Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in financial services but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Anthony Ierullo, Consultant of Pineapple Wealth Management, located in Mississauga, OR, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

We help families, individuals, and investors make informed decisions regarding wealth management and future planning of personal and estate management.

Tell us about yourself

I first started with a passion for helping individuals make money and took a job with a major bank. Years later, my mother came to me with a situation. I was able to help her, but unfortunately for my Mom, the solution was too late. She passed away before it could be put in place, with no Life Insurance. This was my motivation to start my financial business and help other get properly protected. My mother's case taught me that when offering a financial plan to people, it's important to communicate the imperative issues (such as proper insurance needs in place to cover debt and the grievance period for your loved ones) and ask permission to have a sense of urgency to put that part of the solution in place.

Helping people understand the fundamentals of building a strong financial foundation is crucial to the plan's longevity. It was then I learned that most people don't understand the money game, and a lot of people need help to make the next decision, whether that is saving for their retirement, their kid's education, buying a property, or more complicated estate wealth management issues, and Insurance plans. I get motivated by the continuous experiences I have had in the field. From helping people put a down payment on a house, qualify for their mortgage, or even help their loved ones grieve through being financially stable after delivering a life insurance claim to their surviving beneficiaries.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

It's hard to place one accomplishment higher than others. That being said, I would have to choose two accomplishments that I've done:

  • First would be becoming the author of my book "How Money Works Now." After years in the business, I decided to write a book to explain the importance of money and my story.
  • Second is when I decided to go independent, truly free from the major institutions' desire to protect their pockets and be able to provide the best solutions for my clients.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

Being a business owner is difficult. There are many issues where you need to be able to pivot. This has become much more prevalent since the pandemic with many businesses. I believe one of the hardest things I've had to overcome was being able to service clients through the internet while protecting their information. This has become imperative and hard to adjust to, especially because I grew up in a business that required paper and verifying signatures. Even though not having to travel to clients and being able to work from home has saved me time and money on gas, it still has been a hard transition as I love meeting my clients in person at their kitchen table.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Do everything and a little more - What you think it's going to take you to get that next client or close that next deal is actually going to take more, just a little more.
  2. Work Hard and provide value - You may feel like you are working for free sometimes, but really you are working for the future money you will make. It's important to value your time and skills, but while you build, you need to show people your skills. It's not that people don't value you or your skills. They just may not know how valuable you are to them right now.
  3. Be Memorable - Build relationships and follow up, follow up. We are constantly inundated by advertisements and other businesses, so people may not remember you, so try to be memorable. Maybe that means referring others out before you get a referral or a quick phone call to see how that new business owner you met at the gas station is doing and if there is a way you can refer out their service.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://gopineapple.ca/anthonyierullo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pineapple_wealth_management/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/aierullo

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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