For Matt Walker, a Kansas City-based entrepreneur and business owner, traveling has been a formative part of his life for as long as he can remember. Born in New Jersey, Matt grew up in a family that travelled and moved frequently during his childhood. At 5 years old, his family packed up and moved to England. For the next 3 years, young Matt and his family explored Europe; by the time he was 20 years old, he had been to 25 countries. 

In addition to traveling for leisure, Matt participated in a 2 year long mission to Mongolia. While there, he even learned to speak Mongolian! Of all the places he has been, Matt’s favorite travel destination is Turks and Caicos. The crisp blue waters and soft, sandy beaches give him the opportunity to reset his brain and fully relax.

Looking back, Matt Walker realizes that so much of who he has become—a father, husband, entrepreneur, and artist—was informed by his time traveling. For example, many of his business principles can be traced back to his travels. 

He is currently the CEO and Owner of Absolute Retirement Solutions, a retirement services firm in Kansas City, Kansas, and has previously built and sold multiple retirement companies. Experiencing new cultures has taught him the nuances of communication and business etiquette, a lesson he works to pass onto the employees and financial professionals he mentors. 

Matt believes that travelling is an important way to increase the depth and breadth of one’s experiences. Part of becoming a well-rounded person and having the wisdom to make good decisions is to expose oneself to different cultures, and encounter all sorts of people. Matthew is dedicated to lifelong learning, and uses his wide variety of adventures to help him be a better mentor to those in his field– a duty he fulfills enthusiastically.

The adventurous spirit that Matthew has cultivated through his travels has served him well in his entrepreneurial ventures, helping inspire him to meaningfully connect with many different people and work with them to build successful businesses that are dedicated to improving his community. Exploring a new place helps to build the confidence one needs to step forward into uncertainty with enthusiasm, and confidently take the reins of a company in order to build one’s vision. These qualities are the ones that have made Matthew an accomplished and successful leader that strives to inspire others to follow their ambitions. 

Matt Walker’s time traveling also directly contributed to his mission as the owner of a retirement company. He strives to help people achieve financial independence so that they can live out their dreams. For many retirees, traveling is high on their bucket list—and Matt can understand why. 

With his clients’ goals in mind, he and his company employ conservative insurance and income strategies that help protect client portfolios, rather than looking for risky investments and quick cash grabs. He works hard to help develop client financial literacy so that they can effectively understand the options available to them and make informed decisions regarding their money.

Matthew hopes that through his work he can help people achieve their financial goals and be prepared to experience everything they want in their retirement.  

Traveling has also played a role in Matt Walker’s parenting. As a child, exploring the world with his family created lasting memories and bonds. Now a father to his own children, he can impart those same gifts to his family. Matt and his wife, along with their two children, Alden (12) and Ella (10), have traveled all over the world together. No matter where they have stayed, whether it be a resort or a cramped cabin, they have grown closer as a family and made memories to last a lifetime. 

Traveling can be instrumental in forging unbreakable bonds between family members, and Matthew hopes that by providing his family with the same incredible adventures that have so inspired him throughout his life, he can help teach his children some of the values he learned along the way while allowing them to experience the same fun and excitement he has always felt when traveling to a new destination.

To read more on Matt Walker and his perspective on traveling, visit his blog.