In today’s episode of the “The Runway Decade Podcast”, hosts Bill Bush and Pete Bush, advisors at Horizon Financial Group, talk with guest Jennifer Hicks, Financial Advisor out of Colorado Springs, Colorado. They talk about the important things in Jennifer’s life during her 50s being a grandparent now, and what joy that brings. Jennifer also talks about how she and her team have a passion for helping clients with unique financial needs.

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Episode Highlights

• 02:25 – Jennifer talks a little bit about her upbringing, her family, and how she is a Midwestern girl who grew up in Southwest Missouri.
• 04:15 – Jennifer got a degree in business and a master's degree in accounting. So she thought she was going to be a CPA or an Auditor, but both didn't work out.
• 06:00 – Jennifer’s dad greatly influenced who she is today. Her dad wasn't around when she was starting her career, but he was a huge influence on her and her sister, they could do whatever they wanted to do.
• 08:00 – Pete mentions that he and Jennifer first met during conferences while they were both out there trying to get better and learn from their peers.
• 10:25 – When Jennifer turned 50 she moved up some of her bucket list items. She thought it was not all going to be work, and it wasn't all going to be growth.
• 13:15 – Pete appreciates Jennifer for building her business in such a way that she was already doing it remotely even before the pandemic wasn't an issue.
• 14:50 - You can't help people achieve their purpose without getting to know them and that's what Jennifer thinks she has enjoyed about her career in this business.
• 18:00 – Jennifer thinks especially post COVID, service is going to set you apart. So all you have to do is keep a little bit better than you did yesterday.
• 20:00 – Jennifer gives some insights on how she embraced and got involved with supporting the armed forces and their families.
• 22:45 – Bill asks Jennifer about what the concept of retirement can look like, especially for entrepreneurs who have their businesses in the next 10, 15, or 20 years.
• 25:00 – Jennifer’s first paying job was every Saturday morning spray whitewash cleaner on the cars that were in line to wash their cars at the carwash, get the change for the machine and that's how she spent her Saturday and Sunday mornings.
• 26:55 – Bill asks Jennifer the rapid-fire question, “What is the best gift you ever got for Christmas as a child?”

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Three Key Points

1. Jennifer says it was really for her when she turned 50 as her dad died at 50. So when she hit 50 it hit her like a brick because that's all her father got. So there was not a big celebration, there was probably a lot of thought that there is not much time now. So what Jennifer did was just reevaluated how she is going to approach the next 10 or 20 years. She started thinking about what she wanted to have in her life or do between 50 and death because in her eyes it could happen but could have been all she got.
2. It's 20 years that had been Purpose Planning business has worked for Jennifer. That was early on in Jennifer’s business development phase when she realized that as a business owner, she tends to do things with a purpose and her clients appreciate that. She helps them with their purpose and it is through some training sessions that the business of educating and empowering clients to achieve their purpose came in.
3. Jennifer and the team were active in quite a few charities and she said, they need to focus their time and energy a little more narrowly instead of a shotgun approach. So, Angels of America's Fallen is a charity that supports the children of our Fallen, whether it's first responders or military and there are a lot of children out there that are going to never know their parents, whether it's a military or first responder, and this organization supports kids through their birthday celebrations, etc. It was very personal to them, and it was one of those things where they commit to their clients that they are with them.

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Tweetable Quotes

• “I was an athlete, so I was always doing extracurricular, but I was a lot like my dad.” - Jennifer Hicks
• “I was the first girl in my school to play girls basketball from seventh grade to my senior year.” - Jennifer Hicks
• “When I got in the industry, there were not very many women.” - Jennifer Hicks
• “I think that's a huge part of our industry that I love about it, which is, for the most part, people are very open and willing to share.” – Pete Bush
• “I was very fortunate even though my dad died at 50 he knew he was ill.” - Jennifer Hicks
• “We always did something and so as my son got older and I could afford better trips, I just started traveling and one of my bucket list items was to take the family to Hawaii and I did that.” - Jennifer Hicks
• “Jennifer is the owner of purpose planning right out there in Colorado.” – Bill Bush
• “It's that personal relationship that lets us, the team help them achieve their purpose.” - Jennifer Hicks
• “I tell people this it's not like you didn't know what love was before. It's like this new chamber opens up and just gushes.” – Pete Bush
• “I love my clients and then just gradually quit doing the things that I don't like doing.” - Jennifer Hicks
• “What were your top three favorite musical acts of the 1980s?” – Bill Bush
• “Because like my sister and I were the only two of the entire family, so we've got everything we wanted.” - Jennifer Hicks

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Resources Mentioned

• Horizon Financial Group  Website
• Contact Information        Bill Bush           Pete Bush
• Jennifer Hicks Website
• Podcast Editing

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