Meet Luis Rosa

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Luis Rosa a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Luis, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?

As a Latino financial planner, it is not uncommon for me to be the only one in the room that looks like me. Currently only 3.2% of Certified Financial Planners(tm) out of over $100,000 identify as Hispanic or Latino. I’ve learned to be effective and successful by finding things I have in common with my fellow advisors first. For example, we’re in the same line of work and likely share the same struggles of entrepreneurship. Sharing that with others makes them feel comfortable to share, and creates a connection. Once that is established then I can share my unique perspective, and therefore me being the only in the room that looks like me becomes a strength, not a weakness.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I came to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic at age 11. As an immigrant, I had to learn two languages: English, and money. My parents instilled hard work and education as pillars of success. I did not get a chance to learn personal finance concepts at home or in school, so I can relate to professionals who are advancing in their careers as they plan for their futures, yet feel a certain inadequacy around money. My mission is to help others be empowered with financial knowledge so that they can build a better financial future for themselves and create generational wealth. In addition to working one on one with clients, I also host the On My Way to Wealth Podcast, where I share personal finance tips and interview other professionals from different fields. I’m also passionate about helping other minorities enter the financial planning profession, so I and three other colleagues created the BLX Internship Program. We help Black and Latinx aspiring financial planners, both students and career changers get paid internships with financial planning firms. I’m proud to have placed just under 100 interns so far, half of which have gotten job offers post internship. We’ve also created scholarship opportunities for certifications and industry conferences.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

The top things that were most impactful in my journey are resourcefulness, having an appetite for learning, and not being afraid to ask for help. When I first launched my business I did not have enough clients to be profitable from the beginning, so I worked side jobs that were related to personal finance. This helped me increase my knowledge while at the same time increasing revenue, until my business became profitable. I take my continuing education serious, so I’m always signing up for webinars, reading industry publications and books. And asking for help was crucial. I found individuals who had already accomplished what I wanted to do and ask them how they did it, lessons learned, and any advice they had for me if they had to start over. So my advice for those early in their journey is to know that when a door closes, and window opens. Keep that attitude of asking yourself, how else can this be accomplished? Never stop learning your craft and find a mentor in your field who has already been where you’re headed, as they can help you immensely by sharing their journey with you.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

My parents have done so many things for me and my siblings. Bringing us to the United States was one of those. They sacrificed so much to bring us to the US and it’s something I’ll be forever grateful for. They left their jobs, friends, family and the life they had established, to come to the US with the dreams of creating a better life for us. There weren’t that many opportunities in Dominican Republic, so they worked hard to go elsewhere where there would be opportunity, and I learned a lot from that. They also instilled hard work in us and resourcefulness. My parents told me that they would provide a roof over my head and food on the table. My job was to go out there and take my education seriously, and work hard for anything else that I wanted. From a young age I started working. My first job was bagging groceries at the local supermarket in Washington Heights in uptown Manhattan in NYC. I also made deliveries and learned a lot from that experience. I earned money for myself and was able to contribute back to the household, while at the same time staying off the streets and staying on the path to become successful.

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