Mike Broker stands at the intersection of finance and fitness, wielding dual expertise as a Certified Financial Planner™ and Certified Personal Trainer. With a passion for guiding individuals toward holistic success and integrated well-being, he teaches the principles that link financial stability with physical health. Broker emphasizes that the connection isn’t as far-fetched as one might think.
“Fitness and finance are exactly the same. They both require a long-term view — one step in front of the other over a long period of time,” he said. “Neither of them has a quick way to success. There are fad diets that don’t work, and there are get-rich-quick schemes that don’t work.”
To that end, Broker wrote a book, “Fit Financial Approach,” that aims to help readers understand how fitness and financial planning are linked.
“I wanted to write the book because usually people know a little bit about one or the other topic, and now the book can help them apply it to the topic they know less about and see results in both,” he said.
The Uphill Climb
Navigating success in both finance and fitness poses unique challenges, often daunting at first.
“For someone starting from a place where they can barely run a mile, the goal of becoming fit seems incredibly distant and difficult to achieve,” Broker said.
Similarly, saving a million dollars for retirement seems insurmountable when starting with, for example, $1,000 or less. This vast gap can discourage many from starting their journey.
Misinformation is another hurdle. Upon beginning, individuals are often bombarded with conflicting advice on both fitness and finance, clouding their judgment and demotivating their progress. Broker said it’s crucial to discern trustworthy sources and define realistic success parameters tailored to personal circumstances.
Broker also underscores human tendencies as a core obstacle. Preferring immediate gratification over long-term discipline hinders maintaining a steady path in both areas. Even disciplined individuals, like Broker, acknowledge occasional indulgences, understanding that perfection is unrealistic and frequently unobtainable.
To surmount these hurdles, Broker stresses realism and provides practical resources through his book and website. These tools aim to overcome psychological and informational barriers, fostering sustainable progress toward fitness and financial goals.
Guiding Principles: Experience Speaks Volumes
Broker’s professional background is diverse, beginning with a foundation in fitness before transitioning into financial planning. He initially worked as a personal trainer, leveraging his degree in finance and a clear intention to eventually move into financial planning.
Despite his rigorous academic background, he found the human-centric skills that he developed as a personal trainer to be more valuable than his formal education when he eventually entered the financial sector.
“My experience as a personal trainer was far more valuable than my degree in finance,” he noted. This perspective underscores the importance he placed on understanding human behavior in both fields.
Recognizing parallels between personal training and financial advising, Broker emphasizes the challenge of guiding clients to decisions beneficial for their long-term well-being.
“When I got to financial planning, I realized this is exactly the same thing,” he reflected. This insight highlights the significance of behavioral coaching and realistic goal-setting, honed during his time as a personal trainer.
As Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Vice President at Trilogy Financial’s Denver, Colorado, office, Broker transitioned from managing personal portfolios on his own to leading strategic initiatives for the firm on a national level. Despite this shift, he remains dedicated to helping people, emphasizing the importance of trust in financial advising.
Motivated to support individuals in both fitness and financial planning, Broker wrote his book to raise awareness and provide practical guidance.
He explained, “The reason I wrote the book was just to raise awareness in both because I know this is a struggle.” Leveraging his extensive experience, he aims in the book to offer accessible and compassionate support for sustainable success in both realms.
The Big Hurdles: Gaining Credibility and Earning Respect
Driven by his vision to merge ideal finance planning with fitness, Broker faced significant struggles in gaining credibility and respect from potential clients. While the conceptual framework came together smoothly, establishing himself as a trustworthy figure proved daunting.
“I don’t have ripped abs to be this huge fitness model or anything like that. So there was a lot of hesitation in putting myself out there,” he confessed. This lack of stereotypical success symbols initially caused doubt about his ability to offer valuable guidance.
However, Broker realized authenticity and relatability could be powerful assets.
“Getting past that and realizing that you don’t have to be a TV personality to help people was probably my biggest struggle,” he admitted.
But embracing his unique position allowed him to offer genuine, empathetic assistance to those seeking improvement. He emphasized that his relatability could resonate more with the average person.
“Not being a billionaire and not being a fitness model, I think, is even more important now,” he asserted. By embodying a more attainable and realistic standard, he could better connect with and inspire his clients. This perspective shift enabled him to focus on the real impact he could make by sharing his message.
A Values-Driven Proposition
Broker’s professional values are deeply rooted in a commitment to helping people achieve financial stability and peace of mind. His method, as outlined in “Fit Financial Approach” and through his work with Trilogy Financial, centers on the belief that a business must have a genuine purpose beyond mere profit.
“The reason for the book is the same thing that I do with Trilogy,” he explained. This purpose-driven mindset is fundamental to his professional ethos, emphasizing that his primary goal is to improve clients’ lives rather than simply generate revenue.
At the core of Broker’s values is the conviction that assisting clients to feel secure and confident about their financial future is paramount.
“[At Trilogy], we exist to help people sleep better at night, to help people be able to retire with a dignified retirement,” he said. This mission drives the firm’s daily operations, guiding every interaction and decision within Trilogy. The focus is on providing real value and ensuring that clients can look forward to a stable and comfortable future, which in turn naturally supports the financial success of the business itself.
Broker’s philosophy also includes a strong belief in adding as much value as possible to every client interaction.
“If we take care of the clients, the money, the profit, whatever will take care of itself,” he asserted. This client-first approach means prioritizing the needs and goals of the individuals he and Trilogy serve, which ultimately leads to the growth and strength of their business.
“The bigger we get and the stronger we are as a business just means that’s more people we can help,” he said. This growth is seen not as an end in itself but as a means to extend their reach and positive impact. By focusing on the well-being of their clients and ensuring they can achieve a dignified retirement, Broker and Trilogy strive to create a ripple effect of stability and peace of mind across a broader community.
“Fit Financial Approach” and the Human Connection
Broker shared an experience that underscores the profound human connections fostered by his book. It involved a finance professional who expressed how the book significantly impacted their understanding and approach to both finance and fitness.
“I had somebody call who I respect and think very highly of,” Broker said, noting that the individual, though well-versed in financial matters, found new clarity and motivation through the book.
The individual initially approached the book to enhance their financial knowledge with fitness insights but appreciated the straightforward explanations provided.
“They said, ‘I read your book thinking I’ll be able to apply what I already know about finance, and I’ll apply it to my fitness that will help me get better,'” Broker noted.
They were pleasantly surprised by the simplicity and clarity of the financial concepts and fitness principles. This holistic perspective provided a better framework for understanding both domains.
“It felt really good because I feel like I didn’t write the book for somebody who knows finances and who is in the business,” he said. The book was intended for beginners in financial and fitness journeys.
The fact that an expert found value in it confirmed to Broker that he was on the right track. It reinforced his belief that the book could offer substantial help to a broad audience, emphasizing its purpose as a value-added resource rather than a money-making venture.
Taking the Mission Online
Broker recognized the need for a robust online presence beyond social media, opting for a comprehensive website to showcase his mission and teachings from “Fit Financial Approach.” That decision stemmed from a quest for both credibility and accessibility in the digital era.
“It’s just having a real website with actual pages that talk about what you built and what the business does and how it’s trying to reach its customers,” he explained.
The move was primarily about establishing credibility and a professional tone. Broker understood that a website adds a level of professionalism crucial for gaining trust and validating his financial and fitness coaching approach.
Moreover, he aimed to provide practical resources for readers to implement his book’s concepts effectively. The website features downloads and questionnaires, adding value beyond the book’s content.
“The biggest takeaway I want people to get from the website, besides reading the book and getting the ideas, is there are many things that I mention in the book that are value-adds,” he stressed.
He believed that without such tools, the book’s impact would be limited.
“If you pick up my book, read it, and you don’t do anything with it, that didn’t really help, did it?” he asked.
By offering downloads and interactive content, Broker ensured readers could take actionable steps toward their goals, turning the website into an active extension of the book.
Contrasting it with social media platforms, Broker highlighted the website’s structured accessibility, making it easier for users to engage with resources and support their self-improvement journeys.
“With a Facebook page, you just don’t have that type of access,” he observed.
This approach aligns with Broker’s overarching mission to empower people through incremental progress toward their aspirations.
Evaluating Engagement: The Impact of “Fit Financial Approach” Online
Broker acknowledged that measuring the success of his website isn’t a straightforward process. While he can track certain metrics, such as website visits and the number of downloads for the value-added tools, connecting these actions directly to the overall impact and effectiveness of the site remains challenging.
“I can see people coming to my website. I can see them downloading the value downloads,” he said, highlighting the tangible engagement these metrics represent.
However, he also pointed out the limitations of his current tracking capabilities. There’s difficulty in determining whether visitors have read the book or found the website through specific channels like Facebook.
“I don’t know if they found me through Facebook,” he admitted, emphasizing the gaps in his ability to link user actions to specific outcomes.
Despite these limitations, he remains focused on the primary goal of the website: providing useful tools and resources to visitors.
“What I do know is that people are downloading it and they are using the tools and that’s really what it’s all about for me,” he stated, underscoring his commitment to delivering value to his audience.
Seamless Support: Working with DreamHost
When it comes to establishing a robust online presence, the choice of a web hosting provider can make or break the user’s experience. For Broker, the decision to host his “Fit Financial Approach” website with DreamHost has been exceptional.
He said that while his design team handled his site’s initial setup and design, DreamHost has provided a seamless and hassle-free experience.
“To me, it’s like the pinnacle of what you do. If I don’t have to think about you, that means you’re doing a really good job,” he noted. This highlights the level of reliability and efficiency he has come to expect and appreciate from DreamHost.
The ease of use and reliability of DreamHost’s services and interface have been particularly beneficial for Broker, who emphasized that he has had no issues with his website’s functionality.
“You guys make it really easy. I have had no issues. My links work, everything works. It’s all up to date. It’s all ADA compliant,” he said. “All those things that I would normally have to worry about, I really don’t have to worry about, and you make it easy.”
This has allowed him to focus on his content and mission rather than technical concerns, which is crucial for any business owner.
The recommendation to use DreamHost came as a resounding word-of-mouth endorsement from Broker’s marketing team, who had prior positive experiences with the company through other clients. It proved to be a no-brainer for him.
Reflecting on his previous experiences with other hosting providers, Broker said that DreamHost’s services stood out in terms of consistency and performance.
“I was with a competitor who shall not be named, who didn’t offer as good of an experience.”
This comparison underscores the significant improvement he has noticed since making the transition to DreamHost.
Broker has found his relationship with DreamHost to be a pivotal part of his online journey, enabling him to maintain a professional and reliable website without the usual stress and technical issues. He said the positive feedback from his marketing team and his own seamless experience highlight DreamHost’s ability to deliver on its promises.
“The biggest takeaway for me is that you make it easy,” he reiterated, capturing the essence of his satisfaction with DreamHost’s services that ensure he can focus on his mission while leaving the technical aspects in capable hands.