My journey in the financial industry began right out of college. Growing up, my father ran several businesses, and I learned to manage the finances and operations from an early age. At 16, he moved me from his workshop into the "front office" of our family business where I handled everything from tax returns to payroll to order fulfillment. When I was just 17, my father’s business ventures took him from our home in Ohio to Fort Myers, FL. While he expanded his business in FL, I stayed behind with my brother to run the Ohio operations. That year, I sold my first travel trailer on my own. Being exposed to business, entrepreneurship, and finance at such a young age has left a lasting impact on me.
In 1985 when I had graduated from college and moved to Florida, financial planning was not a clearly defined career path like it is today. So I opened the phone book, called a CERTFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner out of the blue, and asked if he could teach me how to enter the profession. He graciously took 10 minutes out of his day to point me in the right direction. I spent the next year taking exams and undergoing training programs to become a financial planner - and I haven't looked back since.
Family has always been incredibly important to me. A large percentage of our clients today are either children, siblings, or grandchildren of my first clients back in 1985. Many of them have known my daughter Olivia since before she could walk! I always felt a strong need to be a provider for her. I wanted to give her a Catholic education, help her graduate from college debt-free, and support her in achieving a career-oriented degree. She is now married to Kevin Jordan, our COO, and continues to be a source of pride and joy for me as she makes a beautiful home for their growing family. I’m grateful to have Kevin on our team to advise current clients and their future generations as well. It’s truly a blessing to be in a position where we can help clients and their children for years and years to come.