Robby Lewis
Financial Advisor
Echo Park, Los Angeles, CA
www.gerberkawasaki.com/team/robby-lewis
instagram @robbyklewis
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twitter @robbyklewis
Q What do you do?
“Financial advising! ”
I truly do believe that personal finance is just that: personal. We all have different goals, priorities, and timelines. I work with clients on their goals to ultimately help them make the best financial decisions. I work with individuals, families, and businesses, and one of my focuses is to work with creatives, hence why I’m here!
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
There is an old home video of me saying that I wanted to be a bookstore when I grew up. I later found out that it was not possible (very hard to accept), but I bring this up because I have always been a business-minded person. I also vividly remember reading "Rich Dad Poor Dad for Kids", which basically explains why we want our money to work hard for us. I took this passion for business and went on to study economics at UC Davis.
Upon graduating, I worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory on the business and finance team for the Mars 2020 Rover. Although not traditional finance, it certainly shaped me to be an out-of-this-world consultant. Pun intended.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
I understand that navigating our personal finances and investing can be intimidating, and I pride myself on my patience and empathy. These qualities allow me to gain a deeper understanding of my clients and their needs. We work hard for our money and livelihood and that is not something that I take lightly. Another huge differentiator is that the company I work with is independent; meaning, we do not sell products. We are legally obligated to do what is best for you. A lot of advisors are not fiduciaries, which means they may benefit from getting you into a certain fund. I have a fiduciary responsibility to do what is best for you!
Q What are you working on right now?
I am working with a ton of creative entrepreneurs. I grew up with creative entrepreneurs. My mom is a baby clothing designer and business owner, my dad is a trade show designer and business owner, and my sister is a branding designer and business owner. It only feels right to work with my community!
Q What’s your style?
If I’ve done my job well, I am listening to the needs of my clients and ultimately offering the best options to them. I am here to be a resource to you based on your needs!
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
I am posting here because I truly love working with creative entrepreneurs. You could say that I love creatives. Horrible joke--I know. In all seriousness, if I could, I would only work with creatives. I appreciate this community!
Q What is frustrating you right now?
How the stock market keeps going up. We need a solid correction. I often tell clients, the best time to buy a product is when there is a sale at a store. Same goes for the stock market. When the market goes down, we want to buy. There are great methods to take advantage of fluctuations. Happy to chat about it!
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
Task management and process improvements. My job is all about making sure I am keeping track of it all. If someone could do this for me, that would be amazing!
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
I would say right out of college, I would have told myself to enjoy the moment. The constant in life is that it is always changing. It’s too easy to get wrapped up in the past and worry about the future. Day-by-day!
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
Money is very psychological. Whether it's how we were raised by our parents or in what era we grew up, we all have different feelings about money. There is a fantastic book called "The Psychology of Money" by Morgan Housel. I would love to chat it up with Housel to take a deep dive into this. There is so much ground to cover within this area of my work.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
I want to work with creatives in all capacities! If you freelance, I would love to strategize how to best optimize all the right accounts. If you are full-time on a salary, let’s make sure you are taking advantage of all that there is for you! At the end of the day, we want our money to work for us. The worst strategy is keeping all of our money in the bank!
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
It’s pretty simple. I want to work with people who are serious about their finances. If clients follow the plan that we put in place for them, they will 100% be in a better situation. I enjoy watching clients grow and reach their goals. It’s hands-down the most rewarding part of my job.
Q What is your rate?
Initial consultations are totally complimentary! Happy to chat about what it looks like beyond that.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
Q Who is a creative you admire?
The company that I work with, Gerber Kawasaki, takes a very collaborative approach. Even though clients work directly with me, we have five managing partners who are all involved when we need them. Working with the partners has definitely elevated my knowledge. At its core, financial planning is about being creative. We have to take a holistic view of your financial picture to make sure we are making the best possible recommendations.
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
I love music. I'm always on the hunt for an amazing song that I have yet to discover. I also enjoy cooking a meal with my wife (and cat). Our cat, Walt, usually doesn't partake but he's there for moral support.
This member profile was originally published in October 2021.