A Long Walk Toward Perspective
Early in our marriage, my wife and I took a nine-month trip in an RV, and during that trip we spent Christmas and New Year’s Eve in New York City—specifically at Dave & Buster’s. We spent New Year’s Eve there, enjoying the party, and it was such a cool event.
I’ve always had this dream. Because of the background I have, stocks have always interested me. My dad is a certified financial planner, so I grew up around these ideas. On that motorhome trip we saw Wall Street from the outside, but I wanted more than that. I wanted to get inside, see the floor of the stock exchange, and take part in a closing bell ceremony. And that is what took a decade. From when we first saw it until I went back with a big money manager and had the opportunity to be part of the closing bell ceremony, stand on the floor of the stock exchange, and take it all in, it felt like the culmination of a lot of work and a rare opportunity.
Why Long-Term Perspective Matters
That’s how I introduce Chapter 1 of my book—by talking about long-term strategy. When you’re standing on the floor of the stock exchange, you see the bear markets, the bull markets, the bells, the noise, the emotions, the ups and downs. And that connects to what this chapter is all about: having a long-term perspective instead of reacting to short-term fluctuations.
Most people have heard the idea of not getting caught up in day-to-day volatility. The stock market moves, sometimes sharply, and focusing only on those swings can pull people off course. I want to help people think about long-term direction, both personally and financially. And my own path wasn’t a straight line from Dave & Buster’s to Wall Street. At that time, I didn’t expect to enter the financial industry at all. I actually wanted to open a hot rod shop, and I talk about that in later chapters. My early steps led through accounting before I eventually ended up in the role I’m in today.
Along the way, I developed a passion for talking with people about their long-term futures and the value of preparing early. Forward-looking planning often sets the stage for progress, and having a vision helps guide decisions.
Small Steps Today Shape Tomorrow
If we don’t have direction—some sort of compass—the journey becomes aimless. Just like taking that RV trip without a plan, you could end up anywhere. Starting early matters. I see that clearly now that I have children of my own. My dad understood this when I was young. He set up a 529 account and a UTMA account for me. That UTMA helped fund parts of my RV trip and some of my early vehicle purchases. He taught me the importance of preparing early, and we’ll talk more about that in the next chapter.
On our RV trip, we kept things spontaneous but still had a direction. We wanted to reach New York City for the holidays, and we also set a 100-mile-a-day limit. That rule turned out to be one of the best decisions we made because it encouraged us to explore the local places along the way instead of racing from one big destination to the next.
Avoiding Last-Minute Pressure on Families
Something I’ve seen—both growing up and working with families—is how delayed planning can lead to pressure. For example, with college funding, families often end up in a stressful race for academic or athletic scholarships. Starting earlier can ease some of that, though I take a slightly different approach than some advisors when it comes to college planning.
I prefer that parents prepare for themselves before prioritizing college funding. That balance matters. My own parents approached it well. My dad paid for my tuition and books, but living expenses, gas, and personal costs were mine. I worked my way through college, and that experience was invaluable. In my accounting career, I noticed that the students who balanced work and school often handled the professional world more effectively than those who focused only on academics.
Growing Up in a Prosperous Family—And Passing It On
These ideas shape the theme of A Prosperous Family. I grew up in one because my parents created an environment that supported learning, responsibility, and preparation. Now I’m raising children of my own and thinking about how to give them a solid foundation. When I work with clients, I keep in mind that everyone is different. And that’s why no two plans I help create look the same. Each person brings a different background, timeline, and set of priorities, and discovering how all those pieces fit is both meaningful and energizing for me.
It’s a puzzle, and I enjoy helping people look at where they are today and where they want to go, then figuring out the steps that can help them pursue that direction.