My Dad’s Story

I work with people in many different ways, but one of my favorites is helping business owners retire the right way.

When my dad met my mom he told her he would be a millionaire one day.  He knew he wasn’t going to reach that goal by selling pharmaceuticals.  So, at 35 he took a big leap of faith. He left his stable salaried job with benefits to start a business selling used hubcaps to the consumer cheaper than they could buy directly through the manufacturer.

I remember literally picking up inventory off the side of the road on road trips.  My brother and I would risk life and limb jumping out of the car, running through traffic to grab a hubcap that had come off a car.

My dad’s always been a risk taker and my mom’s always along for the ride. Well, the risk paid off. After 20 years of owning his business he was ready to retire.  He had built from the ground up a seven-figure business.  He had made it.  He was a millionaire.

My dad is a smart fellow and wasn’t really big on paying professionals to help him figure out what he thought he could do himself.  This was his fatal mistake.

He’s plan was to self-finance the sale to his manager over a 5-year period.  He would shave off the needed income to live, then invest the rest himself.  My dad sold his business in the late 90’s when tech stocks seemed to double in value overnight.  He did not properly diversify and lost half the proceeds of the business with one bad trade.  My parents are now retired in AZ living a much different retirement than they anticipated.

I know what you’re thinking: “I would never be so foolish.”  Don’t be so sure.   I work with business owners to help uncover the unknown risks that threaten their success.  You are smart, you’re an expert in your business, but not investments or financial planning.  Let me help you navigate and think through the biggest decision of your life.

I wish I had been in the business at that time to help my dad.  Don’t make your last business decision one you regret.