I’ve never told anyone this story before. Not even Nicole.
The origin of Financial Zen can be traced back to this one moment in time…
It was a sunny Friday afternoon in August and I needed a haircut.
I was reading the latest issue of Financial Planning magazine, as I waited for Thida to finish up the customer before me.
The year was 2014 – nearly 2 years before Financial Zen would launch.
I was still at Wells Fargo Advisors, and I wasn’t making any plans for my departure yet.
Starting my own firm was still just a fantasy I enjoyed daydreaming about during moments of frustration and anxiety.
But this is the moment that fantasy became reality. I remember it like it was yesterday.
It was an article by Bob Veres, a thought leader in my industry, titled:
“Revolution in Advisor Revenue: A growing band of advisors is charging clients purely for advice. Here’s why you should be paying attention.”
The article was about how a tiny band of “advisor rebels” were planting the seeds for the future of the industry.
They were charging flat retainer fees, so they could profitably work with younger generations who hadn’t saved their millions yet.
This model would also allow them to help “a much broader segment of society, and provide advice when people need it most: when they’re forming their financial habits.”
Sound familiar?
I remember a smile stretching across my face from ear to ear and tear stream down my face as I highlighted.
It had touched something deep within me, and I just knew that THIS was it.
THIS is where all of it had been leading.
The following week I started planning for what would ultimately become Financial Zen.
I’ve thought of that article often over the last 8 years and this morning I came across the original article – torn out, highlighted and scanned into my notes. Check it out below. Notice what I highlighted.
You just never know what seemingly ordinary moment is going to have the most magical impact on your future and your destiny.
So keep your eyes open!
