By Dr. Nicholas E. Michels
Most of us can point to specific people or events that influenced our decisions and made a significant impact on how we live our lives. For me, it was seeing my mom’s financial struggle that led me to where I am today. After my parents’ divorce, my mom became the sole provider for four young children. It was hard going from a comfortable lifestyle to struggling overnight, and watching my mom work three jobs just to make ends meet is something I will never forget.
My mom became my inspiration and provided a great example of how to live. I became a financial advisor to pass on those lessons to my clients, teaching them that through hard work, dedication, and a little bit of sacrifice, you can maximize your money and elevate your life.
First Career Steps
My interest in finance stems all the way back to childhood when I ran a small candy business in school. I would sell whatever candy I could get my hands on to any kid who was willing to pay my asking price. After too many kids couldn’t buy lunch since they spent all their money on my candy, the principal shut down my business. But my entrepreneurial spirit didn’t stop there; I went on to start a lawn business and work at a pizza place until I could afford to buy my very first car in cash!
Although I experienced these little moments of financial aptitude and a penchant for accumulating wealth, I didn’t truly get involved in the financial industry until college. I interned at Edward Jones during summers, which afforded me the opportunity to work with many astute financial mentors.
After college, I was honored to travel with the Christian-based organization Athletes in Action, where my peers and I used sports as a way to minister to the world. By God’s grace, I was also able to play basketball professionally in Europe, which had been a lifelong dream of mine. At age 26, I returned to the States and officially began my career in the financial industry.
From all my experiences, I learned that money can be an incredible blessing that enhances a family’s life, or it can be a stress-ridden curse. I was so grateful for my time abroad, but I was ready to take on this exciting new chapter educating others about the financial principles that lead to financial comfort, peace, and happiness.
As excited as I was, I struggled to find clients who were willing to work with me. Despite my passion, my young age worked against me, and many clients didn’t trust that I knew what I was doing. Between that and being surrounded with mentors who had a combined 100 years of financial experience, I took it as a sign from God that I was not yet equipped to help in the way that I wanted.
So I dedicated my life to learning everything about finance, money, business, and life philosophies that I possibly could. I read hundreds of books, earned a doctorate degree, became a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and a National Social Security Advisor, and committed to becoming an expert in my field. I found that the more I educated myself, the more I was able to connect with and help others. It was yet another lesson in hard work, dedication, and sacrifice.
My Career Today
Today, I am the founder of Michels Family Financial, a faith-based financial firm. My hard work, dedication, and sacrifice has paid off and I am proud to serve my clients and my community in the way that God has intended for me.
In the Bible, the book of I Peter tells us that when God gives us a gift, we are to use that gift to serve others. It is my purpose, passion, and mission to help you become a great steward of money. As you become a great steward, you will begin to experience all the amazing ways God will bless you abundantly. Through this mission, I am honored to teach my clients how they can become extremely wealthy, safeguard their wealth, and strategically set up their families for multigenerational wealth.
Why I Love What I Do
I love what I do because I truly enjoy working with my clients. They are more than just a number to me; they are incredible people with loving families. They work hard in pursuit of their future goals and dreams, and I passionately want to see them accomplish everything that will make them happy. It’s not just financial planning; it’s their life.
I take pride in seeing firsthand how our proven process, Complete Wealth Management, simply and repeatedly maximizes our clients’ wealth, which then maximizes their lives. Seeing their financial comfort, peace, and happiness keeps me coming back to work every day.
Are You Ready for a Different Financial Future?
I’d love to meet you, get to know you, and hear about your goals, your worries, and the opportunities and challenges you face in your financial life. If you’re ready to see what financial planning can do for you, reach out to me at [email protected].