fun dialogue because without uncovering information, we can't create a holistic plan.

We want to cut out the noise for our clients and build a plan for them that provides investment opportunities, wealth transfer opportunities and anything else they might want to consider doing with their funds. It is our job to protect and plan so our clients can enjoy the life they have worked hard to build.

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