04/25/2026
I am officially a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®.
This is the one.
The one that almost got away. The one that challenged my ADHD. The one that made me question my identity, my goals, my priorities. The one that took me 6 years and 3 attempts before I finally passed the grueling, 6 hour exam. It was the one I almost gave up.
No one said I had to get it. I just felt that my clients deserved more. I wanted to be the most equipped financial advisor possible. I just wanted it.
During this 6 years, we moved homes twice - once because my wife “had a dream” (true story!) and once because we lost our home due to Hurricane Beryl. We are still rebuilding it, 2 years later. We have also gone through a global pandemic, a recession, and 2 Presidential election cycles.
I owe so many people for helping me get here:
-God and my savior, Jesus Christ, through which I have gained strength, knowledge, and skill to complete the task.
-My wife, Emily Hayes, who loves me no matter what and is a rock and faithful partner, suffering well with me through thick and thin, despite the ups and downs, and giving me the grace, so much grace, to push through to the end! I love you!
-My daughter, who also “loves me BIG” and has seen me happy, angry, sad, stressed, frustrated, and too busy to play as often as we both wanted.
-My Mama, for loving me so much and teaching me about Jesus. She also helped me through my speech impediment, how to “say it right,” and to persevere no matter what comes my way!
-My Nana, who passed away before I could finish this journey, but was my inspiration to keep going as a “good and faithful servant” of the Lord, aspiring always to Honor God and give it my best in everything.
-My mother- and father-in-law, Keith Robison and Carole Robison, for showing me unconditional love, support, and encouragement, and mostly for allowing me to marry into their amazing family!
-My Papa, Dad, Aunts, Uncles, brother, sisters, cousins, brothers- and sisters-in-law who also prayed for me, encouraged me, loved on me
-My clients who consistently offer encouragement, prayers, and support, and continue to trust us with your business! I love our partnership and thank you so much for making my job so enjoyable and for being so amazing!
-My Branch Office Administrators, especially Starr Gallagher, Paloma King, and Brenna Prather for “holding down the fort” while I had my nose stuck in a book and studying! Thank you for being so genuine, passionate, and helping me keep my sanity, keeping our clients well served, and for your many sacrifices!
-My peers and mentors at Edward Jones, reminding me that I’m not alone!
-My church, my friends, my networking friends, my teachers and professors, and so many others who have helped me in so many different ways!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
Now, my biggest challenge is trying to figure out what to do in my spare time since I won’t be studying anymore for a while! 😂
Face-to-face meetings.
One-on-one relationships.
I help people solve problems and plan for their future.
