It was 3pm on some random Thursday in the fall of 2006.
That afternoon would change my life.
I sat at my cube disgruntled as hell with the buzz of my sales reps cold calling in the background.
I was looking on Amazon for books about being a financial planner which is where I thought I was
headed.
I really wanted to kick the tires on this thing though because after a few false starts in my career I knew
the importance of doing my homework.
And I came across the book “So You Want to be a Financial Planner.” by Nancy Langdon Jones.
I remember excitedly thinking “YES! I think I DO want to be a financial planner!“
So I dug into the Amazon preview and I literally opened it to the page that sealed my destiny.
THE STORY
It was a story about a couple who needed some retirement planning. The husband had been offered a
golden parachute and had decided to take it and retire.
So they came into her office, file boxes in hand.
She asked, “So what will you do in retirement?“
The couple looked at each other in silence, until he finally said “Never mind. I’m not retiring.“
The couple realized that their entire lives revolved around his clients. They golfed and vacationed and ate
out together and they would have nothing to do in retirement.
He thought he came in to talk about money.
But he had already talked to his CPA and the pension administrator and his attorney. He already knew
about the money. But no one had put the picture together.
No one had asked him what he wanted to do with his life.
And without looking at a single statement, she changed their future forever.
MY FATE WAS SEALED
I remember my eyes welled up as I read that.
That was the spark that sent me on this 15 year journey.
A career that held the opportunity to help people that deeply was everything I ever wanted.
How could you ask for more?
And I haven’t looked back since.
