Wausau Pilot & Review
Editor’s note: Business of the Week is a sponsored feature that shares the stories of locally-owned and operated businesses in the Wausau area, highlighting the products and services they offer and the ways they contribute to the metro area’s unique flavor. Learn how to feature your business by emailing christina@wausaupilotandreview.com.
This week’s featured business is Buska Retirement Solutions and its partner organization, Buska Wealth Management, 1818 Grand Ave., Wausau. Cole Bruner, vice president of BRS and president of BWM, along with BRS President Suzanne Buska-DeSautel are the core of this team, which expands on a family tradition started four generations ago. Sue started working for her father, at Buska & Buska Insurance, in 1980 and in 1992 launched Buska Retirement Solutions as a way to help people retire with confidence and turn their dreams into reality. As crucial as that is, it’s just one of many ways they help their customers. From final expense planning to asset protection, critical illness plans, unraveling the mysteries of Medicare Advantage plans and supplements, finding the best life insurance and more, this team works tirelessly to ensure their clients are well-protected and prepared to live their best possible lives. In 2015, they published what they hope will be the first of several books, “Ready, Set, Retire!: Are You on Track to Navigate the Retirement Maze?” which is all about how to live a comfortable lifestyle once your working days are done. (Find the book on Amazon, here.) Read on to hear about their philosophy, what really makes them shine, and what they’re most proud of as they continue their mission of serving the community, one client at a time.
Q: How did you choose the name of your business?
A: We are continuing our family legacy. Sue’s grandfather started Buska Insurance in 1939 and we wanted to continue to be recognized as a multi-generational family business. Cole is now the fourth generation to serve in this industry.
Q: Tell us about your business and what you offer.
A: We are a family of companies providing retirement income planning services. We offer investment management in a fiduciary capacity, health insurance, Medicare guidance, tax preparation and planning, life insurance and long-term care insurance.
Q: What makes your business unique? What sets you apart?
A: We know there are a lot of financial professionals out there. We do the absolute best we can to provide each client with a memorable experience, making their retirement planning as easy as possible. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive retirement plan that addresses their unique needs and desires.
Q: What do you love most about your job? What drew you to this work?
A: We love that the work we do every day provides our clients with peace of mind and confidence. It’s a great motivator to be able to go to work every day knowing that our work is truly helping people.
Q: What are you most proud of accomplishing?
A: Our growth as a team of professionals. When Cole started in the business in 2017, there were a total of three employees. Now, we have 15 full-time employees between our two locations, Wausau and Eau Claire. Also, we were just selected 2021 Best of Marathon County for financial planning.
Q: How have you changed and evolved over time?
A: We have tremendously expanded the services we provide. We even have our own tax preparation company now, Legacy Tax Solutions. Our clients benefit greatly from all the additional services we provide. It’s all about making their lives easier by becoming their “one stop shop” for retirement planning.
Q: What challenges have you had to overcome? Would you do anything differently if you had to do it all over again?
A: Our biggest challenge has been growing through adversity. We have experienced roadblocks along the way, but have stayed focused on our goal of helping people. That keeps us motivated to persevere and continue.
Q: What are your hopes and dreams for the future? Where do you see your business in five or 10 years?
A: We hope to continue growing our offerings to clients by continually adding services that add value for our clients. We also look forward to expanding the availability of educational tools we provide like our weekly radio and TV shows. We also plan to write another book to make retirement topics much easier to understand. We also plan to continue expanding our client reach by opening additional locations in Wisconsin and in southern Florida.
Connect with Buska Retirement Solutions, Buska Wealth Management and Legacy Tax Solutions
- 1818 Grand Ave., Wausau
- Call 715-355-4445 to schedule a complimentary consultation
- Visit RetireWithBuska.com for more information