LET's change the way
we approach wealth
Welcome! My name is MJ and I'm the founder of Holistic Wealth.
I often get asked why I named my business "Holistic Wealth". Let me explain...
Number 1, I view wealth holistically in the sense that wealth isn't just about maximizing your net worth. I believe a truly wealthy life is having the ability - time, freedom, health, and money - to do the things you love.
Number 2, I believe that in order for me to give you guidance on your finances and achieving your wealthy life, I need to see the whole picture. Yes, I need to know the numbers (your income, expenses, assets, debts, etc.), but I also need to get to know you, your interests, values, goals, and dreams. All these aspects are interconnected and it's only possible to solve the puzzle with all the puzzle pieces.
I often get asked why I named my business "Holistic Wealth". Let me explain...
Number 1, I view wealth holistically in the sense that wealth isn't just about maximizing your net worth. I believe a truly wealthy life is having the ability - time, freedom, health, and money - to do the things you love.
Number 2, I believe that in order for me to give you guidance on your finances and achieving your wealthy life, I need to see the whole picture. Yes, I need to know the numbers (your income, expenses, assets, debts, etc.), but I also need to get to know you, your interests, values, goals, and dreams. All these aspects are interconnected and it's only possible to solve the puzzle with all the puzzle pieces.
This is impossible to accomplish without first completing number 1.
3. Align your spending and money decisions with your desired wealthy life
Most of us haven't learned the skills or don't have the knowledge to do this efficiently; so we just wing it.
More often than not, our skills in earning money far exceed our skills in managing our money.
More often than not, our skills in earning money far exceed our skills in managing our money.
2. Set up a simple and systematic financial structure (credit cards and various accounts)
Most of us skip this entirely. Sure, we have a vague idea of our goals and our interests, but that's as far as it goes.
1. Dream and design what you want your wealthy life to look like
This is impossible to accomplish without first completing number 1.
3. Align your spending and money decisions with your desired wealthy life
Most of us haven't learned the skills or don't have the knowledge to do this efficiently; so we just wing it.
More often than not, our skills in earning money far exceed our skills in managing our money.
More often than not, our skills in earning money far exceed our skills in managing our money.
2. Set up a simple and systematic financial structure (credit cards and various accounts)
Most of us skip this entirely. Sure, we have a vague idea of our goals and our interests, but that's as far as it goes.
1. Dream and design what you want your wealthy life to look like
The decisions you make with your money play an important role in living your wealthiest life. While the journey towards this life may require substantial time and effort initially, the process is actually very simple:
my goal is to EMPOWER YOU TO Live a WEALTHY LIFE
Here's the honest truth: the "right answer" is different for everyone. You'll never know your "right answer" until you've designed what you want your wealthy life to look like. Once you've done this, the answers to these questions and all your other money decisions start to become crystal clear.
How much should I be saving for...?
Do I really need that...?
Can I afford to pay for...?
How much money should I spend on...?
Is it worth paying for...?
Should I buy this...?
Do you stress yourself out trying to find the "right answer"
to questions like these:
Prior to creating Holistic Wealth and becoming a financial coach, I spent almost 10 years as a licensed, fee-only, fiduciary financial advisor. I worked mainly with retirees, helping them with everything from financial planning, tax planning, investments, and tax return preparation. In order to appropriately advise clients, I obviously had to learn and understand many “technical” financial concepts & strategies. However, what became most interesting to me was learning people’s money beliefs; how they viewed and interacted with money.
The most impactful relationships I had were with clients who had feelings of fear or anxiety around their money. In particular, some clients had accumulated substantial retirement accounts (well more than they could ever withdraw in their remaining life), yet even in retirement, they were still anxious to spend that money! They had done everything "right" saving and investing for retirement; but once they got to the point of actually using their retirement assets, they let fear dictate their decisions!
Look, I'm not saying that we shouldn't be saving or investing. On the contrary, I think it's incredibly important. But money itself should never be the end goal. If you die with $5 million, that's $5 million worth of experiences that you missed out on. Living a wealthy life TODAY has to be prioritized just as much as planning for some distant future that you may never live to see. It’s a delicate balance, but remember: indefinitely delayed gratification is the equivalent of no gratification.
It was through many of these interactions that I realized a wealthy life is so much more than the balance of your investment accounts or total net worth. With this newfound view on wealth, coupled with my experience as a financial advisor helping retirees, I set out on a mission to provide young adults with access to a trusted financial coach, and Holistic Wealth was born.
The most impactful relationships I had were with clients who had feelings of fear or anxiety around their money. In particular, some clients had accumulated substantial retirement accounts (well more than they could ever withdraw in their remaining life), yet even in retirement, they were still anxious to spend that money! They had done everything "right" saving and investing for retirement; but once they got to the point of actually using their retirement assets, they let fear dictate their decisions!
Look, I'm not saying that we shouldn't be saving or investing. On the contrary, I think it's incredibly important. But money itself should never be the end goal. If you die with $5 million, that's $5 million worth of experiences that you missed out on. Living a wealthy life TODAY has to be prioritized just as much as planning for some distant future that you may never live to see. It’s a delicate balance, but remember: indefinitely delayed gratification is the equivalent of no gratification.
It was through many of these interactions that I realized a wealthy life is so much more than the balance of your investment accounts or total net worth. With this newfound view on wealth, coupled with my experience as a financial advisor helping retirees, I set out on a mission to provide young adults with access to a trusted financial coach, and Holistic Wealth was born.
MY story: FINANCIAL ADVISOR TO COACH
5. After reaching retirement, the majority of people look back and realize they fell short in experiencing the fullest and wealthiest versions of their lives
4. It doesn't matter how much money you have or make, if you don't build a solid mindset around money and wealth, you'll always be dealing with some degree of financial stress
3. There is rarely a "one-size-fits-all" approach or solution
2. Personal finance, as the name suggests, is indeed very personal
1. When it comes to money, emotion often trumps logic
Here are five key observations that I've noticed most people have in common:
From people in their early twenties to people in their early nineties
From people who just recently graduated college to people 20 years into retirement
From people with $50,000 annual income to people with over $500,000 annual income
From people with a net worth of $1,000 to people with a net worth of over $3,000,000
From people who just recently graduated college to people 20 years into retirement
From people with $50,000 annual income to people with over $500,000 annual income
From people with a net worth of $1,000 to people with a net worth of over $3,000,000
From people in their early twenties to people in their early nineties
From people who just recently graduated college to people 20 years into retirement
From people with $50,000 annual income to people with over $500,000 annual income
From people with a net worth of $1,000 to people with a net worth of over $3,000,000
From people who just recently graduated college to people 20 years into retirement
From people with $50,000 annual income to people with over $500,000 annual income
From people with a net worth of $1,000 to people with a net worth of over $3,000,000
i've worked with hundreds of clients as an advisor and coach
a wealthy life is having the time & freedom,
and the physical & financial capability
to do the things you love.
- Purchasing land and building your dream home
- Hiring a coach or teacher for a new hobby you want to learn
- Extending your vacation by a few days, "just because"
- Eating at a fine dining restaurant every month with your spouse
- Paying for your entire family to get together during the holidays
- Being able to give more (to charity, gifts to friends & family, time to volunteer)
- Traveling to national parks around the country in your RV
- Allowing your kids to bring a friend on vacation
- Choosing front row seats at that concert or sporting event
- Switching your dog Fido to a homemade diet
- Upgrading your airplane tickets to first class when traveling to a new country each year
- Hiring a housekeeper so you never have to worry about washing dishes or doing laundry
- Staying at home all day with your 3-year old kid
For you, maybe a wealthy life looks like:
None of those may resonate with you, and that's fine! Your version SHOULD look completely different.
- Going on a spontaneous mid-week hike because the weather is too nice to pass up
- Traveling to various cities to play tennis tournaments on the weekends
- Taking a (long) break to watch premier league games during the middle of a workday
Here's three examples of my wealthy life:
So what exactly does a wealthy life look like?
Schedule a free call with me today to discuss your financial situation and see if my wealth coaching program is the solution for you.
TALK TO ME
Find out more about working with me in a 1-on-1 program, and how this can quickly get you the results you desire.
COACHING DETAILS
are you ready to live your wealthy life?
OTHER Q&A TIDBITS:
I hold a bachelor's degree in Engineering Science (with a minor in Math) from Trinity University, as well as an MBA with a concentration in Finance from the University of New Mexico. As a former licensed financial advisor, I also hold my series 65 as an investment adviser representative.
I think the main differences are that in coaching: the relationship is much more collaborative, the average client is younger, there's a lot more emphasis on teaching, and clients are more interested in self-improvement and self-development. I thoroughly enjoyed being a financial advisor, but enjoy the dynamics of being a financial coach even more.
Soccer was my main passion growing up - I played competitively through college, and still play today, but just for fun. I also love playing tennis, going hiking, skiing, and anything else that keeps me active and outdoors (health is a huge value to me). I also consider myself a lifelong learner - there's nothing quite as satisfying as learning a new skill or concept!
Invest in your health and experiences early! Just like investing in the stock market, investing in your health and creating memories from incredible experiences will pay you dividends throughout your entire life.
Live your wealthy life TODAY. Don’t indefinitely delay it for some future life in 25 years that may never come.
Automate and simplify your financial structure. Remove unnecessary complexities so you can focus on living.
Completely align your spending and money decisions with your wealthy life goals.
You define and design your own, unique version of a wealthy life.
A wealthy life is the ability - time, freedom, health, & money - to do the things you love.
My 5 Principles of Holistic Wealth
