We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful James A. Hicks. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with James A. below.
James A., looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
My work ethic is a trait that has been given to me by both my mother and fathers side of the family. My Grandfather on my Dad’s side of the family had a regular 9-5 job. But after hours he was a farmer and raised live stock. On the weekends he would go to the market and butchers to sell what he had produced in order to take care of his wife and 9 kids. And keep in mind, he had a very limited education, and was also a black man in the 1940’s and 1950’s. But regardless of these setbacks, with the help of his wife, he was able to build a 4 bedroom house from the ground up, as well as owning acres of land. My Grandfather on my Mothers side was a true entrepreneur. He owned everything from gas stations, to funeral homes and even laundry mats. As an African American living in the days of segregation and consistent racism, he was able to put all three of his daughters through college. He also had acres of land and businesses to pass down to them when he passed away. My Father is a Veteran who has retired from the United States Navy after 20 years of service. He then became and educator, as well as a Pastor. He has been Pastoring Greater Faith World Center for over 20 years now. And even at the latter part of his life, he is also now a Mental Health counselor. My Mother is also a Pastor, Author, Philanthropist, Educator and business woman. She has managed a great deal of the families real estate throughout the years, while simultaneously raising her children, who would become the leaders of the future. So as you see, it is engrained in me to work hard. Not just for me, but for those who came before me.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a financial consultant. My job is to help individuals, families and small businesses become financially free. I do this by being there paid CFO. I come in and look at their current business structure and give them suggestions on how we can make it better. Not only that, I also give them tools and ideas on how to take their finances or business to the next level. It’s not enough for them to just learn how to better manage their funds, but also how to grow and make more of it. It is very exciting to see a client who comes to me and feels like they are in a rut and have no solutions. But by the end of of our time together they are excited about their financial future and can not wait to implement the strategies I gave them. I love getting the text messages, calls and emails about how their business is making twice as much as it was before or how a client has finally saved enough money for the down payment on a house for his family. To me, that is the real pay off. As far as future endeavors I have many things in the pipeline. Hicks Financial; Asset and Wealth Management has hit the three year mark now. One of the main things we have to do is bring in more help in order to handle clients needs and to continue consistent growth. We will also be moving to a new office facility. We are also looking forward to more upcoming TV, podcast and radio appearances. The message of financial health needs to emphasized throughout all media. Lastly, we will continue to increase our reach throughout all social media platforms. Creating informative, yet entertaining content that teaches the importance of financial strength.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The first thing that was very impactful in my journey was endurance. I realized early that through out life, things will happen that are negative and that will hurt you to your core. And sometimes you only have two options. To give up, or endure. I am constantly learning how to push through the pain in order to find the gold at the end of the rainbow. That is one characteristic of true winners. They know how to endure. The second thing that was impactful is education. Education doesn’t just come from high school or college. A mentor can educate you. A close family friend can educate you. Your girlfriend or boyfriend can educate you. We can never stop learning, no matter how old or how successful you are. Continue to educate yourself on how to do your job better. How to run your business better. How to raise your kids better. Education yourself is always beneficial. And the last thing that was impactful is Faith in God. I was taught early to respect and honor the higher power that allows us to live, breath and function. And for me that higher power is Jesus Christ. The life lessons and skills I have learned from studying and reading the Bible has been invaluable. It has dictated how I run my business, how I interact with others and how I present myself to the world. Having faith in someone that is greater than you is a humbling experience, and it causes you not to become prideful or hateful.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
As a small business owner, you face challenges every day. How much money should I spend on marketing? Should I get a loan or add on partners to expand quicker? Should I change up the focus of my business in order to draw more clients? These are all questions and issues that come to mind on a regular basis. When faced with challenges I like to ask myself, what are all of the solutions to this particular challenge, and is this challenge worth spending my time on. I first decide if it is worth my time. Because some issues can be handled or decided upon at a later date. If I decide it is worth my time, then I need all solutions available to me, so I can make the best decision. I try to never rush to make decisions. Because one wrong decision can lead to the closing down of my company.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hicksfinancialawm.com
- Instagram: @hicksfinancialawm
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=691260410
