Josh Morales
Founder & Financial Advisor
Josh didn’t come from wealth and might still be your neighbor.
Those who knew Josh Morales early in his life might have anticipated who he would become: a successful financial advisor who founded an independent firm dedicated to helping “the 99 percent” build wealth. Today Josh’s firm, Nest Financial, works almost exclusively with those who didn’t grow up with networks, connections or knowledge of what it takes to become wealthy, build their nest eggs.
Josh was raised in Kansas City, Missouri. Neither of his parents had a college degree. His father lost his union job when Josh was a toddler, and the family lived meagerly for several years. Eventually, his dad found work that led to a career enabling him to retire successfully. Still, for most of Josh’s youth, the family struggled.
A real life education
Josh attended college with the aid of grants, scholarships and loans, and was one of his family’s first college graduates. At the time, he wondered what the people who worked in office buildings actually spent their days doing and struggled with choosing a career. With the support of a friend, Josh found a job in the non-profit sector and, because of his intellect and charisma, discovered his talent for leading teams, recruiting, and networking.
The next chapter
After reaching an executive level at that national non-profit organization, Josh was introduced to a senior vice president of a national financial investing firm. He had witnessed Josh’s acumen for all things financial and introduced him to the role of an investment advisor. Josh gambled on himself, leaving behind a successful career to start over. It was, he says, one of the most terrifying times in his life – taking on something he knew little about – the world of investing. Josh learned quickly, gaining significant experience, and earned his Series 7 licensure along the way.
But the firm he worked for was choosy about their clients, and Josh was instructed that helping his hometown friends and family wasn’t where he would profit. Josh was offended. And inspired. He was proud of his family tree of welders, electricians, tree trimmers, mechanics, and fire fighters. He considered financial advising a trade like theirs and wanted to make a difference in the lives of those who would most benefit from his expertise.
So Josh struck out on his own again, this time founding, Nest Financial. The name of the firm is a nod to creating a nest – a protective structure around the investor who is learning to fly. The people he serves have “new money,” he explains. They haven’t built significant wealth yet because their parents – like his – didn’t understand investments, their 401K plans, or how to retire. They had little financial knowledge to pass on to the next generation.
OFFERING REAL-LIFE SOLUTIONS FOR REAL-WORLD PEOPLE.