Christian Care Ministry is once again shining a light on some of our Medi-Share members and the Kingdom work they are doing in their communities and beyond. Philip and Julia Olsen, members for more than two years now, are a couple our employees met while attending FinCon, an annual conference put on by a fellow Medi-Share member that highlights money and media.
Q: Tell us a little about your family and your business/what you do.
A: Julia and I live in north Austin with our baby Clementine and our two rescue dogs – Jazz and Basil. We're deeply involved with our church community, the performing arts scene, and love the outdoors (swimming, hiking, mountain biking). We're big foodies who love to cook and visit farms and farmer's markets.
We own and run a Financial Advisory firm dedicated to serving artists and creatives called The Art of Finance. Our business launched about three years ago, serving around 300 families per year, and we have a staff of five. We also created and co-host a PBS Digital Studios series, "Two Cents" which is a light, fun take on teaching financial literacy.
Q: How did you wind up doing what you do?
A: Julia and I both went to school for theater, but after college became discouraged. We felt that it was impossible to make a real living working in a creative field, so we left to pursue different industries. I became a Certified Financial Planner, Julia a Mortgage Loan Originator. After 4-5 years selling high-commission financial products to people that just needed advice, we launched a firm dedicated to helping artists (without the sale of products or commissions).
Q: How does your faith/Christianity speak into what you do?
A: As Christians, we believe that leading with love and generosity is essential in all facets of business. So instead of crafting a firm that focuses on maximizing profit first, we set out to create a firm that serves an un-served population and puts teaching and empowering first. We think of Jesus and his ministry as the "resistance" to the evils and pressures of society, and it inspires us to resist the predatory tendencies in the domain of personal finance.
Q: If you could give one free tip to those wanting to just get started on a journey to better financial health, what would you say?
A: Spend less than you make. All good financial habits build on that basic foundation.
Q: What has being a part of the Medi-Share community of believers been like for you and your family?
A: It's been nice to transparently see whose medical costs we help cover, and who helps us cover ours. It feels more honest and open.
Q: How does being a Medi-Share member fit into your role as a financial expert?
A: We recommend Medi-Share and other health cost-sharing networks as a viable alternative all the time to clients. Most people don't know about them. And if they do, they're suspicious that they're financially solvent and will be there if they have a major illness or injury. We did a LOT of research on Medi-Share and similar programs before signing up, and feel confident recommending them for clients if the situation is appropriate.
Are you and your family interested in learning more about our community of believers? Check out this video on how Medi-Share works.
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