Why I Changed Careers to Help a Broken Industry

Why I Changed Careers to Help a Broken Industry

COMMUNITY EXPERT PROFILE - Financial Advisor

by Dustin Smith, Black Swan Legacy Group

While I was still a newly-wed, I started working with a financial advisor who had begun to mentor my wife in the financial services business. I'd assumed that the advice he’d given us was in our best interest. So much so, that I began to seek referrals for him amongst my friends and acquaintances. In the process of seeking referrals for my wife and her mentor, I realized how unknowledgeable I was about the way the various investment options really worked. The more I learned, the more apparent it became that my wife's mentor had been looking out for his own best interests above those of his clients! I was so upset; I decided that something just had to be done about all the crooks out there taking advantage of people, in the name of "helping" them.

After venting my frustration to all who would listen, I had the impression that I was the one to do something about it, which was nonsensical because I knew so little at the time. After resisting for a couple months, I ultimately complied with my promptings, changed my career direction, and sought mentors who could teach me how to give the best advice. I began giving “second opinions” on the advice which people were getting from their existing advisors, and quickly made a name for myself amongst their friends and families as an advisor who actually listened and who always put their best interests ahead of my own.

The more proficient I became at finding the best solutions available for my clients, the more they could see I was actually protecting them from the conflicts of interest which the industry thrives upon. That’s how Black Swan Legacy Group began. My passion is to actually help my clients fulfill their own best interests, period.