A Special Award—and Gratitude for the Role Our Clients Have Played
As I’m sure you can relate in your own life, it’s been a hectic start to the year as we have been following the daily news cycle, tracking market volatility, and supporting clients in navigating these uncertain times with financial strategies that address their unique circumstances. So, it was a genuine surprise and honor to receive this email from Raymond James earlier this month:
We received notification that you will be named to the 2025 edition of the Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors ranking. Congratulations!
2025 marks my 34th year in the industry and my 27th year leading Estes Wealth Strategies. It’s a great honor to be recognized by Forbes for my professional achievements as a financial advisor and the continued evolution and growth of our practice in creating a culture of expertise, excellence, and client service—supported by a truly phenomenal team that delivers on the promise of client-first service every day. I, along with Susan, take great pride in what we’ve been able to build.
However, I also want to shine the spotlight on our amazing clients for their role in making this award possible. By engaging us as their financial partner and placing their trust in us to manage their investments and help them plan for the financial futures they desire, our clients are an integral part of the “big picture” that a company like Forbes sees when they evaluate my performance as an advisor and our success as a wealth management practice.
Our clients inspire all of us at Estes Wealth Strategies with their own amazing stories, goals, and achievements. They challenge us to continuously hone our knowledge and evolve into new areas of expertise. And they motivate us to stay true to our values and deliver 100% every day.
So, please allow me, as I share this honor, to extend the “congratulations” to include our valued clients and the milestones they’ve achieved in their own financial lives. I look forward to our continued client partnerships as we remain focused on charting the course to achieve their goals, however choppy the waters.
Regards,
John Estes
Principal and Branch Manager
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor
About Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors
The Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors 2025 ranking, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative criteria, mostly gained through telephone and in-person due diligence interviews, and quantitative data. This ranking is based upon the period from 6/30/2023 to 6/30/2024 and was released on 4/8/2025. Those advisors that are considered have a minimum of seven years of experience, and the algorithm weighs factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and those that encompass best practices in their practices and approach to working with clients. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Out of approximately 48,944 nominations, roughly 9,722 advisors received the award. This ranking is not indicative of an advisor's future performance, is not an endorsement, and may not be representative of individual clients' experience. Neither Raymond James nor any of its Financial Advisors or RIA firms pay a fee in exchange for this award/rating. Compensation provided for using the rating. Raymond James is not affiliated with Forbes or Shook Research, LLC. Please visit https://www.forbes.com/best-in-state-wealth-advisors/ for more info.
About Raymond James Financial Services
Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. (RJFS), member FINRA/SIPC, is a financial services firm supporting independent financial advisors nationwide. Since 1974, RJFS provides a wide range of investment and wealth planning-related services through its affiliate, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC. Both firms are wholly owned subsidiaries of Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE-RJF), one of the nation’s premier diversified financial services companies with financial advisors throughout the United States, Canada and overseas. Total client assets are approximately $1.58 trillion as of Feb. 28, 2025. Additional information is available at raymondjames.com.
Past performance is not indicative of future results. The information provided is for informational purposes only and is not a solicitation to buy or sell Raymond James Financial stock.