Building From The Ground Up | Jones Advisory Group
By SAMANTHA MARSHALL and LAUREN JURGENSEN | Photo by BRIAN PETERS
Topeka native Megan Jones has always called the capital city “home.” So when it came time to expand her business, she knew where she wanted to be.
Megan is founder and president of the Topeka-based financial planning firm Jones Advisory Group, better known as JAG. What started as a solo venture in 2008 — just Megan and her computer, working from home — is now run by 22 employees and continues to grow.
The business plans to move into a 16,000-square-foot space at 626 SW Governor Place, which is three times the size of their current location at the intersection of SW 29th Street and Wanamaker Road.
“What’s great about our new space near I-70 is that it’s right in the middle of Fairlawn and Wanamaker. It’s easy to get to us from anywhere in town,” Megan said. “It’s good for us space wise, but then it’s also good for us from a marketing position because we’ll have good representation right there on the interstate.”
ROOM TO GROW
Originally, the team at JAG had hoped to find an existing property they could renovate and bring back to life.
“We didn’t find anything that fit the aesthetic we were going for, or the space that we needed,” she said.
But that hurdle didn’t stop them.
“We’ve been saving because we knew this (expansion) was coming,” Megan added. “Putting our energy and time and financial commitment back into the community was important to us.”
One of JAG’s strongest commitments to community can be seen in how they hire. The business prefers to promote from within rather than look for outside hires, but also hires graduates from area universities. The goal is to encourage talented young professionals to stay in Topeka.
Megan’s personal community projects are worth mentioning, too.
“I recently joined the Washburn University Board of Trustees Foundation. I’m now a director on the foundation board,” she said. “Both my husband and I went to Washburn University. We talk about putting our energies, talents and efforts into things that matter to us and Washburn is where we met. It’s nice for us to give back.”
Megan said that JAG won’t expand their business without a plan. She and her husband Chris, who was one of the first people to encourage her business pursuits, want the company’s growth to be organic. Chris helped found the firm while working elsewhere and now serves full time as the company’s CEO.
“We are cognizant of how fast we’re growing, because we don’t want to be all things to all people,” Megan said. “We do want to serve the families that call us home. We want to make sure we can help them in every aspect of their financial picture, so we have continued to bring on additional client service team members.”
JAG’s new site will include a 2,000-square-foot events center, where they plan to host a variety of functions and client events.
“Families who work with us can use it, too,” Megan said. “If you’re a client and want to have a graduation party for your daughter, but you just can’t find an event space, you can use ours.”
RISING AMBITIONS
JAG wants to keep doing more to meet the needs of their growing client base. That’s why the agency has hired a business development executive, who’s been helping them determine how to best grow their offerings.
For now, they’ve branched into working with business owners as well as helping young families with wealth creation. The only thing holding them back now is space, but the wait shouldn’t be much longer.
“We have a few jobs openings right now, but we can’t hire anyone until we have somewhere to put them,” Megan said. “We’re landlocked until we get into our new building, which should happen in the first quarter of 2025.”
JAG maintains a satellite office in Kansas City, but investing in the community of Topeka remains their number one goal.
It’s the reason why the JAG team takes time away from the office at least once a quarter to volunteer. They invite their clients to give back, too.
“I hope the company lasts beyond me,” Megan said. “I’m excited for us to give back today and in the future.”
