Travis Hibbard is a financial advisor at Fiduciary Financial Advisors, and he joins the show to share his transition from engineer to financial advisor after 18 years in a large manufacturing company. If you're interested in making a mid-career transition, leveraging financial independence to create flexibility, or understanding the real-world decisions involved in starting a firm, this episode is for you.

Listen in as Travis shares how guidance from his mother, a financial planner, set him on a path toward financial independence and made his transition into the profession smoother. He also walks through the key decisions involved in launching his own firm—including choosing the right channel and operating structure—along with the pros and cons of his setup, how he found clients, and key lessons he learned along the way.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/4qh3MVv

Emily Koochel is the Manager of Financial Wellness at eMoney Advisor, and she joins the show to share how she found her way in the financial planning world. If you're interested in exploring non-linear career paths in financial planning, blending education and technology, or understanding how fintech is shaping the future of the profession, this episode is for you.

Listen in as Emily shares how she was drawn to financial planning for its blend of numbers and people, and how a mentor encouraged her to pursue a master's degree before starting her career at a small firm. She also talks about becoming increasingly interested in the relational side of the profession, which led her to earn another degree and spend time teaching in a CFP program. You'll hear about her current role in fintech, where she helps firms scale through technology, and her thoughts on where fintech is headed next.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/45d8laU

Andrew Sivertsen is a shareholder and Senior Financial Planner at The Planning Center, Inc., and he joins the show today to share how he found financial planning through one of his siblings and has never looked back. If you're interested in discovering financial planning through a non-traditional path, balancing work and CFP coursework, or growing into ownership and leadership within a firm, this episode is for you!

Listen in as Andrew shares how he began his career studying biology before finding his way into financial planning by following in his brother's footsteps. You'll hear how he started in a part-time role, transitioned to full-time work, and balanced going back to school while earning his CFP designation. Andrew also reflects on developing both technical and client-facing skills, becoming a shareholder, and how he now gives back by mentoring newer planners at his firm.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/4q5Hnu2

Mark Hansen is a financial advisor at Second Comma, and he rejoins the show today to talk about the ups and downs he has experienced—and how he has shifted his business—since last being on the show two years ago. If you're interested in strengthening your value proposition, reducing client churn, or learning from the real-world lessons of an advisor-turned-entrepreneur, this episode is for you!

Listen in as Mark shares how a period of losing clients pushed him to change his business model, hire a coach, and get hyper-clear on his value proposition and service offering. He also opens up about the lessons he learned through the decisions he made, including the mistakes that contributed to an unsustainably high churn rate. Don't miss hearing key insights from Mark's entrepreneurial journey, as well as what any business owner can take away from the challenges he faced and the growth that followed.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/48zziYI

Lillian Turner is the Founder of Daring Greatly Wealth, and she joins the show today to share how her interest in financial planning in high school turned into owning her own firm. If you're interested in the realities of career pivots, early leadership roles, and building a firm from scratch, this episode will be especially valuable.

Listen in as Lillian opens up about how growing up watching her parents struggle with money disagreements shaped her desire to help others, leading her from an accounting major to finance and into her first financial planning internship through a career fair. You'll hear how she was unexpectedly pushed into a lead advisor role at a large RIA when her boss left—which ultimately showed her it wasn't the long-term fit she wanted—as well as what led her to start her own firm and how she's navigated both the flexibility and challenges of entrepreneurship.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3Kl736Q

Charlotte Morgan is a financial planner at Creative Planning, and she joins the show today to share her career journey from college student to successful practitioner. If you're interested in navigating early career uncertainty, taking a break and re-entering the profession with confidence, or understanding what it's like to experience an acquisition from the inside, this episode is for you!

Listen in as Charlotte shares how she began college planning for a career in accounting or finance, but ultimately discovered financial planning through a family friend. You'll hear how she stepped away after a few years (and later returned by joining her second firm), what it was like when her firm was acquired by a large RIA aggregator, and more.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/4iC3UMD

Kelly Metzler Randall is a Principal and Lead Advisor at Burton Enright Welch, and she joins the show today to share how she transitioned to financial planning after earning a chemistry degree. If you're interested in exploring career pivots into financial planning, understanding how to grow within an RIA, or seeing what it really looks like to rebuild your career after a relocation, this episode is for you!

Listen in as Kelly shares how her love of science and math initially led her into lab work—until she realized it wasn't fulfilling and began exploring business and finance. You'll learn how an internship at a large bank became a full-time role, what motivated her transition to the RIA space, and how she advanced in her first firm before relocating to California and starting over at her current company. We also discuss how her responsibilities expanded as the firm grew, as well as which parts of her career she finds both the most fun and the most challenging.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/4if1nYz

Vincent Clark is a Senior Wealth Advisor at Elwood & Goetz Wealth Advisory Group, and he joins the show today to share how his career trajectory brought him from an information systems major to financial planning. If you're interested in redefining your career path, moving from technical roles into client-facing planning, or learning what it takes to evolve into a mentor for newer planners, this episode is for you!

Listen in as Vincent shares how he first chose his career path based on income potential—but soon discovered a deeper purpose after helping a star athlete's family member navigate complex financial decisions. You'll hear how he started his career at a large firm, later pursuing a client-facing position, and ultimately found the right fit at his current firm. Vincent also reflects on his transition into a leadership role, where he now mentors younger planners and helps guide the next generation of professionals.

You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3LIED6P