Meet Jhessica Tor | Entrepreneur & Financial Specialist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jhessica Tor and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jhessica, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
It’s no secret that finance is a male-dominated industry, more so in financial services. Women control 51% of the U.S. personal wealth, yet according to studies, only 12% feel confident that they will be able to retire comfortably. This is something that has to change, and I believe that it can. As a mother, entrepreneur, and financial services professional I understand the importance of financial literacy and the role it plays when you are planning for your future, your children’s future, and the future of your business. Women now have opportunities that would have not been available to us 50 years ago, yet the myths of how we handle money are still prevalent now. My goal when I work with my clients is to have a holistic approach in their financial planning, by educating them and helping them align their financial goals with their values and priorities. I want them to feel confident and know that they are capable of creating wealth, creating successful businesses, and tapping into their financial power.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I think what sets me apart from others are my personal experiences. I immigrated to the U.S. when I was 9 years old, and my mom was a single parent raising me, my brother, and my baby sister. She would work 3 jobs to take care of us. My mother taught me a lot of valuable lessons about having a work ethic and being resilient. These lessons were essential when I started my business in the recycling industry in 2003. By 2006, it was already a multi-million-dollar company and on track to have $10M in revenues within the next two years and 2008 happened…very scary times in the manufacturing sector. I saw companies that had been around for generations go out of business because they could not pivot quickly to the changes that were necessary for their companies to survive. My company was able to weather those times but there were a lot of hard decisions that had to be made and not everyone was going to like them and that’s OK. You have to own your decisions and accept that you could be wrong or that you’re brilliant. I would not have reached the level of success in my business if weren’t for the relationships that I developed with some great men that mentored me, guided me, and supported me. There’s no such thing as self-made, we all reach some level of success in our businesses because there were people along the way that helped us. The value of these experiences and lessons is what I bring when I work with my clients. I can relate to what keeps them up at night, as a parent, an entrepreneur, and a woman. At the end of the day, I truly believe that everyone has the right to reach the true American dream: Financial Independence.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I rarely have a planned itinerary when I travel. My friends know me better, our trip will be spontaneous. But, let’s say my best friend lives in another state I would plan to show her around Southern California and take a short road trip to San Diego. We would spend some time at the beach in Huntington Beach, Santa Barbara, go to Magic Mountain, hike to the Hollywood sign, go shopping in Beverly Hills, eat and drink at trendy restaurants and see what adventure we come across. Of course, there will be a spa day, which is definitely a must…we deserve to be treated like queens.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program (10KSB) -Southern California

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses is a $500 million investment to help entrepreneurs create jobs and economic opportunities by providing them with greater access to education, financial capital, and business support services. The education and resources they provide helped me to start seeing the possibilities of getting to the next level in my business, but also their ongoing business support has helped me to identify and take advantage of new opportunities. More importantly, the relationships that you build with other entrepreneurs and the staff are invaluable. This program is a must for any entrepreneur that wants to scale their business.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhessicator

Other: jhessica.tor@gmail.com