We all have a calling in our lives. There are a lucky few that find that calling early in their lives and get to live their lives accordingly. If you are thinking that Financial Services was my calling, you couldn’t be farther from the truth. My true calling early on was music, and it continues to be today. Music is what I live for, music is why I work and playing music and singing gives me true pleasure. It’s my true passion and my calling.
So how does Financial Services fit in here? Financial Services and helping others is what gives my life purpose.
Ever read the book “The Five Love Languages” by Gary Chapman? If you haven’t, you should. It shows us what our giving and receiving love languages are. Mine happens to be “Acts of Service”. The way I express my love for people is through doing “stuff” for them. That stuff can include everything from singing for them, entertaining people at a party, cooking for them and above all making sure their finances are taken care of.
My love language “Acts of Service” led me to Financial Services.
Every career path has a story, and mine began with a curiosity about how money shapes our lives and how different people look at money differently. We all have that intimate and personal relationship with money…sometimes it’s strong, and sometimes it’s not a healthy one.
As I reflect on why I entered the financial services industry, I realize that my decision was driven by a blend of personal experiences, aspirations, and a desire to make a meaningful impact in people’s lives. “Acts of Service”.
Discovering a Passion for Finance
Growing up, I was always fascinated by the way financial decisions influenced not just individuals but entire societies. My father was a business owner, so money and finance were often front and center in our home. From early on in life, I was a budgeter and a saver versus a spender.
Making a Difference
Back in the late 80’s and early 90’s, I was a young 22-year-old working at a Bank as a Personal Banker, finishing college at DePaul University in Chicago wanting to go to Law School. Out for lunch one day at my local Wendy’s, I saw on older employee taking the garbage out. That one image has been burned in my memory since then. That was the day that I made a pledge to myself that if I can help it, anyone I touch will never have to do that in their golden years. That mission to help people live a more fulfilling financial life and live their life with dignity has driven me for the past 30 years in this business.
The prospect of empowering others—whether it’s helping a family buy their first home, advising a small business owner, or planning for retirement, motivates me every day to do what we do for our clients.
Building Relationships
At its core, financial services is about trust and relationships. I value the connections I build with clients, colleagues, and partners. Every interaction is an opportunity to listen, learn, and provide value. ALL my clients become my friends….eventually.
The rule in our practice before taking on a new client has become: “can we sit down together, break bread or share a drink, and talk about life as friends and not talk business all the time?”…. Then you would be a suitable client for our practice.
Conclusion
Over the past 30 plus years, I have had a chance to touch thousands of lives and hopefully leave them better off financially before I met them. I have seen people retire, get married, put kids through college, buy their first home, start or sell a business along with many other financial milestones in their lives. I have been very fortunate to have been along for that ride with them.
At NxtGen Advisory, our clients are our friends, and we are glad to serve them in good and bad times. Looking back, I am grateful for the experiences and opportunities that led me here, and I am excited for what the future holds.