What does it really look like to serve clients with empathy, attention, and heart?

In this episode of Living Beyond the Numbers, hosts Jude Boudreaux and Caleb Arringdale sit down with two of the warmest voices at The Planning Center, Jenessa Ritchie and Krystal Gilliam, client service associates from the Quad Cities and Anchorage offices. Together, they pull back the curtain on what it takes to deliver meaningful service that goes far beyond transactions, discussing the human side of financial planning and how listening, care, and follow-through create trust that lasts for generations.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• How Jenessa and Krystal support clients through life changes, loss, and everyday needs
• The difference between transactional and relational service and why it matters
• Why technology struggles are normal (and how The Planning Center helps clients through them)
• How simple gestures like remembering a birthday or a favorite song build deep client connection
• And more!

Connect with Jude Boudreaux CFP®:

• The Planning Center
• LinkedIn: Jude Boudreaux
• jude@theplanningcenter.com
• Phone: (504) 717-4862

Connect with Caleb Arringdale:

• LinkedIn: Caleb Arringdale
• caleb@theplanningcenter.com
• Phone: (309) 797-4030

Connect with Jenessa Ritchie:

• LinkedIn: Jenessa Ritchie
• jenessa@theplanningcenter.com
• Phone: (309) 797-4030

Connect with Krystal Gilliam:

• LinkedIn: Krystal Gilliam
• krystal@theplanningcenter.com
• Phone: (907) 276-1400

About our Guests:

Jenessa Ritchie is a Client Service Associate at The Planning Center’s Quad Cities office in Moline. At the heart of financial planning is trust, and Jenessa takes great pride in fostering meaningful connections with clients. Her goal is to provide a welcoming experience, guiding individuals and families through the technology and logistics of their financial journey while helping them feel confident and supported every step of the way.

Krystal Gilliam serves as a Client Service Associate at The Planning Center’s Anchorage office in Alaska. Krystal believes that excellent service starts with genuine care and clear communication. Her role allows her to support clients with everything from scheduling to navigating account technology—always with a focus on helping them feel heard, valued, and taken care of.

Achieving financial stability brings a new set of challenges, especially when it comes to supporting adult children. How do you help without creating dependency, and when does generosity cross the line into enabling?

In this episode of Living Beyond the Numbers, Jude Boudreaux and Caleb Arringdale are joined by Ashley Quamme, LMFT, FBS®, CFT, Owner and Founder of Beyond The Plan®, for a thoughtful conversation about the emotional and practical sides of intergenerational wealth. Ashley shares strategies for starting money conversations with adult children, the difference between fairness and equality in gifting, and how to build meaningful family traditions that transcend financial resources.

They discuss:

• Why validation matters when parents feel conflicted about giving to adult children
• How to start money conversations before jumping into large gifts or financial support
• The difference between equal and equitable giving when children have different needs
• When to begin teaching kids about money, investing, and financial responsibility at age-appropriate levels
• Creating family traditions and legacy through experiences, culture, and connection beyond expensive trips
• And more!

Connect with Jude Boudreaux CFP®:

• The Planning Center
• LinkedIn: Jude Boudreaux
• jude@theplanningcenter.com
• Phone: (504) 717-4862

Connect with Caleb Arringdale:

• LinkedIn: Caleb Arringdale
• caleb@theplanningcenter.com
• Phone: (309) 797-4030

Connect with Ashley Quamme:

• LinkedIn: Ashley Quamme
• Website: Beyond the Plan®
• YouTube: Beyond the Plan®

About our Guest:

Ashley Quamme is recognized as a leading voice in financial psychology, with nearly 15 years of experience at the intersection of human behavior and money. Trained as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Certified Financial Behavior Specialist®, her work has been shaped by a deep understanding of how emotions, relationships, and biases influence financial decision-making.

Her expertise has been sought by advisory firms, financial institutions, and professional organizations across North America, where she has guided advisors and leaders in embedding behavioral insights into their systems, conversations, and client strategies. Known for bridging the gap between technical advice and human behavior, Ashley’s approach has been instrumental in transforming client experiences, advisor confidence, and firm-wide impact.

Her work has been featured on leading podcasts, industry conferences, and corporate trainings, where she is consistently recognized for making complex behavioral science both practical and actionable.

Family game nights can do more than bring people together. They can build connections across generations, teach resilience, and create memorable moments that outlast the scoreboard.

In this episode of Living Beyond the Numbers, Jude Boudreaux and Caleb Arringdale are joined by Rob Baner, Tax Advisor, and Abney Fortino, Tax Analyst at The Planning Center, for a fun and surprisingly thoughtful conversation about why play still matters, especially for busy families.

Together, they discuss:

• How childhood board games influenced their competitive streaks and problem-solving styles
• Why games offer a meaningful way for families to connect across ages and personalities
• The rise of modern board gaming and how it brings people together in new ways
• Practical recommendations from avid gamers on the TPC tax team
• Lessons families can model through play, including sportsmanship, handling loss, and healthy competition
• And more!

Resources:

• Axis & Allies: 1941 (WWII strategy board game)
• Just One (cooperative party game)
• Codenames (spy word game)
• Diplomacy (Cooperative Board Game)
• Hickory Dickory (worker-placement clock game)
• Ticket to Ride (railway strategy game)
• Kingdomino (strategy tile game)
• Flamecraft (dragon-themed strategy game)
• CMYK Wavelength: The Mind Reading Party Game
• Root (asymmetric woodland strategy game)
• Risk (classic strategy board game)

Connect with Jude Boudreaux CFP®:

• The Planning Center
• LinkedIn: Jude Boudreaux
• jude@theplanningcenter.com
• Phone: (504) 717-4862

Connect with Caleb Arringdale:

• LinkedIn: Caleb Arringdale
• caleb@theplanningcenter.com
• Phone: (309) 797-4030

Connect with Rob Baner:

• LinkedIn: Rob Baner
• rob@theplanningcenter.com
• Phone: (309) 797-4030

Connect with Abney Fortino:

• LinkedIn: Abney Fortino
• abney@theplanningcenter.com
• Phone: (309) 797-4030

About our Guests:

As a CPA, Rob Baner’s responsibilities focus primarily on taxes and tax matters. Rob joined The Planning Center in 2015, after working with a full-service Quad Cities CPA firm from 2010 to 2015. Though his duties vary based upon the needs of our clients, Rob works collaboratively with our financial planners to provide integrated tax preparation and tax planning services to our clients. It’s important to remember that tax planning is a year-round job and April 15th is simply the culmination of our work. Nothing gives Rob greater satisfaction than knowing that we have helped our clients navigate the maze that is our tax system.

Abney Fortino joined The Planning Center in 2018. Abney’s responsibilities as a tax analyst include tax planning, preparation, and reviewing tax forms for individuals. In addition to those duties, Abney assists with accounting and operations within the company.