Star City Six – Shane Jensen

Branched Oak Insurance & Financial Services (boifs.com) provides fee-based financial planning, wealth management, and insurance. Shane Jensen is the owner and a financial advisor at Branched Oak Insurance & Financial Services.

Tell us a little about your business.

What sets our agency apart is how we care for our clients, regardless of their income or asset levels. We work with affluent clients, but I believe there are many hard-working people that are underserved.

How did you get started in the business?

My father was a community banker, so I always saw myself working in financial services. I studied economics, but taught myself web development and worked on a few startups in the late 90s (including one that is now Spreetail). However, I was a really bad programmer and when the bubble burst, I went back to what I knew best.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally?

When I started in this business, I didn’t understand how most retail investment companies worked. They will hire just about any kid off the street and have them sell their friends and family high-fee proprietary products that can’t be moved when the kids fail (which 90% do). The company then redistributes clients and assets to the preferred advisors of the firm. I learned that you can try to do everything right for clients, but it can still be undone without fiduciary standards for the firm and entire industry.

What has been your most important achievement professionally?

I haven’t done it yet.

Tell us a little about your family.

Almost 15 years ago, I met a girl after a work Christmas party. I saw her across the room and, before I had even talked to her, I told my friend that I would marry her. Lucky for me, we did hit it off and now have three wonderful kids.

What is your favorite thing to do on a day off?

I love coaching. I’ve always seen sports as metaphor for how we can improve ourselves and influence the lives of others through teamwork and doing the right thing.

What do you see as one of the biggest turning points in your life?

I worked for a large company here in Lincoln that lost its core values. At the same time, they moved jobs out of state, despite the fact Lincoln employees led the nation in production and quality. I could have moved with the company, but decided to stay because Lincoln is home. I left the comfort of a job with a good salary and benefits to start a business and try to leave a greater legacy, which includes making Lincoln home for the kind of businesses that will grow our community.

What is the most unique or interesting thing about you that most people probably don’t know?

I was recruited to swim for UNL but tried to walk on for the Nebraska football team instead. They (rightly) cut me.

What local non-profit organization(s) are you passionate about or involved with, and are there any special reasons why?

I have been involved with United Way of Lincoln/Lancaster County for many years, and I believe they are a critically important part of leading our non-profit efforts to identify and fulfil needs in our community. Everyone has a church or charity, but I ask anyone reading this to give to United Way.

What is your favorite movie?

I watched the movie 2001 on New Year’s Eve of 2001 and Stanley Kubrick changed how I thought about cinema.

What is your favorite TV show?

I DVR CNBC all day and always catch Squawk Box. My DVR is also full of other “news” shows like Ag PHD, Market to Market, Meet the Press, and This Week. I also love Silicon Valley and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

I hesitate to say because my favorite restaurants seem to go out of business, such as Tastee Inn and M & N Sandwich Shop. Now I’d probably say Phat Jack’s, Down the Hatch, and Toast.

If you could have dinner with one famous person from the past or present, who would it be?

I’d love to talk with former Nebraska Senator George Norris about his vision of the Unicameral and the New Deal.

If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so?

You can schedule a meeting or request an insurance quote (which could save you money) from my website: boifs.com.