A simple spreadsheet for his dad sparked a complete career pivot. In this episode, Andy Cole breaks down his move from civil engineering to fee-only financial planning—and how he built a lean, resilient practice while working full time and raising a family. What began as a deep dive into risk-adjusted returns evolved into a planning-first firm serving engineers with a flexible, transparent fee model.

Andy shares the early challenges of running a solo RIA—compliance, invoicing, endless paperwork—and the turning point when he found a corporate RIA structure that gave him real leverage. By outsourcing back-office work while keeping full autonomy, he accelerated growth and regained the joy of advising. We also get into the numbers, including payout grids and the math that helped him reach roughly $200k in revenue with low personal overhead.

We talk niche and pricing strategy, too. Engineers often want DIY portfolio control, so Andy pairs flat-fee planning with optional low AUM. He also offers practical marketing advice: increase your at-bats, stay consistent on LinkedIn, and build offers for a specific audience—not everyone.

If career change, fee-only planning, or intentional business design resonates with you, hit follow, share with a colleague, and leave a quick review so others can find the show.

Andy's Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-cole-pe/

Music in this episode was obtained from Bensound.