Some kids enjoyed playing sports or participating in clubs. I loved playing sports, but I also wanted to be an entrepreneur. As a teenager, when McDonald’s opened up in town, several of my friends wanted me to work there with them. At the time, they didn’t realize I was having success buying and selling baseball cards and running my own community lawn service and maintenance business. I realized early being paid for my problem solving, was more valuable than getting paid by the hour. It was also a much faster way of digging my way out of poverty. It wasn’t all just about earning money. Working was enjoyable and also rewarding. I loved helping others, working with numbers and developing my own independence. While in the military, I was introduced to my next life changing concept, “the effects of compound interest”. I was fascinated how it provided a substantial opportunity for ordinary people to grow extraordinary wealth. Starting in Wealth Management Looking back, I realize my enjoyment of being paid for solving people’s problems and my fascination of compound interest were early signs that I was meant to be a wealth advisor. I first entered the industry in 1994 and, over the next seven years, worked as an investment advisor representative with a couple of firms. As much as I loved my role working with clients, the young entrepreneur in me wanted more. In 2001, I founded my own independent firm, Beacon Wealth Management, where my mission would be to help people make smarter decisions about their money. My Career Today As the founder of Beacon Wealth Management, my passion is to listen and truly understand what is important to you. It’s important for people to understand that reaching their financial goals involves more than just contributing to a retirement account — especially when they enter the second half of their life. During this stage, people are looking at a much more multifaceted set of financial worries. They face complicated issues, such as having a retirement income they can’t outlive, navigating complex tax laws, saving for their grandchildren’s education, and leaving a financial legacy to their loved ones. Working closely with my clients, I will always methodically identify gaps before recommending a customized solution. Serving as a trusted wealth advisor, I am dedicated to delivering a collaborative client experience that empowers and guides people to reaching a greater purpose for their wealth. My goal is that combination of my deep industry expertise, creative thinking, and innovative technology will provide my clients the confidence to achieve their financial aspirations. There are certainly challenges to this career. It’s always difficult seeing people I care about not being able to achieve their financial goals because of a hardship in life. However, I can’t imagine any other career. There’s nothing more fulfilling than seeing the joy, happiness, and confidence clients feel when they have a stronger handle on their finances. I love seeing the satisfaction on my clients’ faces when they achieve one of their goals, whether it’s retiring on their schedule or sending their grandchildren to college. Working Together If you’re looking for a financial partner who focuses on your unique needs and retirement goals, I invite you to contact me. I am always open to meet new people and see how I may be able to help. Whether you’ve already started planning for the future or have yet to put strategies in place, I encourage you to reach out to me today for a no-obligation conversation to see how I may be able to help you. Give me a call at (304) 626-3900 or email me at [email protected]. About John John Halterman is a family-oriented, landscaping and racquetball playing enthusiast, Bojangles addict, youth sports coaching, public speaking, author and financial advisor. As the founder and owner of Beacon Wealth Management, he manages and organizes the financial affairs of retirees, entrepreneurs, and professionals, helping them tackle a multifaceted set of financial worries and pursue their retirement dreams. Along with more than two decades of experience, he is credentialed as a Certified Wealth Strategist, Accredited Investment Fiduciary, Certified Estate Planner, Plan Provider Consultant, Chartered Federal Employee Benefits Consultant and Registered Financial Consultant. Based in Clarksburg, West Virginia, he works with clients throughout the state and across the country. To learn more, visit www.bwmwv.com or connect with John on LinkedIn.