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Money Matters
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Spotlight: Kim Benson

8 May 2020 by: Kim Benson 

This week we are continuing our spotlight series with Kim!

What is a day in your CCMI life like?

My day starts early so I can arrive at work feeling refreshed.  Each day is filled with a good balance of hard work, continuous learning, staying up to date on current events, and looking for ways to make things better within our processes and for our clients.  A big part of my day includes having fun with my colleagues and helping clients, which I truly enjoy.

Give us a little insight into your family. Kids? Dogs? Cats?

My husband, Tyler, and I are each from the northeast and met about 12 years ago in San Diego which we’ve since made our home.  We have a rescue dog named Fenway who is a border collie mix and continues to keep us on our toes despite her old age in dog years.  Most of our family is in other parts of the country and Australia.  We make an effort to spend time with them when we can and always encourage them to visit us in sunny San Diego!

What is your favorite part about CCMI?

To summarize, both my colleagues and our clients are the best parts of CCMI.  My career has evolved into becoming a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner which brings me a lot of joy, and being a part of the CCMI team is icing on the cake!  From the beginning, CCMI has been supportive of my goals and promotes work-life balance which enables us to bring the best versions of ourselves to the office – I am grateful for that!  I enjoy interacting with clients every day, whether it’s getting to know them better or helping them make key financial decisions.

What is your favorite Jersey Mike’s sandwich?

My go-to order at Jersey Mike’s is a mini #6 (roast beef & provolone) on wheat, Mike’s way with salt and vinegar chips to go with it!

What is your favorite charity/non-profit and why?

There are so many wonderful organizations to choose from!  I’ve been fortunate to volunteer as a big sister mentor for Girls Rising, an organization dedicated to helping at-risk girls who need support.  Volunteering as a big sister has enabled me to be a consistent positive role model in my mentee’s life.  Although she has graduated from the program, we continue to keep in touch.

What do you do on a typical day when you are not at the office?

My husband and I love the outdoors, traveling, socializing with friends and cooking good food at home.  A typical weekend may consist of a bike ride for me and a run for him, a social event, and a nice dinner at home.  We enjoy each other’s company and sometimes we are content with a simple stroll by the ocean to watch the sunset or tackling the next home project together.

Where did you go on your favorite vacation and where do you want to go next?

My favorite recent vacation was a ski trip to Park City, Utah with 10 of my friends.  It was a great mix of fun on the slopes in fantastic skiing conditions, fun times in a perfect rental home and the chance to get a taste for Park City restaurants and nightlife.  We were planning to head to Maine this summer to visit family but have postponed those plans for now.  We’d also love to go back to France sometime soon.

What is interesting about you that not many people know?

I grew up in a French-speaking area of Maine in a small town near the Canadian border.  While I enjoyed growing up in a small community, I left home to attend college and have lived in various places outside of Maine ever since.  I lived in Paris, France for two years as an expat in my previous career at a large aerospace company (knowing French came in handy!).

What is a piece of financial advice that you received either when you were younger or while at CCMI that you apply in your financial life today?

My parents always taught me the importance of saving so I started saving as soon as I started earning my own money. My dad always worked hard, taking over the family business as a water well driller.  Being able to only work during the warmer months in Maine, the money he made needed to stretch through the winter months.  While saving was important, they also knew the importance of enjoying life and making memories, so we took many family trips growing up.  While I’m naturally on the frugal side, sometimes I have to remind myself that it’s okay to spend money to have fun and enjoy life.  At CCMI, we’ve found that the majority of the successful financial plans we do start with reasonable spending.




CCMI provides personalized fee-only financial planning and investment management services to business owners, professionals, individuals and families in San Diego and throughout the country. CCMI has a team of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM professionals who act as fiduciaries, which means our clients’ interests always come first.
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