Rick Davis - Founder, Q4 Advisors - Financial Advisor, Educator and Coach
Personal financial literacy, retirement planning and overall financial security is close to my heart. As described in my "Why" statement, I saw firsthand how life doesn't always go as planned when it comes to your money.
My journey to where I am now, on a mission to help everyday people achieve financial freedom, was a circuitous one to be sure, but one I am thankful for as it has provided a solid foundation to achieve this greater goal.
After following my dad's example as an accountant, I graduated from Butler University, obtained my CPA license and spent 5 years as a financial auditor at Arthur Andersen, one of the the most prestigious accounting firms in the world at the time. I benefitted from great mentors and a structure that would inform my work ethic, communication and leadership skills, knowledge of businesses of all shapes and sizes and an even greater appreciation for the importance of financial skills in business and in life.
Cummins Engine Company, one of my largest clients and a Fortune 500 company, presented an opportunity for me to join their growing company and gain experience that I knew would be interesting, challenging and rewarding, and that it was. Growing up in a small town and never having been out of the country, one of my first opportunities led to spending time in Dresden, Germany performing due-diligence on a potential acquisition, an incredible learning experience in so many ways. I also had the opportunity to dive deeper into corporate finance supporting a fast-growing division within Cummins, helping to hone my presentation and communication skills, the ability to work across multiple disciplines and making sound business investment decisions.
Had it not been for a former Arthur Andersen colleague/mentor presenting me with yet another opportunity to elevate my career, I might still be at Cummins today. But the opportunity to take on an executive finance and accounting position at Wabash National Corporation, a relatively new publicly-traded company at the time, was too good to pass up. Leading the accounting and finance team, working closely with other leaders across the organization, engaging with key external partners and just the ability to be on the front lines of running a large company was filled with invaluable learning opportunities and experiences. It was during my career at Wabash that I had the pleasure of pursuing my Masters degree in Purdue's Executive Masters Program. All in all, it was a great experience.
By now, a little over 10 years into my career, I started to feel the itch to do something where I could exercise more influence over the direction and success of the firm, where I could become a business owner, and where I could have time to volunteer in the community I live in. As luck would have it, a colleague and local business owner just happened to be looking for someone to join his team as President and part-owner, and this business just happened to be in the financial services space, serving individuals and businesses in insurance, risk management, employee benefits and financial services.
Although I didn't know it at the time and it didn't happen overnight, my journey to finding my true purpose had begun. Although I immensely enjoyed the client relationships I formed during this time, and the opportunity to hire, lead and work alongside some really great teammates, it was in the personal financial space - helping people achieve their financial goals - that resonated with me the most. It's not ironic that my first community volunteer role was with Junior Achievement, where I have since taught financial literacy, entrepreneurship and career success skills to hundreds of middle and high-school students and led their board of directors for 10+ years.
In 2018, I decided to commit to that purpose full-time, formed Q4 Advisors and the rest, as they say, is history. I get up everyday thinking about how I can help my current and future clients achieve their financial goals. Since then I've become an Investment Advisor Representative, a Certified Personal Finance Consultant and a Certified Financial Education Instructor in order to provide the scope of services that "everyday people" might need on their financial journey. I also have had the great opportunity to be a Continuing Lecturer within Purdue's Entrepreneurship and Innovation program since 2018, allowing me to influence the lives of hundreds of young people and hopefully plant some strong financial and other life-skill "seeds" that they can reap in the future.
In my leisure time, I enjoy time with my family and friends, staying active through my hobbies of tennis, golf, biking and running, reading a good book and just chilling out!
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