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Business Golf? Maybe Not

March 29, 2023

This was posted by me on LinkedIn in 2016.  Since then, I have gone on to get my brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and my black belt in Taekwondo.  I firmly believe that discipline and culture of martial arts helps with our business.  Enjoy!


I played tennis and practiced martial arts growing up.  I was not particularly good at tennis, but I worked at the club and I met some great people.  Martial arts was fun, but not something you would do the rest of your life, or so I thought.

Many years later, during my tenure at Merrill, I was asked to represent my office at the regional Advisory Council to Management.  Awesome!  Except we were meeting at a country club and playing golf.  I would be exposed!  Barely 30 years old, an advisor for 5 years and I couldn’t play golf!  I went over to Sea Island and took a crash course from Mike Taylor (who went on to have way more successful pupils than me).  It didn’t take very well, but I made it through the very embarrassing round of golf. 

Fast forward 15 years.  I have been an investment advisor now for over 20 years.  I have gotten better at golf, but I am still terrible.  It seems business golf was just not suited for me.

I revisited martial arts a few years back and the competitive bug bit me.  In 2015, I started competing and earned the National Champion title for forms and came in second in fighting. I am not doing it for business, but because it is something I really love.  It helps me be a better advisor and really helps me be a better husband and father. 

So, I guess while other 45 year old advisors are hitting the links, I’m hitting willing combatants.  It isn’t your stereotypical financial advisor behavior, but I am not typical.