Bonnie Barley

My path to Beck Bode is via Intentional Wealth Advisors, LLC (IWA), a boutique financial planning and wealth management firm based in Traverse City, Michigan, where I have been working since it opened in 2005. IWA merged with Beck Bode in 2022. 

The road I took to a career in financial services was not intentional, yet with hindsight I see that every step I have taken has led me to this point. My professional career began when I became an account executive for a marketing support services company.  After taking time to care for my growing family, I decided to reenter the work force. Looking for a professional reference, I asked IWA Founder, Brian Ursu, if he would be willing to serve as such. Fortuitously, that request turned into a job offer to join Brian as he was venturing out to start his own firm. It’s hard to believe it’s been almost twenty years!

My core skill set is organization, and I see my purpose within our organization to tend to detail, and to develop and maintain systems, ultimately to make and keep our clients happy. Keeping my colleagues happy is part of that equation, too. Helping people and keeping things organized are just part of my personality … and it brings me JOY! As the eldest of four children, who collectively kept our mother on her toes, I felt a responsibility to help keep some order. Perhaps that’s where all this began.

I recall the first day that Brian and I set up the office. All we had was a desk, a chair, a phone, and a pad of paper. Every system and process had to be developed from scratch, which is where I came in. Thankfully, over time, other members joined our team and we built our firm together. It gives me satisfaction and provides our team and our clients with some comfort that our systems generally allow for anyone at our firm to answer a client’s question and serve their needs as quickly as possible.