Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Gibbs.
Hi Rachel, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I have been surrounded by entrepreneurship my entire life. My grandfather started his entrepreneurial journey nine years before I was born. He inspired me to be an entrepreneur even though at first that was not part of my plan. I watched him do the operations, financials, marketing, and customer service for his own company; and he was very successful. But it wasn’t until 2016, while being an Insurance Auditor for the State of South Carolina that I started my entrepreneurial journey. I birthed my business, Gibbs Financial Firm, a consumer financial services company designed to help the everyday American and Small Business owners with their finances. I ran my business as a side hustle for two years before going full-time. Taking a deep dive into full-time entrepreneurship came after spending a year as a Financial Crimes Investigator for a Big Four Accounting firm. I loved the work, but the stress of the job burned me out and made me mentally and physically sick. My grandfather told me I was sick because I wasn’t designed to be an employee, I was designed to be an entrepreneur. He was absolutely correct. I will never forget the joy I felt after six months of leaving Corporate America; I made my yearly salary. I was definitely blown away. Two years after leaving Corporate America, I made six figures in my business. Today, we offer more services and are expanding to different markets.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Entrepreneurship is a constant roller coaster; you have great days, and you have not-so-great days. I always say you have to be an insane person to believe you can not only start a business, but have faith in it to take care of you 100%. The one thing that keeps you motivated is your why. Your why is the reason you started this journey to begin with. I wanted to help as many people as possible with their finances. And no matter how much money is being made, I still teach my community about business and finance. It is my passion; I can talk about it all day long for free. I always remember that when I wanted to give up. It is ok to quit every day. See, if you quit every day that means you show up every day. That means you are still implementing, revamping, eliminating, and doing things in your business to help it reach the level of success you thrive for. The biggest challenge for me along the way was creating a strong marketing plan and designing the right processes and systems. Owning a business isn’t just about selling a product of service; it is about solving problems. It is about putting yourself in front of your niche audience. It is about implementing automation and processes that free up your time from being the same repetitive tasks. So, I had to invest a lot of time, effort, and money into building my marketing strategy and building my automation.
We’ve been impressed with Gibbs Financial Firm, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I started Gibbs Financial Firm in 2016 to help marginalized communities strengthen their relationship with money. I started my business with the intent to help close the wealth gap. I have gotten to where I am business-wise today through many trials and errors, investing into professional development, promoting different products and services. Gibbs Financial Firm is a unique financial consulting firm dedicated to enhancing community financial well-being. Our services encompass financial wellness, tax preparation, tax planning, and small business consulting. We stand out through our community-centric approach, emphasizing the importance of strong local economies. Our comprehensive service offerings provide clients with a one-stop solution for various financial needs. With a focus on financial wellness, we create personalized financial plans covering budgeting, saving, investing, and debt management.
Our tax expertise ensures clients maximize returns while remaining compliant with tax regulations. Small business consulting empowers local entrepreneurs to thrive and contribute to economic development. What sets us apart is our commitment to a personalized approach, recognizing that each client’s financial situation is unique. We build relationships with our clients to deliver tailored solutions that align with their individual goals and circumstances. Gibbs Financial Firm is your trusted partner in strengthening your financial relationship and achieving your financial objectives.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
I have gotten to where I am business-wise today through many trials and errors, investing into professional development, and promoting different products and services. There is nothing easy about entrepreneurship. You must find something you are passionate about and nurture that business idea and do everything you can make it work. I have overcome a lot of entrepreneurship challenges by analyzing Key Performance Indicators and adjusting things accordingly. I have had to remove products and services that were not performing and introduce other needed services. There are times as an entrepreneur you think you have the best service or product available, but your target audience may not be interested in it. So, you have to create products or services that your audience needs compared to what you think they want. Gibbs Financial Firm has become a well-respected and recognized brand. We pride ourselves on being able to empower our clients to transform their financial situations through commitment to the community, tested financial strategies, great customer service, and continuously improvement processes.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gibbsfinancialfirm.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rachel.finlit.Gibbs
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelsgibbs/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/gibbs-financial-firm-columbia
Image Credits
Aaron Smalls
