After earning his undergraduate degree specializing in Finance, Robert began his career working with small business owners in the banking industry of west central Florida. As a business banker he worked closely with owners and key managers of small and medium sized businesses across many different industries including advanced manufacturing, medical services, construction, dining & hospitality, and agriculture to name a few. When the regional bank he was working with was acquired by a larger commercial bank Robert briefly transitioned to a corporate finance role in Tampa, Florida. Shortly after realizing the ‘corporate world’ was not where he wanted to focus his career, an opportunity emerged which permanently pivoted his career.

As a result of population & economic growth, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) developed plans to build exit ramps to/from the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway to/from the Port of Tampa to keep heavy commercial traffic from continuing to damage many of the historic buildings within Ybor City. It was at this time that Robert began assisting businesses in the path of this roadway project in determining the financial damages caused by the eminent domain acquisitions of their commercial properties & buildings and required relocations. Working very closely with small business owners and managers provided Robert in-depth firsthand knowledge of the internal operations, regulatory environments, competitive landscapes, human resource challenges, and financial structure & performance needs of a wide spectrum of businesses & industries. These experiences provided the initial spark for him to create and develop Hancock Financial LLC as a boutique advisory & planning practice focused on long-term value creation.

What sets Robert apart as a Business Advisor & Planner, Business Appraiser, & Business Broker is that his level of commitment to the long-term success of your business does not fluctuate based upon its size, industry, location, or range of services provided. Robert’s focus on achieving your goals for your business will not change if total annual sales are $25,000 or $25,000,000. He truly enjoys working with businesses at all levels from new startups to mergers & acquisitions. His greatest professional enjoyments are assisting business owners realize more internal business value than they ever thought possible and seeing younger generations lead closely held family-owned businesses into the future.

Whether you want to improve a single or multiple aspects of your business, grow organically or via acquisition, scale operations up or down, formulate a succession plan, or plan your exit from your business, Robert will diligently work with you every step of the way to ensure your goals are accomplished.

Professional Credentials, Licenses, & Affiliations Held:

• Business Certified Appraiser
• Florida Business & Real Estate Broker
• Florida Life & Health Insurance Broker
• Business Brokers of Florida (BBF) Member
• International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) Member
• Florida Association of Realtors Member

Educational Background:

• Master of Science in Finance, Auburn University
• Bachelor of Science specializing in Finance, University of West Florida
• Associate of Arts specializing in Finance, Florida Gulf Coast University