From service to civilian
Realizing a new career as simple as having the right support
Justin Kissner began his financial planning career in the military helping soldiers manage their finances. His role wasn’t glamorous; instead of building a practice, he was given a set list of clients and focused on coaching soldiers about financial readiness.
“You’re making sure that they understand the basics of finance and how it works when they’re deployed or at home, and coaching them about how to stay out of debt.”
While financial planning within the military differs from a traditional advisory practice in civilian life, for Justin Kissner, it was a natural direction for him to continue in once he had finished his service with the U.S. Army.
When it came time to choose a firm to partner with, it was the Advisor Mastery Program (AMP) that made Raymond James stand out from the crowd as a firm that would provide the support he needed to get a successful business off the ground. AMP’s open and collaborative format allowed Justin to develop alongside his peers and with the tailored guidance of a mentor.
Coming from an Army background, Justin knows the importance of having a mentor. Through AMP, he’s gotten that support system and sounding board to help him each step of the way as he develops his business and grows as an advisor.
“My mentor is fantastic. I would say that we are friends first, but also have a mentor/mentee relationship.” Justin and his mentor happen to be closer in age, which has encouraged a relationship that’s one part mentorship, another part peer collaboration. He was also thrilled to find support from AMP when he decided to go for the Certified Financial Planner™ professional certification.
By establishing a solid foundation for his practice with the help of AMP, Justin has been able to focus on a niche that aligns with his personal and professional goals. He recommends other new advisors do the same, especially those practicing independently.
“I think it’s important to find a group of people that you love working with and pursue that. Because when you love what you’re doing, it’s not going to seem like work. The other thing I would tell new advisors is to be patient. And if you’re part of a team, be a sponge and learn absolutely everything you can from the people around you with experience.”
As Justin looks to the future, he hopes to have $100 million in assets under management in about five years, while still maintaining a healthy work/life balance.
“In the next 10 years, I would love to be a mentor and make an impact for other people. I’d love to give back to AMP because I feel like it’s given a lot to me.”
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, Certified Financial Planner™, CFP® (with plaque design) and CFP®(with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.