By Gerald Robinson, CFP®
From an early age I’ve been focused on entrepreneurship and service. In high school, a friend and I ran a hay hauling business every summer that paid for my education through college. Looking back, I think that’s where my love of helping people began.
I’m a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional who helps people accomplish their financial goals. One of my professional priorities is to align my clients’ investment and asset allocation with their needs and objectives.
My extremely high client retention level is most likely because my clients can tell I’m not in this business to make a profit.
This is my story.
Getting Started As a Financial Advisor
I hold a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of North Texas with a focus on finance and statistics. After graduation, while serving in the United States Marine Corp Reserve, I began a long career in mid-management at a large retail food chain.
After 28 years of service, I left that company in 1998. For the first time, I was able to enjoy the holidays without stress, and plan for my future career.
I knew I wanted to build a business focused on services that would positively impact clients’ lives. So, I returned to my roots and began my journey as a professional financial advisor in 1999.
In 2009, I obtained my CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification and now serve clients as an independent CFP® professional on a fee-only basis, no commissions. My profession gives me the opportunity to help others and stay involved in my community.
My Career Today
I’m a huge fan of the 5 P’s for business success: People, Process, Product, Promotion, and Profit. If you do the first 4 things correctly, the profit part should take care of itself.
Here’s how the 5 P’s factor in to my own business strategy:
- People: I develop long-term relationships with my clients and the community. I truly believe the best relationships are built on mutual trust and a commitment to excellence.
- Process: I operate my business on an advisory basis bound to fiduciary responsibility. That means I do not earn commissions, enabling me to put my clients’ interests and well-being first. Additionally, an integral part of my business process is community involvement. My community involvement is for the benefit of the community and not just a way for me to get more clients.
- Product: Financial planning is vital for financial success. I frequently monitor and adjust my clients’ financial plan to keep it aligned with their needs and goals. Also, because the market is constantly changing, I make it a priority to adjust my clients’ investment strategy accordingly.
- Promotion: My promotional priority over the years has been to build a referral-based business that utilizes marketing to help as many people as possible.
- Profit: I don’t think of profit as purely monetary. Instead, to me profit is developing a pattern of helping others.
The Best Part of Being a Financial Advisor
Now that I run my own successful firm as a CFP® advisor, I can control my own schedule to create time for business, family, and community. My profession now allows me to focus on my priorities without having to work 60 hours a week.
Another fulfilling part of my job is helping my clients get their financial house in order and simultaneously creating a plan for them that aligns with their values. I’ve had the privilege of helping people all over the world, and I’ve learned to make it a priority to understand what’s driving their financial goals. That’s an enormously satisfying part of what I do.
Helping others has become a true cornerstone of my business strategy as a professional financial advisor.
Get Help from a Professional Financial Advisor
Our mission at Lightforce Financial is to deliver outstanding financial planning and investment management services.
If you’re in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metro area (as well as North and East Texas), we’ll meet where it’s most convenient for you. If you’re not in our area, we’ll meet virtually (which might be even more convenient!). We can also meet in our Addison office if you prefer.
To schedule an introductory meeting, call (817) 896-2744, email gerald@lightforcefinancial.com, or select an appointment online.
About Gerald
Gerald Robinson is Founder of LightForce Financial, a fee-only financial services firm based in Denton County, Texas, specializing in guiding multi-generational families and small and mid-sized business owners through the inevitable—change. Gerald and his firm provide one-on-one service and a long-term approach to goal achievement. He’s fulfilled by developing long-term relationships with clients as he helps align their wealth and values through a personalized financial plan.
After graduating with a BBA with a focus on finance and statistics from UNT, while serving in the United States Marine Corp Reserve, Gerald began a long career in mid-management of a large retail food chain. In 1999, with the desire to serve clients by building a business that would be of value and positively impact their lives, he returned to his roots and began his journey as a financial professional. In 2009, Gerald acquired his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation, and now serves clients as an independent CFP® professional on a fee-only basis—no commissions. For over 30 years, Gerald has lived in Flower Mound with his wife; he also has three children and five grandchildren. In his spare time, he enjoys staying involved in his community, serving on various commissions and boards. To learn more about Gerald, connect with him on LinkedIn.