Who Is Driving This Flying Umbrella? Ep # 1 

Justin WallerPodcast

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Money Mile! I am your host, Justin Waller.

Since you decided to invest a bit of your time with me, I would like you to know who you are listening to. Press play to hear a bit of my backstory as you come along for the ride on this flying umbrella!

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in…

  • How I got started [0:42]
  • The physical side of the podcast [2:45]
  • My core values [5:11]

The financial side of my life

I guess I was destined for finance since I ran my first financial projection at the age of 11 while trying to show my Dad the financial benefits of quitting smoking. Unfortunately, I was unsuccessful in my attempt to try and wean him off his vice.

The good news is that this was the first step toward my financial career. In 1998 I started my financial services career in earnest by working for a mutual fund company. Even though I was in the financial industry, I realized I didn’t know the basics of saving. Just like many high school and college graduates, I didn’t even understand what a 401K or an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) was. This naivete led me to take personal finance classes so that I could have a better understanding of the financial world.

Financial planning was the obvious next step that I took by working for a nationally known broker. After some time working in this realm, I realized that working in a commission-based environment presented a conflict of interest. This payment structure meant that I couldn’t put my clients’ best interests first.

This realization led me to become an independent, fee-only planner in 2009 and I have never looked back. Now, I am a Certified Financial Planner helping clients on their path to financial independence.

I love helping my clients live their best lives. I am privileged to collaborate with some amazing people and thoroughly enjoy working the way I do. Even though I have already achieved financial independence, I continue to work 20-30 hours per week with clients I love.

The physical side of life

I’ve always been an athlete and grew up playing football. Since I am not built for the sport, my football career ended in high school. I needed another physical outlet so I thought water polo could fill the gap. If you haven’t ever heard of water polo google it to discover the intensity!

Since water polo required that I be a strong swimmer I joined the swim team as well. This gave me a strong background to become a triathlete.

I started triathlons after a coworker described how much fun he had doing one. My interest was piqued, so I started training. I completed my first sprint distance race in July of 2004, and ever since, I have been pushing myself and be the best triathlete that I can be. I have completed 6 Iron distance races and try to complete at least one ½ Iron distance race each year.

My values

Balance, family, and reliability are my core values.

I much prefer to take on several projects at once rather than diving too deep into one area. I enjoy variety which is probably why I enjoy running a financial planning practice so much. There is never a dull moment and there is always something new to learn.

Without my family, none of my financial or physical accomplishments would be worth it. I enjoy the opportunity to spend time with them out on the lake whenever possible.

When times are tough my clients, friends, and family know to call me since it is important for me to be a reliable resource that people can count on.

Thank you for investing your time in Money Mile. I look forward to helping you live your best life. Remember–if you work out, most everything else will too.

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