I didn't start my career in financial services.

After graduating from North Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological and Agricultural Engineering and a minor in Agricultural Business Management, I returned home to work in the family farming business.

For more than 33 years, I helped operate and manage our family farm. Like many small business owners, my responsibilities went far beyond the day-to-day work. I handled banking relationships, insurance decisions, borrowing and financing, payroll, recordkeeping, and many of the financial decisions that come with owning and operating a business. 

As I began easing into retirement from farming in 2022, something unexpected happened. Someone close to me asked if I would help with their investments. About a month later, another person came to me with a similar request. They both knew I had been a DIY investor for many years. I began helping them on a volunteer basis, and those conversations soon expanded beyond investing into broader financial planning discussions.

That's when I discovered something I truly enjoyed.

I found that I loved helping people make financial decisions. I enjoyed the investing side, but I was equally interested in how all the pieces fit together—retirement planning, taxes, cash flow, insurance, and the financial choices that shape a family's future.

I loved the work, and I was encouraged to consider financial planning as my second act. The more I explored the profession, the more I realized it was exactly what I wanted to do.

As I prepared for my second career, I passed the Series 65 examination, completed the Certified Financial Planner™ education program through North Carolina State University, and passed the CFP® Board Examination. I am currently completing the experience requirement for CFP® certification and pursuing the Enrolled Agent credential to further strengthen my tax planning knowledge.

I understand what it's like to run a business, manage cash flow, make payroll, borrow money, save for retirement, and balance competing priorities. Those experiences shape how I work with clients today.

My mission is simple: Be the advisor I wish I had when I was a younger business owner raising a family and making important financial decisions.