Adam Tau - Co-Founder of Miller Tau Financial Group

Learn patience. Listen to your elders. Take your time in making decisions.

Adam Tau is the co-founder of Miller Tau Financial Group, where he currently serves as a partner and financial advisor. As a young boy, Adam watched his parents and grandparents struggle to plan for the future. He knew there had to be a better way. Adam took his passion to help his own family build a financially secure future and turned it into seven years of industry expertise as a financial advisor. Before long, the family he wanted to help had expanded to include every client who knocked on Adam’s door with their own goals and dreams.

He soon learned that financial planning isn’t just about avoiding disaster, or even about achieving financial security. It’s about empowering people to meet the life goals that matter most. Adam Tau had found his passion in providing people with the tools to shape their financial futures, allowing his clients to live their retirement years to the fullest, fund an education to their child’s dream school, or provide for a loved one’s care.

But something felt off. Adam wanted to be able to offer his clients more. Rather than being the employee of one company or bank or insurance firm, obligated to recommend only their products and sometimes-limited solutions, Adam wanted to offer his clients a multitude of competitive options so that they were one hundred percent sure they’d chosen the best fit for their particular circumstances.

It was time to think about his own plans for the future, to create something that he and his wife, Rebecca, could call their own.

Together, Adam and Rebecca set out to build their own dream: Miller Tau Financial Group. Adam knew that his great strength lay in relationship building and his genuine desire to see his clients succeed. Those core values served as the fundamental building blocks of his practice.

The key to Adam Tau’s success has been the ability to have real, meaningful conversations with his clients and dig deeply into what is most important to them. Adam and Rebecca will tell you that Miller Tau has always been about cultivating honest relationships and being ready and available whenever their clients need them.

They’ve never looked back. As Miller Tau Financial Group grows, so does their passion for their work. Adam is energized every day by his drive to help his clients build their dreams, the way he and Rebecca built theirs.

Where did the idea for Miller Tau Financial Group come from?

My wife and I spoke for a long time about creating a financial planning practice together that we can build and be proud of. Structurally, I am licensed to handle securities-related matters, and we both are licensed to address insurance-related matters. We envisioned creating a practice that was approachable, friendly and informative, that centered around customer service. We intended for our clients to get to know us as real people, too, and make the planning process less intimidating—we created our company to empower people to make financial decisions so they can enjoy the life they dream about!

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

First thing I do when I wake up: check my blood sugar! I’m a Type 1 Diabetic, so I constantly monitor it to keep it control. Next: head to the gym! Exercise gets my mind and body in a good, positive place for the day. The bulk of the day is spent meeting with clients or potential clients, either at my office or sometimes at their workplace.

How do you bring ideas to life?

I pass my business development ideas onto my wife & partner, Rebecca—I don’t know how she does it, but she figures it all out! My ideas can be extra spontaneous, usually centered around attracting new clients who are the ideal profile for us to help. She comes in as the voice of reason, figures out actionable steps to grow our business and bring those ideas to reality.

What’s one trend that really excites you?

Some of the financial carriers I work with have gotten creative with their marketing; there are some great interactive videos that clients can click through depending on their personal circumstances, which have proven to be useful in educating them on various strategies. I’m always looking for more visual and interactive tools to help my clients understand their options.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

Discipline! I’m very routine; I get up at the same time, eat at the same time. A lot of this stems from managing my diabetes, I have to be regular and consistent to keep my sugar level. This carries over into my work habits. Also, I spend my time getting to know my clients very well, which makes future meetings with them the most productive. I am in the habit of slowing down, making sure my clients and I are on the same page through the process.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Learn patience. Listen to your elders. Take your time in making decisions.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on?

You’ve got to stay persistent. Many times I will continue to contact a prospect well past when someone else may have given up. It takes time to build a trusting relationship in this business; persistence and timing are key to have that prospect become a valued client. Continue to build those relationships even if someone is not ready to do business with you today.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

Follow through! Nobody cares as much about your own clients as you do—you’ve got to check in and make sure action items are being done on their behalf. Do not let this slip through the cracks.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business? Please explain how.

Getting out of my comfort zone! When I first started, I barely had a process. When I was ready to improve and grow, I created a more structured process.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

If someone could create a line of clothing with pockets build in for diabetic supplies, I would invest! This is something I wish existed—I have to carry around so much stuff to manage my diabetes, it’d be great to have this zippered up within my clothing.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

Taking my wife to our favorite local and cozy Italian restaurant every Friday night after the work week is over!

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive? How do you use it?

Electronic applications and signature apps…I wish all financial carriers were using these! Way easier than paper!

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

“Shoe Dog”, the story of Phil Knight creating Nike—it’s hard to imagine the company that would become this global phenomenon as a struggling start-up. It put a lot into perspective, how much time, dedication and sacrifice it takes to create a company that today, we take for granted!

What is your favorite quote?

“Happy wife, happy life”!

Key Learnings

Learn patience. Listen to your elders. Take your time in making decisions.
You’ve got to stay persistent.
Follow through! Nobody cares as much about your own clients as you do—you’ve got to check in and make sure action items are being done on their behalf. Do not let this slip through the cracks.

Connect:

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Adam Tau on Facebook:

Mario Schulzke

Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.

Adam Tau – Co-Founder of Miller Tau Financial Group