How LPL Advisor Albert Lopez Pays it Forward

As a youngster growing up in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, Albert Lopez acquired a strong work ethic early in life.

"My mother and father worked hard to support our family," he recalls. "But they always envisioned better lives for their children. My mom would say, 'Albert, you can do anything you set your mind to.”

Albert Lopez proved her right by becoming the first in his family to earn a college degree. He was well on his way toward a career in engineering, when a friend with a passion for investing ignited a fire in him.

"I started taking finance and accounting classes," Lopez says. "And I loved it."

One of his professors invited a guest speaker – a financial advisor – to speak to the class.

"Right after class, I made an appointment to see the advisor. I asked him, 'What do you do? Tell me more.' Later, I consulted him on how to begin a career in finance. He encouraged me to follow my passion, and the right path would present itself.”

Getting started was not easy. As he says, "It was sink or swim." But after his first day on the job as a financial advisor, he said to his wife, ''This is what I am going to do with my life."

Although he loved the work and cared deeply about his clients, there was still something missing. "I wanted to run my own business. I wanted to fully control how clients are treated."

When Lopez started looking at independent broker-dealers, LPL stood out from the rest. "LPL said, 'You are our client.' That sold me. That was the relationship I was looking for."

Lopez affiliated with LPL in 2007. His company, Independent Wealth Consultants, has grown rapidly – moving from a cramped 300 square foot rented office, to the 3,000 square foot office he owns today.

Best of all, he has now been able to give an aspiring advisor the same gift of mentorship that launched his career.

"A young man, Jaime Cavazos, came to us asking for an entry-level job," said Lopez. "LPL's Independent Advisor Institute program (IAI) helped us hire him and train him. He networks with participants in other states who are enrolled in the program.  It's like a nationwide study group for the next generation of advisors."

Lopez is a devoted mentor, eager to pass on what he has learned. "We all love to win new clients," he tells aspiring advisors. "But gaining a client is not the finish line. It's only the beginning."

"Keep your focus on helping your clients achieve their goals, not advancing your own," he counsels. "What we do is important. It changes lives, and that's a solemn responsibility. Do well for your clients and success will follow."

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The views and opinions expressed by the LPL Financial Advisor are as of the date of publication. These views may not be representative of the views of other Financial Advisors and are not indicative of future performance or success. Neither LPL Financial nor the LPL Financial Advisor can be held responsible for any direct or incidental loss incurred by applying any of the information offered. Independent Wealth Consultants and LPL Financial are separate entities.

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