Finally, after two years of research, interviewing, and sleepless nights, on Friday morning, January 10, 2014, at 10:30 am, I faxed a letter of resignation to my Wall Street employer of 13 years.

It was time to go. 

Don't get me wrong. I have no regrets.

On Wall Street, I learned an incredible amount about the financial markets, the economy, and people. I developed professionally, learned how to manage risk, and handled investor emotions. Skills that I still use every day.

However, as time passed, I realized that most people's life goals didn't revolve around the next great stock pick or outperforming the S&P 500. Most are more interested in organizing their finances, becoming financially independent, and ultimately finding happiness.

The firm I was at on Wall Street was focused solely on picking investments. They weren't equipped or interested in helping clients plan for the future.  

So, I took matters into my own hands and took the plunge. 

I had to rewire and reinvent myself completely.

Breaking my old Wall Street ways was like chipping away at a stone with a dull penknife. 

On Wall Street, you didn't ask a client what they thought. You told them what to do. They either said yes or no. On Main Street, it's the exact opposite. You lay out all the options, help navigate based on the client's goals, and ultimately let the client decide.

Even how I went about my daily life was different.

I used to take a high-speed ferry, wearing tailored pinstripe suits, working at a corner office with food delivery on speed dial. Now I’m walking down one flight of stairs, wearing pants and a button-down shirt (on a good day), sitting at my home office, and hitting the fridge for leftovers every hour.

Some may say it sounds like an adjustment. In my case, that would be an understatement; it would be more like a long-term full rehab project that took years to develop and implement.

It just took time.

I have learned to be objective, adaptive, and empathetic on Main Street.

The key is to understand that everybody's financial situation is different.

Being flexible and adapting to the client and their needs, rather than Wall Street’s pockets, is a game-changer.