LLSA Chamber Small Business of the Year Awards: Principal Financial Group

Rhonda Coblentz approaches financial planning the same way she trains for a marathon — with extensive preparation and one step at a time.

“The sooner you get started training and saving, the better,” says Coblentz. “Retirement may seem like it’s far away, but like running a race, if you wait until the last minute and try to do it all at once, you run the risk of injury.”

As a financial professional with the Principal Financial Group, Coblentz works with clients to help them make smart financial decisions in the present in order to succeed in the future. Her client base extends as far north as Tampa and as far south as Fort Myers, with a primary focus in Sarasota and Hillsborough counties.

The athlete draws another fitness parallel when describing the services she provides her clients, which include everything from risk-management products, such as life insurance, to wealth-accumulation products, such as mutual funds.

“It’s a very individualized process, sort of like a personal trainer,” says Coblentz. “The key is determining what your client’s need is in order to form the best strategy. A personal trainer knows how to tune into what your specific needs are, and, ultimately, that’s why people hire a professional. They know how to get results.

“Short of who a person decides to marry or spiritual beliefs, the decisions people make about money are the most important decisions they make in life,” says Coblentz.

BUSINESS BASICS

Address: 4010 Boy Scout Blvd., Tampa

Start Date: 2008

Number of employees when started: One

Number of employees now: One

Advice: You owe it to yourself to seek out a professional for an integrated wealth strategy

Where do you see your business one year from now? I hope to bring on one or two assistants.