The Messiah for Small Businesses: Chalice Financial Network

Bringing you Big Business Benefits on a Small Business Budget

Chalice Financial Network™ is an exclusive member-benefit organization dedicated to empowering today's small to mid-size business owner of financial services businesses. Through its digital marketplace—Chalice Advisor Exchange™—the company provides access to best-in-class wealth management products and services in pursuit of the economies of scale and operational efficiencies advisors want and need to succeed. Its community also provides unique peer-to-peer networking and collaboration opportunities creating a forum for sharing ideas and best practices to help strengthen members collectively.

The company was built and born to solve for the pain points of every small business owner – seeking economies of scale and operational efficiency – while helping them simplify and amplify their business through the Chalice Financial Network – where the Strength of “WE” empowers a Network of “ME” from the 45,000 members the company has and giving them access to its shared services technology platform with over 50 products and services at discounts ranging from 20-50% savings.

In Conversation with Keith Gregg, Founder, Chairman and CEO

How successful was your first project roll on? Share the experience.

Fairly successful – however we should have done more research and surveys to better understand price sensitivity. Once we identified the right price point – the volume went up exponentially.

What’s the difference between having a business and having a brand?

A business lives beyond the brand; far too often the founder builds the business in their name and the best ones build people and systems to run, grow, scale, and perpetuate the business going forward.

A small business/company may or may not function as expected. It takes everything to stand out and compete in the business world. Was it the same for your company?

Absolutely! We know we’re playing in a crowded field and there is a lot of noise – we had to and continue to provide information, education, and awareness of our offerings – we do not only digital marketing but physical roadshows and events to press the flesh and seek to create raving fans and share jour opportunity by word of mouth from others.

A small company/business is defined by its core values. What are your company’s core values and how did they help you to succeed?

We will do well by doing good. We want to eliminate the pain points for the small business owners and assist them in growing their business – and in turn, grow our business.

Any company, big or small, must have a sense of authenticity and originality to succeed. Is your company a leader or a follower?

We are a Leader. We are leading Small Business Owners into a community for scale and influence, where the Strength of WE empowers a network of ME.

What kind of mixed responses have you received from your consumers over the years? How have they motivated you to shape your offerings and grow the company?

We’ve been met by two types of consumers – skeptics believing that it’s too good to be true and we have solved for a big problem like group health care for 1099 Independent Contractors, and those who believe we are the best thing since sliced bread! We have tailored our marketing to allow the folks who are raving fans to be our best promoters and evangelists.

“Earning trust and respect of consumers is through consistent focus on delivering high quality in all of our actions.” How do you interpret this statement?

I believe this is a strong and powerful statement – it’s all about TRUST, and trust is earned through the delivery of quality in everything you do.

Fostering a culture of feedback is crucial to the success of every organization. How is this true with your company?

We survey our customers and staff quarterly.

About adaptability, how do you stay relevant to the consumer interests and needs in this highly volatile market?

We keep our ear to the street and listen attentively to the needs of our marketplace.

Customer service varies, but companies can still be successful. How do you maintain your customers’ trust and loyalty?

We have three key operating principles:

• Open, honest, and frequent communication
• Build trust through transparency
• Accountability – do what you say you’re going to do!

How do you and your company contribute to the competitive global IT platform at large?

We have many strategic partners – some that even look like competitors – recognizing we can’t do it all by ourselves. In the end, we are better together than apart.

Do you have any new products ready to be launched?

Yes. Business Valuation Calculator, Succession Planning, Compatibility Score, M&A Services, and the Chalice FinTech Institute in the third quarter.

As a question on sustainability, where do you see your company a couple of years from now?

We see ourselves as a much larger and broader company. We recognize there are 53 million small business owners in America, and today we service a few verticals (namely Financial Services) and we will broaden our reach – what we do for us – we can do for others!

Keith E. Gregg | Founder and CEO of Chalice Financial Network™

Keith is a Financial Services and FinTech Executive, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of San Diego-based FinTech Company Chalice Financial Network, a member benefit organization for independent wealth advisors that delivers a fully integrated suite of technology tools, products, and services through a single sign-on shared services technology platform – Chalice Advisor Exchange™. He has three decades of executive leadership and financial services experience. Prior to founding Chalice Financial Network™ he was Founder & CEO of Innovation Equity Partners, CEO of Capital Guardian Securities and First Allied Securities. Keith also served as Senior Executive for Wachovia Securities, GE Capital, and Prudential Investments.; and has built a reputation as a Business Acceleration Executive.

Keith is the author of Do Well by Doing Good: The Complete Guide to Charitable Remainder Trusts and is a certified planned giving specialist. He holds FINRA Series 7, 24, 63, 65 registrations and is a graduate of the Securities Industry Institute at University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Business School. Keith was the founder and Chairman of the Wealth Advisor Institute, past President of the Institute of Investment Management Consultants Association Chapters, and Chairman of the Membership Committee for the Investment Management Consulting Association. Keith lives in San Diego, CA with his wife, Catherine, and their two sons. He served honorably in the US Marine Corps and is a recipient of the Presidential Service Award from President Ronald Reagan for his loyal service aboard Marine One.

“Our mission is to become the trusted FinTech member-benefit organization and partner for small business owners of financial, accounting, and insurance companies.”