Happy First Birthday!

Today, Avant Financial Advisors turns one year old! Happy Birthday to us! It’s been said that a person’s brain grows more in his first year of life than it does for any remaining year. I feel like that might be true of this business too.

It’s fun for me to look back on my first blog post a year ago. When I first started, the transition from my previous stable job was still fresh, and the risk felt really high. It was definitely what I wanted to do. It was thrilling. It was something I knew I could do. But because I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, I wondered if it was right. What if the right thing to do is stay where it’s comfortable?

I’ve shared here that I regularly talk with clients about what their goals are for their money. That has to be the driver. No amount of money is worth anything if it exists just to sit somewhere. It’s what you use it for that counts. One way to identify what goals they have is to ask: if you knew your life was ending next week, what you would regret not doing with your life?

In a way, my decision to start this business is in the same vein. It felt like I would be settling to stay in the comfortable job. Even if I was secure. Even if I was making more money. I knew I would regret it if I didn’t go for it.

So our family went for it, and I’m so glad we did. This first year has been a huge blessing to us and the growth of the business has surpassed anything we could see coming! We have the most amazing clients we’re blessed to work with each day. Helping them make their financial goals a reality is so rewarding and is why we’ve worked so hard this year. It is a joy to serve them each day and watch what is able to unfold in their lives.

Some additional perks of this company?

• Saying goodbye to the hour and a half commute time each day.
• Getting to eat breakfast with my kids and start each day by investing in them.
• Having control of the business to run it the way I see is best.
• Building solid relationships with my clients.
• More time at home and flexibility in the day.
• Setting my own dress code!

Sure, there have been challenges. Getting the business set up took much longer than we thought. Coming up with the name might have been the hardest part! And, who knew writing a 27-page Form ADV and getting the State Securities Board to approve it would be a months long process?

As a first-time business owner, I thought I would be able to set up the business and then just focus on my clients. I’m now living the daily balance of serving clients, analyzing and implementing new technology to make the company more efficient, documenting ongoing compliance tests to make sure I’m ready for that audit I know is coming, and thinking outside the box as a chief marketing officer. There are always a hundred things on the to-do list to nurture and grow this business. It’s a constant process of learning and revamping.

But today we celebrate! A full year down and many more to go! I can’t wait to see where we’ll be next year! Thank you to everyone who has supported us and encouraged us along the way. And we are most thankful to God for His provision, protection, health, and guidance over Avant Financial Advisors. Here’s to year two!