Michael BaughmanCFP®

What fuels you every day in your work?

I got into this profession because I wanted to help people. Plain and simple. My relationships with my clients and the ability to help them is truly what keeps me coming back every day. That and the fact that my office is walking distance from my house and overlooks a beautiful garden and the downtown of Tryon, NC. This community is paradise on earth.

What’s a particularly rewarding example of how you helped to create impact for a client?

I had a client who wanted to create a scholarship for poor students who couldn’t afford the cost of books and other materials needed to go through the course work to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). I was able to help her establish a scholarship at our local community college that continues to help students pay for materials so they can advance their education, a number of whom have gone on to pursue their nursing degrees. We can never have too many nurses. They are usually the ones that seem to be there when you need them.

What’s the one thing people say you’re best at?

Being tall. HA! Just kidding, I am 6’5 which helps me get the attention of most five-year-olds. I hear somewhat frequently that I’m a good communicator and have a way of putting people at ease. My mom and dad taught me early on that “It’s not about me.”

How do you do good in your community?

I currently chair a committee charged with bringing a YMCA to our community and I serve on a steering committee for the Saluda Grade Trail, a 31-mile rail trail that will open up an incredible gateway to the Blue Ridge Mountains while connecting some very interesting and historic communities. Not to mention it will give everyone a place to walk, bike and recreate. I previously served as a trustee of our local hospital (St. Luke’s) and Thermal Belt Outreach, which provides support to those in need. And I pick up trash when I see it.

When you retire you’re going to…?

Take a nap. (I have three kids ranging in ages from 5 – 15). When I wake up, I hope my wife and I will take a long walk in the woods for a few months. We haven’t had an uninterrupted conversation in quite some time. After we get caught up, I plan to play a lot of music, read, travel and work on my small farm.