In 1992, I joined the Equitable to satisfy his desire to learn financial planning. However, the Equitable focused their business mostly on life insurance and annuity products. In 1993, I was given the opportunity to join a small financial planning firm in Pickerington, Ohio. I did not accept the position, as I did not see it as a good fit for me. About 6 months later, another financial planner in Pickerington, Ohio approached me about joining his company, as they had heard about me from the previous financial planner.
In 1994, after several discussions, I decided to leave the Equitable and join Comprehensive Planning Consultants as a Para planner. At the time, Comprehensive Planning Consultants had over 1,500 clients, which focused on selling 403B retirement products to teachers and hospital employees with a smattering of financial planning. In 1997, the owner of Comprehensive Planning Consultants passed away unexpectedly. Thus I made good on my promise to the owner to purchase the business from his widow if something should ever happen to him. In 1998, I re-opened the business as Personal Financial Advisors, Inc., and my wife Wendy joined the firm as the office manager. I left the business unchanged until 1999, when I was introduced to the concept of “Values Based Financial Planning”. This was a turning point in my career, as I embraced the concept of creating financial plans based on peoples’ values.