At Whittier Trust, it’s the little things. 

My jewelry was never an investment. It was always just for me. I didn’t even feel comfortable showing it to my kids. But ever since my trusted advisor referred me to Kim, I’d felt like I could talk to her about anything. We would sit and talk about which of my kids might like which piece. We found some gems among the gems, in terms of value. But the biggest thing I took away from our chats was the realization that the actual treasure I was passing on to my kids was the memories attached to the jewelry. A big picture like that only emerges when you focus on the little things.

— Jordyn, Los Angeles

My parents loved their Sierra Nevada property. But after they passed, my sister and I were arguing about what to do with the 1000 acres or so in the mountains. She wanted to sell but I couldn’t bear to part with it – our parents got engaged under a Live Oak on that property. That’s when Brandi stepped in with, of all things, an acorn collected from my parents’ engagement tree. She also had a plan to sell the bulk of the property while retaining the small corner where the tree grows. My sister and I agreed. I still have that acorn too – it’s a little thing that reminds me
of the difference personal service makes.

— Harold, Oakland

It only took a few minutes into our tasting, until Brian our advisor, noticed the date stamp on the cork and asked if we have really had the vineyard that long. It was true, and it had grown substantially in the more than 20 years since we started. He followed up that question with an even more important one... Was our estate updated? It wasn’t, meaning if anything were to happen, it would leave our two sons with nothing. And as I was about to go in for emergency surgery the very next week, Brian immediately got on the phone with an attorney local to our area. Within a few days, our entire trust was re-drafted and solidified just in time. The surgery went well, but our peace of mind knowing that our boys would be taken care of was everything. Brian understood our story to make that happen. He understood the meaning of the little things.

— James, Newport Beach

I never thought doing good deeds could keep me up at night. But worries about the family foundation led to countless sleepless nights. Every morning, my antique alarm clock would rouse me from sleep, still exhausted. My brother and I just couldn’t agree on the management decisions. We needed someone else to step in and that’s exactly what Liam did, working as an intermediary between me and my brother, finding common ground. The foundation is flourishing, my brother and I have never been closer, and thanks to Liam’s help, I wake up rested and restored before the alarm even makes a sound. The right advice and a good night’s sleep is enough to enjoy the little things in life.

— Melanie, Newport Beach

Never have the words, “Yes sir,” been so cutting as when I heard it from my sister. My authority within the family business had caused a rift in the family. Somewhere along the way, I’d stopped being a brother and became the CEO and chairman of the board instead. That’s when Whit suggested that Thanksgiving was the perfect opportunity to recapture some of the family magic of our childhood. A little Thanksgiving football, a few laughs, and a lot of stuffing later, and we’d reworked the business so Whit could handle decisions involving the family and I could focus on being a brother. Sometimes the big picture becomes clearer when you focus on the little things.

— David, San Diego

Mom had a nose for business but Dad was more of an artist. Once they both passed on and I was left with the real estate Mom accumulated, I realized that I got my business sense from my father. I’m definitely Daddy’s little girl. I found myself sitting at mom’s desk, staring at a little wooden boat my dad had carved and crying. I was so overwhelmed. But then my phone rang. Tim was calling to check in on me. He shared memories of Mom and Dad and also had some ideas for how to make this transition easier: paying bills, upkeep on the properties, managing investments – stuff like that. Reaching out to check on me may seem like a little thing but it’s made all the difference.

— Haley, San Diego