I had an in-person meeting with a LinkedIn connection and this was with director of a financial advising group. Earl, the director, was impressed by my profile because he saw how I’m a driven entrepreneur, the ideal candidate he is looking to hire.
What surprised me is the fact that Earl is completely outside of my network of Praxians and libertarians. I didn’t think any big opportunities would just land in my lap like this but I must’ve been doing something right.
The meeting with Earl was successful and he discussed what his company, Financial Leadership Group is about. FLG provides financial management services to clients with multi-million dollar assets and to middle class families, which is their main target. Earl explained how FLG saw a need for the middle class to be financially educated and that they were being left behind. The government is taking care of the poor with welfare and the rich have their financial advisors to consult, but the middle class often have no idea where to start.
One thing he said that resonated with me was this; “What is your greatest asset?”
I answered, “My computer and car because that’s where I do the bulk of my work.”
Earl replied, “Your greatest asset is yourself. If you can’t work then you wouldn’t be able to have that car or computer.”
He makes a great point that everyone should seriously think about because he went on to explain that everyone needs to set up a family fiduciary before they die.
Earl gave the example of Aretha Franklin. After she died, half her assets went to the government because she didn’t designate anyone in her family to inherit her wealth.
Another interesting Earl asked was, “What is the biggest tax in people’s lives?” I guessed income tax since everyone pays it, but actually it’s the death tax. Think about it, he said, not everyone has to work but everyone has to die, and anything that is guaranteed in life, the government will tax it.
I wholeheartedly agree. Although I already know about the death tax, it being the biggest tax still surprised me with the way Earl framed it.
The rest of the meeting was a getting-to-know-you session and he just wanted me to explore his company, and he even invited me to the training sessions. Earl gave me a quick run down of what the onboarding process will look like and he explained how I’ll be an independent agent. I could either work with them or start my own practice since I’ll be getting a license, but either way I’ll work on commission.
This such a rare opportunity and it brings to mind the importance of networking; never miss out on a chance to connect.