Vantage Financial Partners Limited Celebrates 25 Years in Business

Photo caption: Left to right: Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes, Michael Rohrwasser and Debbie Rohrwasser at the 25th Anniversary Open House at Vantage Financial Partners Limited in Arlington Heights.

When asked how his company has stood the test of time for the last 25 years, Michael Rohrwasser, founder of Vantage Financial Partners Limited, points to several reasons.

“The resilience and flexibility in how we approached our business model have been two important reasons why we’ve been able to stick around,” Rohrwasser said.

Rohrwasser said when the company had just begun, he believed that the future of the financial planning industry would become more geared toward an advisory role, and less dependent on the commission-based products model.

“We were able to maneuver our business model at a few points over the last 25 years, which was vital to our success,” Rohrwasser said.

Forming strong and trusted relationships with clients, by taking the time to understand their retirement goals also has been a key element, Rohrwasser said.

Another was the ability to recognize talent in others, as Rohrwasser worked to build his company.

“There was no way that I could do everything like I did in the very beginning, as many entrepreneurs starting out, do,” Rohrwasser said. “I had to be able to relinquish some control, and pass important responsibilities onto employees - to place my trust in them.”

It’s worthy to mention that Rohrwasser first pointed out that his wife Debbie played an integral role in the ability to grow the company in the first place.

“I don’t believe I could have started the company without my wife,” he said. “I went from making a good salary to zero at the beginning, and she was there working full-time and providing a strong foundation so that Vantage had the ability to blossom.”

To celebrate the business’ milestone, Rohrwasser created a Pay it Forward campaign, and called it Investing in Kindness. He included employees and clients, by sending a $100 bill to each of them. They were asked to pass the money along to someone who needed it.

The results of the effort are documented on the Investing in Kindness blog, which can be found at http://www.investinginkindness.com/. Rohrwasser also was interviewed by Steve Miller at News Radio 780 WBBM-the interview can be found here: http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2014/08/26/suburban-firm-celebrates-anniversary-by-giving-clients-100-to-pay-it-forward/.