Ray Brown

Enneagram: 3 Emoji used most: 😆

Strengths: Focus | Woo | Developer | Maximizer | Positivity

Personal Motto – “Life is not about finding yourself, it is about creating yourself”

Unique ability – By communicating with a sense of humor and comforting ease, Ray’s unique ability is to analyze and get to the roots of truths and to tailor strategies that can serve as a framework to motivate and inspire others to reach their greatest potential.

Ray grew up in Atlanta, but moved to San Antonio, Texas as a kid.  From age 11-20, Ray worked as a professional magician. His entire family was involved in the business, his dog even became part of the act, and he was briefly homeschooled in 8th grade in order to make appearances for his magic shows. He averaged 40 shows a year during the peak, including shows at theme parks and local TV spots. He continued with magic while he went to college, but he eventually gave it up to pursue a career in film full-time after he graduated from Full Sail University in Orlando with a Film Degree. He quickly began a film career in motion picture production which took him to Mexico, New Orleans, and Napa, California, and eventually brought him back to Atlanta where he has planted roots for the last 5 years. During his time working in the film industry he worked on The Walking Dead, Mile 22, Logan, Bad Moms, Daddy’s Home, 22 Jump Street, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and 13 Reasons Why to name a few.  Changing gears yet again, he completed Dave Ramsey’s Financial Coach Master Training in 2019 and began coordinating Financial Peace University classes.  Now he is preparing for his CFP® examination and becoming a wealth advisor at Goodwin Investment Advisory. He has an interest in real estate investing and plans to grow his rental property business in Atlanta. Ray is engaged to Lindsey as of May 2022 and plans to get married in the summer of 2023. 

What attracted you to Goodwin Investment Advisory? – “I had just paid off all my debts in 2017 when I reached out through SmartVestor looking for validation of my financial goals. I became a lead for 5 different advisories. GIA was the only team that I would have hired. I admired the soft, non-aggressive, approach with clients. Aside from the overall great values, in my opinion, this was the team that created the perfect image –  that clients need GIA more than GIA needs them! No hard sales, no fear tactics, just guiding by example and with a friendly ‘we’re here when you need us’ approach. I’ve had my eye on GIA since that time. I’ve watched the firm and industry over the years. I’ve seen the $100M AUM celebration, the retirement scarecrow setup in downtown Woodstock, and feel that I’ve grown to know the team through all the blogs and email articles over the years. There’s not another firm that I would proactively wish to join.”

Why do you want to work for a financial services company? – “It’s exciting watching others celebrate success, and it becomes personally rewarding when you get to play a small role in that journey. I’m passionate about the financial planning process, helping others navigate through the “noise” of the industry, and I find joy in helping others realize their own potential. I want to bring energy to the conversations and help people find confidence in their planning. When I watch eyes light up at a compound interest calculator or time-in market analysis, I know this is what I’m meant to do.” 

He would love to have coffee with – “Dave Ramsey. I admire the brand that he has built and his style of coaching and the psychology behind the financial decisions he shares. I like that he leads people to hope and shows the light at the end of the tunnel and a path to get you there. I even attribute my initial interest in the financial industry to him.”

When he looks at himself and the life that he lives, what is he most proud of? – “My personal desire to constantly raise the bar and stretch to attain things that might appear out-of-reach.”

The best piece of advice he has ever received – One of my heroes is David Copperfield who said, “treat possibilities as probabilities.”

If Ray could share one lesson with the world it would be – “Change will challenge who you are and who you will become, so let optimism be your guide.”

What is one mistake you have made that you are grateful for now? – “Allowing student debt into my life. But in doing so, I quickly learned the power of discipline (by kicking into “Gazelle Intensity” mode when eliminating debt), budgeting, and planning for the future. Falling in love with this process ultimately led me to my passion (and obsession) for personal finance.”

Favorite books: