Not Too Small, Not Too Big, Cedar Rapids is Just Right
March 13, 2024 | Buy 319, Economic Development & Workforce
For nearly forty years, Guide Wealth Partners, formerly known as Securian Advisors MidAmerica, has been growing along with the Cedar Rapids metro community. Acting as a partner in helping people on their financial journeys, the company also is partnering more closely with the city it resides through a pledge to “Buy 319”.
Kyle Zimmerman
CEO, Guide Wealth Partners
CEO of Guide Wealth Partners, Kyle Zimmerman, explained, “We took the Buy 319 pledge in March, but have been practicing the art of keeping things local for many years. Just a few years ago, when we renovated and moved into a nearly 100-year-old building near downtown, we primarily used local companies. It was a ton of work amid the supply chain crisis, but with the help of a lot of incredible local businesses, we were able to make it happen.”
A boomerang and Cedar Rapids local, Zimmerman shared one of the aspects of Cedar Rapids that makes it such a great place to live, and work: its size. It’s big enough to have everything you need, and small enough to get connected, he shares. With everything local so accessible, learning what is available is the first step.
“We have incredible talent in the area,” Zimmerman says. “It helps to actually know the people we are working with, which ensures we receive a higher level of service than we could get dialing a 1-800 number.”
“Not everything goes to plan and when things happen in your business or project, it can be mentally draining and distracting. Having someone local who understands, and more importantly, cares, makes a big difference. I have more confidence that things will be taken care of, reducing time and headaches.”
Buying local can also help a community, like ours, recover more quickly from major events, like the 2020 derecho and 2008 floods. Zimmerman said the community’s ability to show its resiliency and ‘bounce back’, reinforces why Guide Wealth Partners has continued to grow in the area. It aligns with their Midwest values of integrity, dependability, hard work and supporting those in their time of need.
Zimmerman is also an active member of the Economic Alliance Business Support Innovation Council, which provides guidance and ideas for economic growth and business success. He encourages all local businesses to keep it local.
He said, “The easiest way to kickstart a ‘buy local’ mindset is to review your business and what things might be better served locally.” If you’re looking for where to find local companies, start with the member directory.
Take the pledge, make the change. Learn how you can begin taking steps to keep more of your business local.
Kyle is a Registered Representative of Cetera Advisor Networks LLC. Securities offered through Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory Services offered through Cetera Investment Advisers LLC, a registered investment adviser. Cetera is under separate ownership from any other named entity. The opinions contained in this material are those of the author, and not a recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell investment products. This information is from sources believed to be reliable, but Cetera Advisor Networks LLC cannot guarantee or represent that it is accurate or complete.