Rick Biel, AAMS®, AWMA®, CRPC®

I grew up in near-poverty as a result of being raised by a single mother who was disabled.  So, at an early age, I understood what it meant to struggle financially.  While not having someone to actually teach me about money and personal finance, I began a long journey to educate myself on how money works and how one can make wise decisions regarding how to achieve financial security.

I played baseball at the college level and upon receiving my undergraduate degree I initially pursued a career in education.  As an economics teacher, I continued to learn more about how the economy works, but my wife and I were initially not succeeding with regards to personal finance.  A good understanding of macroeconomic principles does not always translate well at the micro level.

I remained determined to improve my understanding of personal finance and to improve my financial situation.  Things changed for me when I read the groundbreaking work of Dr. Thomas Stanley – The Millionaire Next Door. The book provides a comprehensive study of who the real millionaires are in this country and how they reached that status.  The book was a game changer for me as I discovered that most millionaires reach that status by avoiding debt, being frugal and having self-discipline.

As my personal financial situation slowly improved, and as I immersed myself more into a proper understanding of personal finance, I became determined to help others succeed financially.  I transitioned into the financial advisory business by earning multiple industry licenses and I also gained specialized knowledge by earning three advanced professional designations from the College for Financial Planning.

My passion is to assist as many people as possible on their financial journey.  I am living proof that you do not need to be born into money to ultimately succeed financially.  I consider it to be a distinct honor to be able to help people make wise decisions moving forward in their financial life.