Today we’d like to introduce you to John Gillet.
John, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started my journey in 2007 when I first became licensed to sell Life Insurance and soon after Investment Securities Licensed. At the time I was still a High School Mathematics teacher and Chess Coach. I proudly coached a State Championship Chess team that also placed 4th in the National Scholastic Chess Championship. I did enjoy teaching and the nobility in fostering the growth & development of young people. This love and enjoyment were carried out into teaching young couples the financial lessons of protecting their families and preparing for future retirement.
At that time, I was working part time with clients helping them at their kitchen table with a Financial Needs Analysis to implement a Life Insurance plan and systematically help them invest for retirement. Most were professional families who were middle class to upper middle class. They really seemed to value education along with the solutions I implemented for them. I could see that they were on board and emotionally invested in planning for their family’s future. I was honored to be an integral part of planning for their family’s financial livelihood. It was those early clients who sparked my realization of the deep-rooted satisfaction I derive from being a trusted financial confidant. I really felt a sense that the financial decisions I helped these families make at the kitchen table would echo into their future for generations to come. I saw the bigger picture view yet was intimately engaged with their personal financial challenges to understand them at a micro level.
As a voracious learner of Financial Principles and the Math of Financial planning I started teaching my students Financial Planning principles and investing. I developed my own curriculum teaching students’ lessons ranging from budgeting, dangers of abusing credit cards & consumer finance, taxes, benefits of incorporating a business, fundamentals of stock investing, retirement planning and live stock trading techniques via TD Bank WOW live simulation platform. I was fortunate to have a Math Department Head & Administrator who gave me the freedom to teach this curriculum after the normal math class coursework objectives were accomplished. In time they just gave me my own Math Class called Financial Mathematics.
Over time I developed a client base that evolved to help clients with more refined needs such as retirees or near retirees. Now that makes up a significant percentage of my clients. These clients are typically higher net worth and want the certainty and solutions that come from detailed financial planning. They are concerned about running out of money, market volatility, taxes, long-term care expenses, estate planning and legacy.
In 2009 I became an independent advisor after working with various firms. Later in 2019 Gillet Agency was born and in 2023 it was officially incorporated. I’d say that 2019 is when I felt like a true business owner versus just being an advisor.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
By no means was this journey a smooth road. Firstly, is the struggle of giving up the security of a State job as a Mathematics teacher. For most, including me, this was a daunting consideration. Many of my colleagues in education may complain about the teaching profession, the increasingly burdensome accountability and the politics at the water cooler “moan & groan” ceremony. Despite their moaning they stay steadfastly committed due to the financial stability & security of a county job with a State Pension.
Let’s face it. You must do something atrocious to get fired as a Mathematics teacher. Especially considering the shortage of Math & Science teachers across the nation. The thought of giving up that job security was a struggle.
At some point I had to basically move forward with faith in my abilities. I spoke to my wife. We made an agreement that if I could save a certain amount of money in a separate bank account as a financial cushion, that I could go ahead and make the transition from teaching. I accomplished that savings goal very quickly and the rest is history.
The other major ongoing challenge is client acquisition & marketing costs. My hypothesis is that the noise on the internet & social media combined with the stigma attached to financial advisors has created a “crisis of trust”. It’s a rational based crisis because clients trust you with their money and their financial livelihood.
The Bernie Madoff story only compounded the effects of this crisis. Understandably, this trepidation and concern make it a more challenging barrier to overcome and get people to trust you. This only adds to the expenditure on acquiring clients. This crisis also has an impact on whether your existing clients recommend you to potential new clients.
That’s why I’m so greatly honored and grateful to receive a referral or recommendation from an existing client. It’s priceless and simultaneously a cost-saving gift they give to me. I am indebted to those clients who over time have supported me, my business and my mission to serve others.
This marketing and client acquisition need has led to many expensive misadventures in advertising. It’s added to a layer of anxiety that I’ve just had to push through with consistent prospecting activities. I’ve had to develop the belief that I’m providing value and that value will be reciprocated by other people being attracted to what I have to offer. My faith in that belief is what drives my commitment. It’s that faith in God and the universal law of reciprocity that moves my mission forward.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Gillet Agency Wealth Management specializes in innovative retirement planning, ACTIVE investment management, and personalized financial solutions to create the retirement of your dreams free of any fear or worry. We provide stability with opportunity.
Our solutions are so individually customized that you’ll know exactly how much money you’ll have now all the way to age 100 or beyond. You’ll CONFIDENTLY move forward into your retirement years. Your only concern will be which color flip flops will match your new shorts. This is what sets us apart.
We not only listen to your concerns. We listen to your dreams and create an individual plan that allows you to live your dream retirement with the assurance of an iron clad plan.
With over 15 years of experience, we empower individuals, businesses and families to secure their financial future with customized strategies that go beyond conventional approaches.
We’re proud to be featured as a financial advisor contributor to various publications such as Kiplinger, MarketWatch, MSN Money, CBS News and 7 News Miami.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up I was curious & adventurous. It was the 80’s before interactive & distractive technology and smart phones. We had to create our own entertainment. Unfortunately, this involved the testosterone fueled imaginations of young boys in the neighborhood that push the boundaries to new heights of fun and bragging rights.
We would create bicycle jumping ramps with plyboard and cinder blocks. Of course, we’d add more cinder blocks to increase the danger and rise higher into the air with our bikes like “Evil Knievel”. I’m sure I just really aged myself with the Evil Knievel reference.
I loved to study snakes because they were considered dangerous. We had a huge expensive full set goldleaf Encyclopedia Britannica set at home that I referenced to study everything I could on snakes.
This curiosity gave me a sense of learning about things that are considered fearful to control or mitigate risk. This became a useful life skill later.
This love of snakes led to me and a crew of neighborhood boys going out into the bushy areas of our neighborhood to hunt & catch snakes. All we had was a Golf putter and a Burlap bag as our tools of choice. Naturally, I knew everything about the snakes we saw. This helped mitigate the risk of molesting or trying to catch venomous snakes.
After catching these snakes, we’d place them in a connected system of fish tanks with dry grass and twigs. Our entertainment was going to the local pet store to buy white mice and watch the snakes during feeding time.
This sense of curiosity and adventure is what drove me to continue my studies and uncover ways to mitigate risk when dealing with what is considered risky.
Academically as a child I always seemed to win the mathematics competitions without a calculator. I had a high sense of numbers and thought of number relationships often. This analytical nature also led me to become a competitive chess player and to take 1st place at the Florida State Chess Championship. I love analytics & strategy.
I also won the Spelling Bee championship on numerous occasions and went on to District championships. Although spelling wasn’t a love or passion of mine. I just thrived on competition.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gilletagency.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gilletagency/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-gillet-3a562b2ab/
