As an advisor, I discuss with my clients the importance of diversifying their portfolios, making sure that they are covered with the proper life insurance and capturing as much of their 401(k) match from their employer as possible. I do this because I learned firsthand through trial and error how to diversify my investments by investing in myself and my entrepreneurial capabilities.
Please keep reading! This isn’t your typical article about having an emergency fund or making sure you have life insurance. My purpose for writing this blog, is to provide personal insight into my family and the diversification we have created in our own financial life.
Like many, my husband and I have made plenty of financial decisions that have dramatically impacted our goal to achieve financial independence not just for ourselves, but for our children and grandchildren as well. We call this not having all or our eggs in one basket.
Now let’s get personal. At the ripe old age of 51, my husband, who was a developer and residential builder at the time, had hit his lowest point in his entrepreneurial career. We all know this as The Great Recession of 2008. After losing his job, he sought out positions with construction companies and came up with nothing. So, he started doing odd jobs, remodeling, building decks and painting. He came home one day and said “this is not what I am good at. I am good at creating a company and building it for growth.” This very conversation is what sparked our journey into entrepreneurialism together. Shortly after, we established our construction cleaning business and bought a commercial building to create another LLC for our company to be housed in.
Fast forward 12 years, we still own the commercial building plus another home we rent out in Florida. I am still advising and loving every minute of it! My husband’s subdivision closed as of Aug of 2022, and we sold the construction cleaning business to our son-in-law in July of 2021. Phew…. Right?!
So how does this translate into family and financial independence? We chose to not only save through traditional paths – IRA, Roth, 401k – but to also diversify our assets with our own abilities. The example we have lived by has inspired our children to diversify their working lives in their own creative ways.
My past experiences coupled with sometimes difficult lessons learned have uniquely positioned me to be a great financial advisor and educator. It is a joy to share my hard-earned wisdom with my clients, including and especially my children, to help them achieve their financial goals. Questions always arise along the way. And because of the trust we have built together, they have learned to value my advice! For my fellow parents out there, you know that is the biggest feat of all. My goal as a mom, grandma, and professional is to empower people and future generations with the knowledge and confidence they need to make sound financial decisions on their own.
When working with clients, I always keep an open mind to their financial experiences. I find myself answering questions like, should we buy this rental property? I may have an opportunity to become an owner in a business, what do you think? How do I navigate equity in my company? The opportunities out there are endless.
Drawing from my own life experiences, I firmly believe in the importance of building your nest egg methodically throughout your career while also mining your own capabilities for potential opportunities. Diversifying your attention can be fruitful just as diversifying your portfolio can provide the balance you need to achieve your life’s ambitions.
I would love the opportunity to advise and get to know those who have diversified their working life as well as their strategies to become financially independent. Let’s get some creative thoughts going and see where it can take you!
