Words of Wisdom: Advice on Running a Business from Equita Members

December 4, 2020

Financial advisors have been going independent and starting their own practices for years now, and the pandemic has accelerated this trend. The COVID-19 crisis has inspired many financial planners to pause, reflect on their career path, and finally hang out their shingle as solo firm owners.

Katie Burke, Bridget Venus Grimes, and Mindy McCubbin have all been running their own financial advisory practices for a while. Here’s their advice on starting and running a business:

Entrepreneurship Is An Emotional Roller Coaster

“I wish I would have known that entrepreneurship was exactly like emotional rollercoaster it’s said to be. I’ve felt empowered, exhilarated, and exasperated — sometimes all within the same day!

However, building my firm has been a rewarding and life-altering experience. Not just because of the impact it has had on me, but because I get to help clients find more freedom, greater peace, and richer meaning when it comes to their money. I feel incredibly privileged to be invited into their lives to help uncover what true wealth really means for their family. That is why I love this business.”

—Mindy McCubbin, ChFC®, Owner and Founder of Truman Wealth Advisors

Plan With The Best Intentions, But Be Flexible

“Since the pandemic began, I have realized how important it has been to adjust my expectations and communicate realistic expectations to my colleagues and clients. Prior to the pandemic if there was a tight project deadline, I had no issues working additional hours to get it done, but now life was different. …

Through my network I found an operations assistant to help with client tasks, and a marketing expert to help continue to market my firm. These decisions were key to help my businesses run while I was helping my children with schoolwork.”

—Katie Burke, CFP^®, Founder and President of Method Financial Planning and Co-Founder of Equita Financial Network in Thrive Global

Build a Support Network

“When I first launched WealthChoice, Katie Burke and I became sounding boards for each other. We had totally different firms and a different target audience, but we became our own little support network.

As a solo firm owner in the beginning, you really do feel siloed — even more so now during this pandemic. It’s important to build a support group — whether that’s of industry professionals or just friends and family — that can help you help you through the highs, lows, and everything in between.”

—Bridget Venus Grimes, CFP^®, President of WealthChoice and Co-Founder of Equita Financial Network

Learn from the Collective Wisdom of the Equita Community

One of the benefits of being part of Equita Financial Network is being able to get support and business advice from members at all different places in their careers. If you’re interested in becoming a Member Firm, reach out to our team today to learn more.

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