ROB FORTUNE

Rob Fortune: “Financially Fearless”

Writtenby TyraneHughes

obR Fortune is the man with a plan, a financial plan to be exact. A lot came to mind after conducting the interview with Mr. Fortune. Actually the first thing that I noticed was his name, Fortune. The word fortune is partly defined as- (1) a: a very large sum of money, b: RICHES, WEALTH, c: a store of material possessions…you’re probably seeing where this is headed by now.

Which is why I chose to start off this article the way I did. Speaking of chose, was it predestined that Mr. Fortune was chosen to do what he does? Which is also another part of the definition of the word fortune, i.e. the word destiny. Now, I am not knocking anyone who does, but I don’t believe in luck. I believe in a Higher power. I promise you I am not rambling, these are just the thoughts that come to mind. Stay with me, and you’ll see the method to what seems to be my madness. You’ll also see that Mr. Fortune has been in finance a long time, he has gained an ample amount of experience to back up what he has to say. He is financially fearless, and tackles the financial dealings and issues of our communities the Fortune way, all while leading the way to fortune.

He truly wants to help empower our people, especially our youth. And why not, they are our future leaders, builders, and so forth. Mr. Fortune appears to be walking in his purpose. You can see for yourself why I was so impressed in such a short period of time.

FEMI STAFF (Tyrane Hughes): “Please, tell us about yourself.”

Rob Fortune: “My name is Robert Fortune. I am the son of 2 Haitian immigrant parents… Grew up and have lived in Brooklyn my entire life. I run an investment advisory firm, ‘Fortune Advisory’, that I started in 2017 after 12 years of working for some of the top investment banks. My primary focus is on building a financial literacy platform for our community. Unfortunately, we have lacked access to information and capital for centuries.”

FEMI STAFF (Ty Hughes): “What sparked your interest in Finance?”

Rob Fortune: “In 2006 when I took my first finance position at JP Morgan Chase, I was introduced to how money actually works and moves in our economy. It was a Sales position, but with every client I helped, I learned more about how I could help create opportunities for financial freedom. If they really wanted it, it was available. That snowballed into me learning about insurance, investments, home ownership, and other financial products. After getting an insider's perspective into how your money can work for you, I knew I wanted to do this long-term.”

FEMI STAFF (Ty Hughes): “You have a variety of services that match your financial expertise. You have strategic goal setting, debt reduction and budget creation/planning, wealth building with a longterm approach, and the list goes on and on. Can you elaborate on your services for our readers?”

Rob Fortune: “Every service I offer is part of creating a financial plan within what we call your "personal economy." At every stage of your life, there is a focus you should be paying attention to. When you work with me, I become part of your family. We create a plan for you based on what your dream of financial freedom looks like. We help you achieve those goals not only on paper, but we apply your plan to your real life. Money is not one size fits all, but we can make what you have work for you. We start creating a true budget so we can know how your money moves around you. Once we have an idea of that, we can see what changes need to be made. One of the major first steps is analyzing your income and how you utilize the dollars you traded your time for. Then we begin to invest for growth, get insurance protection, and pay off debts to maintain creditworthiness. You can start anywhere you feel is most important, but everything ties into each other, and no steps should be ignored.”

FEMI STAFF (Ty Hughes): “Things have been getting better in our communities when it comes to financial education and resources, thanks to people such as yourself. However, we all know the disadvantages that our people have when it comes to those very subjects (not all, but far too many). The lack of awareness for many reasons, and so on. A very broad subject, as you know…Can you share your insight on the importance of financial literacy in our communities?”

Rob Fortune: “Regarding money, we have a distinct issue of fear in our community. Fear of taking risks or doing something too outside of the box. A lot of that fear comes from a lack of knowledge and not wanting to lose what we are finally able to gain. When we continuously expose ourselves to different financial experiences and gain more access, I think that fear will decline. My job is to help guide you through those experiences and piece together something that is sustainable but progressive for you and your family. ”

FEMI STAFF (Ty Hughes): “You have been in the field of Finance for almost two decades. Your clients range from the ages of 8 and 81. What is your favorite moment or two from helping so many people accomplish financial freedom?”

Rob Fortune: “I have a client that I considered great with money before working with them. They were doing great in setting their children up for success in the future, but they had zero dollars for college savings. Through my advice and structure, we quickly created a college fund for his children that didn't disrupt the flow of money utilized for other things in his household. We teach you how to save and plan without being restricted. Another aspect of finance that I love is the life insurance space. In our community, life insurance is just to cover things when a person passes, it's so much more than that. There is so much miseducation in how much life insurance can be an asset and tool to us while we live. I have been able to set up several clients with plans that essentially create their own banking system with dollars they can loan themselves while still earning interest in those dollars. It’s empowering because they do not need to rely on others for funding for whatever they want to accomplish” .

FEMI STAFF (Ty Hughes): “The holidays are approaching. What advice do you have for those who may struggle with budgeting around the holidays?”

Rob Fortune: “Stay true to your goals. Don’t fall for trying to impress others. Create a budget for what you need to get and stick to it. Many times we spend for the act, not for the need. Ask yourself if it is necessary. How far back will it set me from that goal? That dream? Be accountable. Speak to your loved ones about what you’re trying to accomplish, and they should support you. ”

FEMI STAFF (Ty Hughes): “What would you like to see come to fruition from all of your hard work and dedication in your field?”

Rob Fortune: “I always say if I can change the community's financial literacy by 5%, I will feel accomplished in my endeavor. But more so, I’m trying to create a platform where I can empower young people of color to feel they can run a finance company without having to go to other firms first. I want our people to understand that we can build and have our own banks. Understand we can leave our families' assets that put them in a better position while leveraging those same assets to truly enjoy our lives while living. It will take time, but anything worth having is worth working for. ”

I don’t know about you, but Robert (Rob) Fortune has my vote of confidence. However Mr. Fortune’s name came to be, from that time on, he began to move towards the greatness that could be in his life, and it became an even bigger purpose when he chose to share the wealth. He’s sowing seeds of financial empowerment. I’m excited to see what he does next.

Connect with Rob Fortune: Instagram: @Fortune _ Advisory