How To Find Financial Freedom Now
I
remember coming home from school one day and finding my mother weeping at the table . I had never seen her so upset before . Later I found out that my parents had fallen into financial hardship and were forced to declare bankruptcy . This experience sparked my desire to learn about money and finances . Watching them struggle , unable to enjoy life or experience true freedom inspired me to find a simpler way . Being so profoundly affected by this , I decided to pursue a career helping business owners pursue freedom through personal wealth .
Instead of going to college — I was supposed to attend Liberty University on a partial football scholarship , but my family couldn ’ t afford the rest — I got into the insurance business in Western Maryland . I quickly noticed many business owners I served didn ’ t know how to manage money and , thus , did not experience true freedom in their lives . I saw the need for guidance and set out to meet that need .
What I soon discovered was that money management is not taught in school , and when it is , it ’ s often made out to be so complex that it can be exploited . It ’ s evident that there are three problems that plague modern financial management :
1 . Most “ experts ” never have a full assessment of a client and usually have an agenda in place .
2 . There isn ’ t nearly enough teamwork out there to provide solid financial advice .
3 . We do not receive enough financial education in life .
In 1996 , I founded Cornerstone Wealth Management to show people how to simplify their finances and financial planning . Then in 2018 , I partnered with Carson Wealth in order to create more freedom for more people .
Building upon this experience and knowledge working with clients , I went on to develop my own propriety money management system in 2002 . It ’ s called The Way2Wealth ® and is based on a blending of ancient wisdom with modern day technology .
As a student of ancient wisdom and philosophy , I based my philosophy on a book by Benjamin Franklin called The Way to Wealth and reframed the concept by
FIGURE 1
The Way = Living Now 2 = A Team
W
E
A
hat is Foundation
L
stablish Savings using modern terminology . My version of The Way2Wealth ® process is comprised of multiple elements , so it is easier to understand and implement in your life . “ The Way ” in the title refers to the Taoist theory of living in the present moment . Many of us spend our lives worrying so much about tomorrow that we neglect to enjoy today . Yes , we need to plan and save for the future , but I wanted to flip the script a little bit to show people how to use their savings to live now .
The “ 2 ” in the title refers to “ team ,” as in we all need a team of experts to keep us on track . So often we bring on experts to advise us , but how many of them provide the same , uniform information ? It takes a team working in unison , consulting one another , to give us what we most need .
“ Wealth ” in this instance is also used as an acronym ( See Figure One ).
Thanks to this innovative approach , Carson Wealth presently serves entrepreneurs , small business owners , executives , and families . We specialize in comprehensive wealth management by implementing The Way2Wealth ® system . This personal and proactive approach is designed to bring clarity and simplicity to the complex issues of financial management .
With this successful process in place and functioning so well , I wanted to take it one step further . I must admit , I am a podcast junkie , so I thought , why not introduce The Way2Wealth ® to the general public via a podcast ? And that ’ s what we ’ ve done .
The Way2Wealth ® podcast features some amazing guests who offer specialized insight while untangling the complex issues of financial management in simple , layman ’ s terms . My goal
T
H ax Diversification
ll Expenses Covered by Income
THE
ave Updated Annually
iving with Inflation Growth
SAVINGS 1 yr
®
Tax Deferred
INCOME 10 yrs
GROWTH
Tax Reduction Plan Estate & Legacy Asset Protection Insurance Maximization Interest Rate & Credit Cash Flow & Control
Taxable Tax-Free
+ 10 yrs is to introduce financial freedom to the masses by simplifying the process .
Episodes included topics such as estate planning , legacy planning , tax planning , asset protection , and the way we approach money and life . It ’ s my biggest joy to see our clientele experiencing freedom and a sense of well-being . I believe that your pursuit of true wealth begins with a framework for success . No matter your definition of “ wealth ,” we are there every step of the way . The Way2Wealth ® process helps us get to know each and every client — their passions , goals , needs , and wants . From there , we develop a customized financial plan that adapts and changes as their lives progress .
Scott Ford Scott was born an entrepreneur . Often called “ Douglar ” by his dad based on his middle name , Scott was heavily influenced by his father ’ s philosophy that small business and entrepreneurship was the backbone of the economy . Early in his financial career as an insurance salesman , Scott saw that many of the business owners he served didn ’ t know how to manage money and thus did not experience true freedom in their lives . His own father was a successful businessman , but unfortunately never found financial freedom and often worried about money . This led Scott to devote his life to helping business owners pursue true wealth . The rest is history .
Scott saw a need and set out to meet it . Today , Scott Ford is Managing Director , Partner & Wealth Advisor of Carson Wealth in Hagerstown , MD and Johnson City , TN , serving entrepreneurs , small business owners , executives , and families . The firm specializes in comprehensive wealth management using our Way2Wealth proprietary process . It is Scott ’ s mission to help his clients pursue financial freedom , allowing them to focus on what is most important in their lives now and in the future .
Scott is a life-long learner and spends his free time reading and writing and has published three books . He and his wife , Angie , reside in Hedgesville , WV , and have two grown children , three grandchildren , a cat ( Kashmyr ), and a plethora of wild animals that come to visit from time to time .
THE HEALTHY , WEALTHY , WISE AND HAPPY JOURNAL | 3