Episode 141: Ladder to Leader with Ryan Larson

This week on the podcast, Ryan Larson joins Bradley to discuss his lifelong passion for helping others mitigate risk, and his unique approach to leadership.

Ryan Larson is a seasoned wealth advisor and the founder and CEO of FirstLine Financial, LLC, based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Ryan embodies the qualities of a trustworthy leader and believes everyone deserves a chance to lead a life they can be proud of as they enter retirement.

He credits his empathetic leadership approach to his experience as a firefighter, a career that gave him a sense of purpose and a lifelong passion for helping others mitigate risk.

In his new business memoir, Ladder to Leader: My Journey from Failure to Fire to Financial Freedom (Calling Card Books, May 2022), Ryan shares the true story of his evolution from a troubled youth to a successful founder and CEO—and the many life and business lessons he learned along the way.

He recounts the struggles he experienced in school, how he felt like an outsider at home, and the unexpected turns his life took, including some of the lowest points that eventually led him to where he is today. It was Ryan’s mom who first encouraged him to join the Fire Department Explorer Program, where the entrance exam transformed his mindset and gave him the confidence that would carry him through challenges he had yet to face.

Later, he discovered his passion for investing and financial education, becoming an expert in helping people protect their life savings from unnecessary risks and market fluctuations by creating tax efficiencies. In his practice at FirstLine Financial, he focuses on supporting retirees and transitioning boomers with all of their wealth management needs.

Whether helping them grow assets for the future, or preserving and reallocating them in retirement, he utilizes a unique combination of time-tested strategies for both securities and insurance offerings.

Ryan and his wife, Kate, co-founder of FirstLine Financial, live in Scottsdale, Arizona. Together, they enjoy the hustle of being business partners and raising their two children, Mia and Bryson.

For more information, please visit https://firstlinefin.com/.