I came into financial services fifteen years ago without a clear picture of where it would lead, but I knew I wanted to help people build something sustainable. I started building a practice focused on retirement strategies, and for years, that work was deeply satisfying. Sitting across from clients who were trying to figure out if they had enough, if they could retire comfortably, if their plan would actually work. Those conversations mattered. The technical side was learnable. The harder part was understanding what someone actually needed versus what they thought they needed, and then delivering a strategy they could trust.
About ten years ago, I moved into leadership. That transition wasn't about stepping away from client work because I was tired of it. It was about realizing I could have a different kind of impact. When you develop an advisor, help them build their practice the right way, you're not just affecting one family's financial future. You're affecting hundreds. That multiplier effect is what pulled me in, and it's what keeps me engaged as Associate Managing Director for The Greater Florida Financial Group.
What I've learned over thirteen years with this firm is that every advisor's path looks different. Some people need structure and a clear playbook. Others need autonomy and just want someone available when they hit a roadblock. My job is to figure out what each person actually needs and then create the conditions for them to build their ideal practice. That phrase gets thrown around a lot, but what it really means is helping someone design a business that aligns with their strengths, their goals, and the life they want outside of work. When that alignment happens, performance follows naturally.
I live in Tampa with my wife, Katie, and our two sons, Connor and Beckham. Tampa has this energy that comes from constant growth and new people moving in, which makes it a great market for what we do, but also means our weekends are usually spent at one sporting event or another. Both boys are involved in multiple sports, and I've become the kind of parent who knows the schedule better than my own calendar. When I'm not at a field or a court, I'm probably on a golf course or exploring somewhere new with Katie and the boys. Travel has become more important to us as the kids have gotten older, and finding those experiences that pull you out of routine is something we prioritize.