The Best Question to Ask Clients – And Yourself

By financial planning logo
February 28, 2019
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Written by: Chelsea Emery | Jeff Motske has one of the strongest ways to tease out client priorities I’ve heard in quite a while.

“What if?” Motske asks clients.

“What if one if your partner needs critical care? What if you want to move to Arizona? What if one of your kids starts a family on the other side of the country?,” the CEO of Trilogy Financial asks.

It’s deceptively simple, but an excellent method for getting at the heart of clients’ values and fears.

“These are critical questions,” Motske told me during a recent visit to Financial Planning offices in New York. “You want to ask them before things happen.”

Click here to read the full story.

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October 20, 2026

Trilogy Capital, the wealth management firm headquartered in Irvine, California, announced the acquisition of Westminster, Colorado-based Mountain Capital. Mountain Capital had over $1 billion in total client assets. The acquisition represents Trilogy’s largest deal of the year and its second Colorado location.

“Mountain Capital is a perfect fit for Trilogy and demonstrates our commitment to intelligent inorganic growth,” said Jeff Motske, Co-Founder, President and CEO of Trilogy. “Mountain Capital shares our commitment to long-term client relationships, fiduciary advice, and thoughtful financial planning, so the cultural fit is exceptional. We are very excited to be able to attract high-caliber people to Trilogy.”

Mountain Capital was founded in 2011 by U.S. Marine Corps veteran and former airline pilot Brandt Burns, its CEO. The firm serves individuals, families and small businesses, with a focus on aviation professionals. Its advisors include current and former pilots, airline leaders and other industry experts. Trilogy said the advisors’ aviation experience informs the financial guidance they provide.

According to Trilogy, Mountain Capital will retain its brand, leadership team, advisors and staff, and client disruption should be minimal.

“Partnering with Trilogy allows us to maintain our firm’s personalized service and expertise, while enhancing additional offerings that matter most to our clients,” said Burns. “This important move for our firm will not replace what we’ve built. It will strengthen it.”

In addition to financial planning and investment management services, Mountain Capital offers tax preparation and consulting services…click here to read more.

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By
October 20, 2026

Trilogy Capital said it has made its largest acquisition of the year with the addition of Mountain Capital Investment Advisors.

Founded in 2011 by United States Marine Corps Veteran and former airline pilot Brandt Burns, Westminster, Colo.-based Mountain Capital serves individual, family and small business clients, with a focus on aviation professionals, according to Trilogy.

Mountain Capital's advisors, some of whom are former pilots and other aviation industry professionals, manage more than $1 billion.

In addition to investment and wealth management advice, the practice offers tax preparation and consulting services, including interview preparation for pilots and other aviation professionals, a service spearheaded by co-founder Michelle Burns, who had worked as a senior manager at United Airlines for 14 years, Trilogy said.

These services will be folded into Trilogy Tax & Consulting.

Financial terms of the deal weren't disclosed.

The addition of Mountain Capital marks Trilogy's 11th location in Colorado, according to the firm.

Founded in 1999 and led by co-founder, President and CEO Jeff Motske, Irvine, Calif.-based Trilogy oversees more than $5 billion in advisory and brokerage assets from 10 regional offices, the company said.

See full article here.

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