884. A Day in the Life: What's It Really Like to Be a Financial Advisor?

Court Creeden

“I realized that most people don’t really start taking the financial aspect of their lives seriously until they find out they’re pregnant. Then they realize they need to make changes and get focused. So I thought that if I can be in a position to create a model and actually help all these parents even before they are parents—when they were expecting—then really help them transition to that second or third child saving for college, retirement investments—then we’re going to create a significantly more meaningful financial planning experience. One that has never been done before. I called it, for obvious reasons, Parent Financial.”

Court Creeden is a business owner, entrepreneur and author. He runs Parent Financial, Connection Coin, and Blue Goat Life. He was recently named one of the “Top 40 under 40 Business Leaders” by the Charlotte Business Journal and has been interviewed by The Wall Street Journal, MSN Money, Dow Jones, and countless magazines and blogs. Court has been featured on numerous podcasts, is a contributor for “Thrive Global” and was featured for over a year on Fox News Charlotte segment called “Money Mondays.” When not working he is an avid paddleboarder, surfer, meditator and loves competing in Spartan Races.

The Most Impactful Turning Point?

“In 2009 one of my close college friends died in a car accident and another was diagnosed with cancer. These two unexpected events were heartbreaking and got me thinking about the impact these sudden tragedies would have on their families—their wives and children. In addition to the profound emotional loss of a loved one, how would the families be able to take care of themselves financially going forward? Over a number of weeks I asked several friends what they would do in a similar circumstance—would their insurance programs or company benefits provide for them; did they have savings that would soften the blow? Everyone I asked was highly educated, was working in an excellent company and cared deeply for their families, but not one of them had answers to any of the basic questions I posed to them. It was then I realized that my true calling was using my skills and talents to take on this issue head on. I’ve been in the financial planning space ever since.”

The Most Powerful Lessons and Experiences?

1. From a young age I have always had an insatiable curiosity and questioned the way things are—always looking for how to do things differently and better. I never accepted anything at face value.

2. My degree from the University of Pennsylvania was in economics, politics and philosophy—an odd-sounding mix perhaps, but each of those disciplines has given me a wide and deep perspective on the vital aspects of how the world works and why.

3. My parents encouraged me to explore and expose myself to things I might be interested in. Every summer I had internships in many different businesses from a local TV station, a financial services company, to working on a cruise ship in Alaska, and others that each helped me learn about myself.

4. My intuition or gut instinct has guided me into and out of myriad opportunities. That wee small voice inside each of us is always there to guide us, if we choose to listen.