Exclusive Interview With Ryan Daniels ‒ Financial Advisor & Owner Of RFinances
- Mar 9, 2022
- 5 min read
Ryan Daniels is a licensed financial advisor and owner of RFinances. As a U.S. Army Veteran, Ryan and his team continue to serve by partnering with businesses, churches and community groups to host workshops to teach people the basics of money. They also provide 1 on 1 financial coaching to help people build a simple to follow a financial plan that fits their life. Ryan is the author of "Money Basics and Fundamentals (Build A Plan That Fits Your Life!)" and host of the "Say Hi to Money" podcast.
Ryan Daniels, Financial Advisor & Owner Of RFinances
Introduce yourself! Please tell us about you and your life, so we can get to know you better.
I’m Ryan Daniels, husband and father of three daughters. I’m a licensed financial advisor and owner of RFinances. After serving 9 years in the U.S. Army and completing my MBA, I saw an opportunity to continue serving people by teaching them how to take control and have confidence with money by providing them a simple to follow financial plan that fits their life Transitioning from the Army to owning a business also provides more time and financial freedom for my family. After working closely with a mentor for about a year, my wife Steph and I decided to move our business to Reading, PA to serve the community we both grew up in and allow our kids to grow up around family.
When I’m not presenting workshops at a church, business or community group or sitting at a family’s kitchen table helping to build them a simple to follow financial plan, you’ll find me outdoors. Some of my favorite activities are fishing, hunting and hiking which I’m starting to share with my three daughters. I also enjoy woodworking and shooting any chance I get. Cooking is also a passion. I enjoy cooking anything from steaks to seafood and a weekend barbeque is about as relaxing a day I think you can have.
Our business is focused on meeting people where they are at. You’ll find us talking with people everywhere from a craft show to a gun show; from an elementary school to a college classroom. Why? Because we know that most people didn’t learn about money in school and many of the financial challenges facing families can be solved with learning the basics of money. We also know life is busy so people don’t have the time to come to an office or take an afternoon off from work. We come to them and help build a plan that fits their life!
What is your business name and how do you help your clients?
What makes RFinances different is that we are not your stereotypical financial advisors. We prefer the term financial coach because we don’t just make a financial plan and then see you once a year. We follow up regularly to update your plan as life changes.
When most people think of a financial advisor they think of a suit and tie advisor who focuses on investments and sits behind a desk. They typically use complicated language and charts and graphs, which can be intimidating to many people. While we are licensed advisors and can help families with everything from budgeting to investments, we keep it simple! We ditch the suit and tie and keep a fun relaxed atmosphere so you can learn the basics of money and have confidence in financial decisions. We know what it’s like to walk in your shoes and the challenge of trying to balance work, family and money. Our plans take you step by step from where you are to where you want to go and is updated as life changes.
What kind of audience do you target your business towards?
While many people think financial advisors are only for the wealthy, the rules of money don’t change based on your income. Whether you make $30,000 a year or $300,000+ we can help! We keep it simple and build a plan that fits your life! A lot of financial advisors and brokerages out there will only talk to you if you have $250,000 or more to invest. Since we have an educational approach to helping families, we start where you are at whether that’s $50 or $500,000 and build a plan that fits your life so you can have confidence with money.
We know people are busy so finding the time to learn about investments, insurances and college savings among other things can be difficult. To help meet people where they are at, I wrote “Money Basics and Fundamentals” which provides information on all of the key pieces to a strong financial plan presented in an easy-to-read format. Our podcast, “Say Hi to Money” is a great way to turn your car into a classroom and learn on the go. We discuss practical tips to money and topics that are relevant to the person trying to balance a busy life.
What are your current goals for your business?
We want to be the go-to organization when people have questions about money. We are looking to take our success partnering with churches, businesses and community groups throughout the Reading, PA area and expand to new communities. We are also looking to add a series of online workshops to get even the busiest among us the information they need to succeed with money.
Who inspires you to be the best that you can be?
My wife, Steph, and three daughters Emily, Lyla and Maggie keep me motivated. I believe a lot of people search for opportunities and often they are right in front of our eyes. The key is to be willing to act on those opportunities even when you are not 100% confident.
To me, success is not easy to define. It is not an amount of money. It is not the size of your business or the number of clients. It is the number of lives you can change for the better. Ultimately, success is defined as reaching your God-given potential. If you help one community but have the potential to help 30 then that is not success and you will always be unsatisfied.
My family motivates me because I know I must be an example for them to follow. My goal is to create the best life possible for them and I know that only comes from a strong work ethic, fighting through the challenges and taking advantage of every opportunity placed before me to serve someone else. My hope is that my example will inspire them to go on and be a source of positive change in the world.
Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today.
I think the key to being successful in business or any endeavor in life is to sell out to a vision and never quit. The entrepreneurial roller coaster is real and it’s the valley’s that make the peaks worth it. I’ve heard it said that your test will become your testimony.
One moment that stands out to me is the initial start to our business. We made a decision to get out of the Army and start our business, but at the time my wife was 9 months pregnant with our second daughter and expecting the week after our time in service was complete. There was every logical reason to re-enlist and not take the risk of starting a business including keeping a steady paycheck, having health insurance to cover the delivery and overall stability raising a family. However, when a dream is placed on your heart you have to have the courage to follow it. We don’t always know how it will work out, but you have to have faith that it will and be obedient to take advantage of the opportunities ahead of you.
