Darin Womble
I have been married to Patricia Womble over ten years and have two young daughters that hold the keys to my heart. I received my Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Baker University and have been in the financial industry for over 13 years. I grew up with a single mother of limited means. My mom worked a full-time job and sometimes one or two part time jobs just to make ends meet. I am grateful she did whatever it took to make sure I had a bright future. I learned the value of hard work at an early age and started a paper route at age eleven and have been working ever since. I understand what it takes to start with nothing and build towards something.
I came to know the stock market in the mid to late 90’s through friends and family. This is where I became fascinated with the stock market and the power it had to create wealth. Unfortunately, it is also when I learned the power it had to destroy. My best friend’s father lost everything when the dot-com crash happened in 2000-2001. He lost his money, but more importantly, he lost his marriage, and, in a way, his children too. There was sibling rivalry and bitterness that I don’t believe to this day has ever mended. They ultimately moved away, and I lost my best friend. I have known countless situations over the last 20 years where similar situations have occurred. Sometimes it’s not the investments, but the lack of planning that can destroy. I have seen many families broken apart because of greed that you would have never known existed. There were no beneficiaries, Will, Trust, or other legal documents to ensure a smooth transition or legacy. Many families have been broken apart by money and greed. Unfortunately, when LIFE HAPPENS, and there is no plan in place it can be detrimental to you and to the those you care about the most.
In 2006, I started at American Century Investments in Kansas City, MO. During my 8+ years there, I learned a lot about investments, planning, leadership, retirement planning, and ultimately had the choice of career paths. I chose to help families with financial planning because of my life experiences and the importance I know it has on their lives. I want to help people in this world avoid mistakes and pitfalls, become successful, and ultimately help them to do good in this world.
In 2015 we relocated to Houston, TX to be near family and continue my journey helping clients be successful. My Faith, family, and making a difference in people’s lives are what matter most to me. I had an amazing opportunity to become a Wealth Advisor for TIAA-CREF. The breadth of knowledge I learned as a planner there was invaluable, as were my clients.
In 2019 I decided it was time to make a change. I was offered a great opportunity at TD Ameritrade to become a branch manager and continue adding to my skillset. This also allowed me to make a larger impact with clients in financial planning through multiple advisors. Unfortunately, 90 days after starting, they announced a closure of a large percentage of their branches. That is how the corporate world works sometimes.
After I helped close the TD branch. I was given a great opportunity with J.P. Morgan Chase as a Private Client Advisor. Things were going very well until Covid-19 hit. It became a challenge for many companies to do business during this difficult time. After a lot of time in thought and prayer with my wife, we decided I would leave to have more flexibility for our family. This also provides more flexibility for my clients to meet in a safer and more convenient manner.
Patricia and I knew that my life-long goal was to start my own firm someday. So, in the middle of a pandemic, Ark Alliance Financial was born.