"...many financial planners have specific products they are required to push."
|
I have always been a planner–a thinker. I remember getting frustrated when I was young; I knew that one day I would grow up and get a job just like my dad and almost all of the other grown-ups in my life. The problem was: I had too many interests. A soldier, a policeman, a chiropractor, a pastor, a mechanic—on and on the list went. During high school, stoked by the pressures of the inevitable graduation, my frustration turned to worry. How was I supposed to pick between all the options on my plate? One day, I had an epiphany: all my career options revolved around helping others.
Since I was a child, I have loved numbers, systems, and the mysterious characteristics of money; naturally, I was drawn to financial planning. While I was researching this field, however, I discovered that many financial planners have specific products they are required to push. This did not fall in line with the care I wanted to provide. |
|
"I became a student of finance."
|
As a long-time entrepreneur (since the very successful lemonade stand I co-owned and operated with my older brother when we were about 9 and 12 years old) I was drawn to the idea of starting my own company. This would allow me to put clients first without product quotas and paid-for biased opinions.
I became a student of finance. I listened in to older and wiser men and women speak about markets and interest rates. I studied the work of Dave Ramsey who changed the life of my parents and, in turn, my siblings and me. I researched the benefits and pitfalls of debt—how it could help or destroy a business, marriage, or even an entire life. After high school graduation, I did what society said to do: go to a 4 year university. I was able to get through my first year without taking on loans. A Pell Grant and various scholarships paid for everything but my books. I made it on the Dean's List and was a successful student by every definition. After my first year, after a lot of praying, contemplating, and speaking back and forth with mentors, I decided not to return to college. That decision was one of the most life changing and beneficial decisions I have made. I devoted my time to learning about finance and how to effectively interact with people when discussing sensitive subjects such as money. While I was studying on my own, I cash-flowed a ring, honeymoon, moving costs to relocate to a new state, and even purchased our first home and investment property by working in the automotive industry. I used this time to gain the education and accreditation of a Master Financial Coach through Ramsey Solutions—Dave Ramsey's own organization. As I took his classes, accompanied by my own research, a fact that I had previously realized became evermore prominent: Personal finance is PERSONAL. Dave's plan is a great starting point for many, but to truly thrive, one needs to follow a plan that is as unique as they are. Now I have developed a program that takes into account one's personal goals and beliefs. It is a program that will keep the client safe and successful no matter their financial background. I truly believe I can be of great help to just about anyone. and in the end, that is all I have ever wanted. |