I am Rocky Lalvani, and I would do this even if I weren't paid.
My story is a little different than those of most financial experts. I’ve never worked on Wall Street, and you won’t find a list of credentials or certifications on this page that’s longer than those pesky 2 foot CVS receipts (though I am a certified Profit First Professional).
Instead, what you’ll find is my story, why I’d teach financial management even if I weren’t paid, and why a good friend once insisted that I needed to change the name of my website to ListenToRocky.com.
My dad brought me, my mom, and just $25 to America when I was barely 3 years old (proof that I’m 100% Indian, although I might look Italian). I’ve seen firsthand what it looks like to build a wealthy lifestyle out of nothing through saving, investing, and spending wisely.
After observing these principles, hard work, and more as an adolescent (with a paper route, of course), I implemented these principles in my own life throughout adulthood. My knack for learning from others and curiosity propelled me forwards – looking back, I probably should have job-hopped instead of just staying in the pharmaceutical sales industry (but that’s a story for another time).
I’m now officially retired from corporate America (hooray!), but I have plenty of hobbies that keep me busy. I love traveling with my wife of 24 years and two kids, I mean, teenagers (17 and 19), flipping and/or renting houses, coaching 2 high school robotics teams, and volunteering in my community.
Although I’ve always been passionate about managing my money, personal finance has recently become one of my main interests (#Fincon, anyone?). I started a podcast a couple of years ago called Richer Soul that talks about life beyond money.
So while I’m interested in money, I’ve always seen it as a tool, as something that can open countless doors if managed well. Without understanding money, my dad wouldn’t have been able to sustain a family in America. I wouldn’t be able to live out my dream of taking my family on a vacation across Italy.
I’ve seen how much of a difference understanding money makes in my own life. And I’ve now made it my goal to help others open doors, solve problems, and gain freedom through understanding the finances for their small business.
Rather than only making money off of telling other people what to do, I’ve truly lived out the experiences of both working a corporate job, working independently, and managing a small business. Now, I want to take this knowledge and share it with other small business owners at a fraction of the cost that it would be to hire a dedicated full-time financial manager.
