Louis Vollebregt’s company is located in EDE in the Netherlands. He has worked there for more than four years together with his wife Anita and has an extensive network of free-lancers to assist him whenever necessary.
There is a lot of information (in English) on his website www.meansinprogress.co.uk. The most important thing Louis does in giving guidance in business transitions hinges on using his Life Planning skills.
We spoke with Louis to get his perspective on Life Planning and the coming revolution in financial services in the Netherlands.
Q: What helped you to decide to enroll for your first Kinder Life Planning workshop?
I have always been very interested in people but at the same time I am analytic and have been working in the financial industry for more than 25 years already. When I learned about the work of George Kinder it very much appealed to me because of the fact that it combines two worlds in which my expertise’s are. I just love that!
Q: How do you see your Life Planning Practice differ from the other Financial Planning Practices in the area?
Vollebregt: I specialize in helping out entrepreneurs. I usually have clear insights into companies as well as I am able to understand and feel where the person is in his/her transformation process.
Q: What are the top 2 actions you have taken to spread the word about your Life Planning practice?
- I have made sure I am findable on the internet, in the Netherlands and in the UK. Apart from the www.meansinprogress.nl website I have also a personal website in my own name www.louisvollebregt.nl This helps increase the number of hits via Google and other search engines. The content on the personal site is more directed to private persons whereas the Means in Progress site is mainly aiming at the business world.
- I also have an active roll in various groups that have the intention to contribute to the transition to a new advisors’ world. I meet a lot of people who are interested in my services. I get most of my clients by recommendation.
Q: Describe a client situation where Life Planning made a profound difference (for the client and/or for you).
Last month one of my first Life Planning clients died at the age of 43. She was so happy when I helped her 3 years ago and she began fulfilling her dreams about having her own business, freeing up time for her passion for horseback riding and the relationship with her partner. She was ecstatic that it worked out so wonderfully. She achieved all of her dreams. This spring the tides turned and her 3rd question became reality when she was told she had a fatal disease. In the conversations we had shortly before her death we concluded that the fact that this was happening to her had nothing to do with the world being fair to her. At the same time she was not angry and was pleased with the idea that this would enforce my conviction that, in life planning, people should never postpone their action on living a dream. I thank her for the lessons she gave me and feel it as my calling to help a lot of other people with it.
Q: What are the most significant challenges you have overcome in your practice and how did you overcome them?
Dividing myself between life planning for private persons and other services to companies was in the beginning a little dualistic. But since I started to use the EVOKE™ method for the entrepreneurs as a starting point to convert their businesses things work out wonderfully. If it is not in someone’s flame it is not likely going to happen!
Q: In what ways is your practice more successful since you have added LP?
Connecting money and meaning was something I already valued. The Kinder Institute’s methods have given me a format for doing that which enhances the effectiveness of the work I already did. Moreover I feel I can contribute to a strong movement towards more respect for and interest in human values. That makes it all worthwhile!
