Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in financial services but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jason Hamilton, Founder of Keep It Simple Financial Planning, located in Orange, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am the founder of Keep It Simple Financial Planning and Keep It Simple Wealth Academy. We help high-performance professionals and high-net-worth investors create alignment with their abundance so they can live in flow with their wealth and serve their purpose.
Tell us about yourself
I am a fee-only registered investment advisor, managing over $40 million in assets for my clients. The Keep It Simple Wealth Academy is a program that helps 1st generation wealth builders transform their relationships with money and become powerful wealth managers. I am also the Head of Family Financial Coaching at my family's nonprofit IDEAL, a community development corporation located in East Los Angeles.
The start of my journey begins before the financial crisis. Prior to the economic meltdown, my family hired an advisor to help them with their financial and retirement planning. Unfortunately, instead of comprehensive fiduciary financial advice, my family was sold a myriad of insurance products. I believe with better planning; we would have had a much better response and outcome to the economic situation. Before the end of the crisis, we were forced to close the restaurant due to insufficient financial resources.
On the bright side of this journey, I saw what my family went through and became determined not to have the same fate for myself. This led me on my journey of financial self-discovery to learn everything I could about financial planning and wealth management. What started as a Google search for "how do people become wealthy?" became an obsession and now a career.
Helping clients align with their wealth has been rewarding in many ways.
For years before becoming an advisor, I read online forums, where I learned about advanced financial planning education to become a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™.
Every day I try to remember how I felt at the beginning of my financial journey and do my best to help people on their journey to financial independence. Seeing people progress and have those "a-ha" moments when they "get" their finances keeps me motivated.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is creating a service from my passion that allows me to live in flow every day. My original vision was to create a multi-six-figure business that I could operate from anywhere in the world. After years of the brutal start-up phase, I have now achieved that. What they say about having a vision and committing is so true. If you only focus on what you want and direct all your energy toward that goal, eventually, you will get it.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
One of the hardest things about being a business owner is that it's all on you, good or bad. And no matter what, you must get up each day, bend the universe to your will, and create your vision in this world. If you can accept that, then everything else is just solving the problems you run into.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
My top 3 tips for anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today would be: First, commit to your vision. Commit so deeply that you are willing to burn all boats to make it successful. Second, don't neglect your finances. One of the top reasons business owners fail is cash flow issues. Invest in a professional accountant early, and don't start a business on loan. Do what you can, where you are, with what you have, and grow from there. Third, understand that those closest to you may not support you at the beginning. Don't rely on that. Use your voice to share your message on social media and if you're just getting started, simply share your journey. There is something powerful about connecting on this level, and you will find those that are meant to work with you. But, if you don't put your message out there, then no one will know who you are, and the result will be no one will buy.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://keepitsimplefinancial.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keepitsimplefinancialplanning
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keepitsimplefinancial/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/keepitsimplefp
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-j-hamilton/
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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