I talked to Patrick Shaw, co-founder of Fortitude Financial Partners.
Unlike most financial advisors, he didn’t come from money.
Not even close.
He grew up with a scarcity mindset and finding meals at
churches & food banks.
He was the first in his family to go to college.
And what did he study?
"Basketball and teaching."
But during his junior year, something clicked.
He got a job writing grants for nonprofits.
It sparked an obsession with finance.
Fast forward to 2006.
Fresh out of college.
No network. No “natural market.”
But started a career in financial advising anyway.
Just fishbowls in restaurants, free lunches, and a lot of "no’s".
Some of those first clients are still with him 20 years later.
Today, Patrick runs a fast-growing firm built on one mission:
Take care of clients. Take care of people.
The secret sauce?
A hands-on team model.
Deep tax expertise.
And an obsession with developing advisors the right way.
Great examples and stories for early career advisors:• How to start in finance with zero connections• Building a firm culture that people want to stay in• Why tax planning might be the most overlooked growth lever in advising• Growing without sacrificing service• The vision for a multi-generation advisory practice
If you care about building a sustainable advisory career, this one is a must-listen.