A View On: High Point Financial Design

Brad Clinard of Clinard Financial assists a client with her financial needs

If you ask Brad Clinard about his work, he’d probably say, “Life is so much more than money, but life can be more abundant when we use money intentionally.” We had the chance to learn more about this when we asked Brad about his financial planning company, High Point Financial Design.

We love Brad’s big-picture vision at High Point Financial Design, and think that his attitude and depth of care towards our communities is what makes places like High Point so special. Read on to learn more about High Point Financial Design, and find out exactly what they do, and most importantly, why they do it.

The logo for High Point Financial Design

Q. Tell us about your company in about 10 words.

A. “Intentional financial planning to empower others to design their abundant life“

A quote that is displayed on a wall at Clinard Financial.

Q. Why was it started and what was the vision?

A. Our vision is twofold: locally we want to be High Point’s choice for independent financial planning; and nationally, to be the go-to firm for interior design professionals.

My dad started in the investment business 35 years ago and I joined his practice 10 years ago. Three years ago, we were tired of playing corporate games and desired to build a tech savvy, future focused, creative culture that reflected our heart and values. Launching High Point Financial Design has given us the freedom to connect our heritage and our hometown with a vision to serve clients with an independent and fresh perspective. Life is short, so we want to encourage our clients to use their money as a tool to pursue their version of an abundant life.

Q. What do you love about your work?

A. Two things: meaningful work and meaningful relationships with people I care deeply about. My work has become both a calling and my ministry. Life is so much more than money, but so much of life has to do with money. Through our relationships, we have the opportunity to walk together with clients through their lives. It’s so humbling, and it feeds my desire for connection and impact. We are most engaged with clients at important life transitions: new jobs – children – marriage – divorce – retirement – becoming widowed. It’s so humbling to have the opportunity to celebrate great moments of life and the privilege to give encouragement and often provide some peace of mind during challenging times. Being able to positively influence a client’s life feeds my desire for impact and connection, so at the office we track these as “Moments of Joy.” We celebrate these and highlighted them earlier in the year in this article I wrote our company’s blog.

Brad Clinard working on his iPad at Clinard Financial.

For over 30 years, Clinard Financial has helped families across the country to work towards their financial goals in the midst of changing economic conditions.

Q. What would people be interested to learn about High Point Financial Design?

A. We are driven and enthusiastic thought leaders. We believe technology will change our lives and how we interact with the world at an ever-increasing pace—that the next 20 years will bring greater change than the past 20 years. The future is here if you look at disruptive technologies that include deep learning, digital wallets, autonomous vehicle networks, DNA sequencing and therapeutics, collaborative robotics, etc. However, recent technological changes have been linked to greater signs of anxiety and depression. Financial Design is a platform that allows us to go deeper with clients than just talking goals and investing. We explore personal values and life planning while improving adaptability and emotional intelligence. We believe these are keys to preparing our clients to thrive in the new economy. It’s exciting.

Brad Clinard presents his graph in front of a client

Q. What are the highlights of working in High Point?

A. The special people and families who invest and believe in our community. I remember when Tom Haggai told me that what makes High Point special is not all the money that was made in this town but all the money that stayed in this town. High Point is in the midst of a great renovation. It is exciting to see the positive trend, but I am also mindful of the real investments behind the growth. This blog does an incredible job of highlighting many of these small businesses and individuals who are investing in High Point. People in High Point are not only generous in giving resources but also generous in friendship and kindness.

Q. Why did you choose to locate your business in High Point?

A. For five years, I worked in Charlotte half the week and in High Point the other half. It was fun as there was always something exciting to do in Charlotte. My wife and I felt we were becoming too transient and chose to commit to live full time in our hometown of High Point. It has turned out to be a great choice. We have a lot of family support that allows us to give more to others. The quality of life here is constantly improving, and it’s wonderful to not deal with big city traffic. We love the community of family and friends in High Point and believe we can have a larger impact as a leader as our city continues to develop.

Q. If you had one piece of advice for someone just starting out in High Point, what would it be?

A. Go through a High Point Leadership class! I have been a High Point resident my whole life, but I was amazed at how much there was to learn about the city. The increased awareness has made me a better citizen, more engaged, and more appreciative of all the things that occur daily in our town that we take for granted. I owe a huge thank you to all those who make the annual class possible.

Q. What are you excited about for High Point’s future?

A. That we have a bright future. There was a time when the Furniture Market and the future of the city was uncertain. Now High Point is positioned to become an even bigger player in the design industry in the years to come. It’s not unusual to see High Point mentioned in print right next to cities like New York, Los Angeles, Shanghai, Milan, London, Tokyo, Copenhagen or Singapore. That’s amazing! We need to embrace our status as an international city. We are in the midst of revitalization. The stadium development may be the best-known transformation, but it’s also projects like Plant Seven, Cohab Space, and the Mill Collective. I can’t wait to see what is next.

Brad Clinnard, Director of Financial Wellness and his father Ronnie Clinard stand for a photo at Clinard Financial

Brad Clinnard, Director of Financial Wellness and his father Ronnie Clinard, pictured above.

Q. How can the HP Discovered audience find you online?

At hpfinancialdesign.com is our website. I am rarely on social media, but I do keep a LinkedIn profile and just started a personal Instagram account @brad.clinard.

Over the next year, I am sending a weekly book review to highlight nuggets of wisdom from my reading over the past decade. This is designed to empower people to live more abundant lives. Anyone who wants to be added to this list can email me at brad.clinard@hpfinancialdesign.

A View On is a series where High Point Discovered asks questions to High Point businesses to share their view. Past guests have included Yoga and Wellness of High Point and Dr. Lee Bass Nunn, DDS.

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High Point Financial Design is a DBA for Clinard Financial, LLC. Investment advice offered through GWM Advisors, a registered investment advisor. Advisory services available through Fidelity. Securities offered through LPL Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC. Clinard Financial, LLC, GWM Advisors, and Fidelity are separate entities from LPL Financial.

Photography by Maria West Photography

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