We hope everyone is gearing up for a fun Memorial Day Weekend, even if it’s not going to be quite the same as usual! We want to share some brief news around COVID relief bills and then spotlight one of our team members.

First, the house has passed another relief bill that is currently making its way through the senate. This $3 trillion bill would include a new wave of help for workers, families, and businesses, along with different standards for how elements like payroll protection plan funds can be spent.

Second, we thought it would be fun to sit down with some of our team members and help you get to know them better. This week, we chatted with Patti Copley, Director of First Impressions, to find out how she’s managing working remotely and balancing life while working from home.

Director of First Impressions is an interesting title. What does it mean?

I do have fun with the title; I have to tell you. Patrick came across it in a seminar when he was planning to open Obsidian, over 16 years ago. He was very focused on how he wanted to represent his company, and having someone in this role was part of that. He hired me in 2004.

My role, as I see it, is to make everyone who comes in the building, from clients to prospects to vendors, feel welcome and comfortable. I want them to know that we are a caring, personable group. I think over the past 16 years, and we’ve been successful in that.

Is it a common role in the industry?

It doesn’t seem to be! My sister met another Director of First Impressions and sent a picture so I would see that I’m not alone. And funny thing–every April, Parade magazine does a “what do people earn” feature. I saw it two years ago and sent in my information for the next one, so in April 2019, I was part of the story. Under my photo, the caption read, “some jobs can’t be replaced by robots.”

Are you working entirely from home?

Not entirely. I work from home Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Pat has done a great job setting up the schedule so that there are always two to three people in the office every day. Someone needs to be here to collect the mail, say hello to anyone who might be dropping in, and to take documents from clients that they wanted to hand-deliver. I come in to do that on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The rest of the week, I work out of the basement at my house. My husband is also working from home, and he gets the upstairs bedroom with the windows!

Is it hard to work from home when it’s not what you’re used to?

I prefer working in the office, and Pat did such a great job well before COVID getting our office technology integrated to make it easier to work remotely that it has mostly been a seamless transition.

Do you have children at home?

Yes–my 25-year-old son! I’m fortunate that I don’t have to balance work with homeschooling and child care. My other two children live on their own and are working remotely.

How are you managing stress?

I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t take walks every day. My property is near the Damascus Recreational Park, and I have been walking four miles on their walking paths every day. People are keeping their distance from each other, and it’s great to see people out getting fresh air and sunshine and exercise.

Is there another Obsidian team member you’d like to hear about in a future email? Let us know, and have a terrific Memorial Day Weekend.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results.  Securities offered through Triad Advisors, member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory Services offered through Obsidian Personal Planning Solutions, LLC. Obsidian Personal Planning Solutions, LLC, and Obsidian Personal Planning Solutions, Inc, are not affiliated with Triad Advisors.