Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in finance but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Chris Hobart, Founder, and CEO of Hobart Wealth, located in Charlotte, NC, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am the founder of Hobart Wealth, a full-service financial planning company. We work with people to address all aspects of their financial lives, including income, investment, tax, health care, life insurance, and estate planning.
Our clients are people who know that financial planning isn’t just about money. Instead, it’s about creating freedom and the type of future they truly want to live.
Tell us about yourself
As a teenager, I saw my parents struggle after my dad lost his job. They eventually went on to create and eventually sell a successful business, but that early experience stuck with me. It lit a flame in me to help others with their financial lives so that they could avoid the same challenges.
I also had a passion for investing in college. I worked for a large financial company early in my career, and during my time there, I learned very quickly that individual investors weren’t being served at the level they needed. I decided to form my own firm, one where I could offer high-quality, client-oriented financial planning services.
Two decades later, helping our clients pursue financial freedom still motivates me. I also love having the opportunity to teach other advisors and positively influence the financial services industry. I’ve had lots of opportunities to speak to advisors across the nation about how to create a business that puts its clients first. I get up every day excited to make a difference in someone’s life.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Building our team. Everyone who works in our office works together for one purpose: to do what’s best for our clients. I work with people who always demonstrate integrity and good judgment in everything we do. I think that’s a pretty rare thing to find, especially in the financial world.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
It’s the whole “working on your business vs. working in your business” dilemma. Most business owners wear so many hats. It’s challenging to be involved in the day-to-day operations and still view things through a strategic and visionary lens. I have found one of the keys to alleviating that challenge is to surround yourself with a team you trust. When you do, you can delegate some of the lower-level stuff and focus on the things that are truly moving your business forward.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
First, forget about perfection. There’s never going to be a perfect time to start a business or add a service or step up your game in some way. I’m a big fan of just taking the leap and then figuring it out as you go. Sure, it’s good to know the risks, but if you keep waiting for the “right time” to do something, you’ll probably never do it. Have a plan, work the plan, and keep measuring and tweaking the plan. The results will come.
Second, empathy is everything. You have to be able to put yourself in other people’s shoes, whether that’s your clients, customers, or team members. What do they want, and what do they need to get it? Then find a way to help them fill that need. Do it in a personal way. The people you serve are looking to you to help them fulfill something that’s missing in their lives – and when you help them find it, they will remember you and want to keep working with you.
Finally, never stop believing in your business. You may have naysayers, people telling you that you can’t achieve your dream. No one is ever going to care or believe more in your vision. Get very clear about what you want, and don’t worry about what anyone else is doing. Decide what success looks like for you and go after it.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://hobartwealth.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HobartFinancialGroup/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hobartfinancial
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrishobart/
Hobart Wealth is a DBA of Hobart Private Capital, LLC. Investment advisory services offered through Hobart Private Capital, LLC, a SEC-Registered Investment Advisor. Insurance services offered separately through Hobart Insurance Services, LLC, an affiliated insurance agency.
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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