After earning his undergraduate degree specializing in Finance and before acquiring a Master of Science in Finance (MSF), Robert began his professional career working with small business owners within the banking industry of West Central Florida. As a business banker he worked closely with owners and managers of small and medium sized closely held businesses across many different industries. When the commercial bank he was working with was acquired by a larger financial institution Robert transitioned into a corporate finance role in Tampa, Florida. Shortly after making this transition, he realized the corporate world was not where he wanted to focus his professional efforts going forward. Not long after this realization a professional opportunity emerged which permanently pivoted his career.

As a result of population & economic growth in and around the City of Tampa, Florida the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) developed plans to extend the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway toll road from the Port of Tampa to Interstate 4 (I-4). The purpose of this new roadway connection was to redirect heavy truck traffic traveling between I-4 and the Port of Tampa away from the historical streets & historic buildings of Ybor City where damage to building foundations & structures were occurring. It was at this time Robert began working with the owners & managers of businesses located in the path of this road project to determine the financial and non-financial damages caused to their businesses, in finding suitable replacement sites for their operations, and in relocating their businesses to new locations. These experiences provided Robert with in-depth knowledge of the internal operations, regulatory environments, competitive landscapes, human resource challenges, and financial structures & performance of businesses across a very wide spectrum of industries and sub-industries. These experiences also served as the catalyst for him to create Hancock Financial LLC as a boutique advisory & planning firm focused on assisting small business owners generate long-term business value.

What sets Robert and the Business Advisors & Planners of Hancock Financial LLC apart from other advisory firms is the level of commitment to the long-term success of your business does not fluctuate based upon its size, industry, or location. Our primary focus is always on your goals for your business and that focus will not change whether your business achieves annual sales of $25,000 or $25,000,000. Robert truly enjoys working with businesses of all sizes and his greatest professional enjoyments are assisting business owners realize more internal business value than they ever thought possible and seeing younger generations lead family-owned businesses into the future.

Whether you want to improve a single aspect or multiple aspects of your business, grow organically or via acquisition, scale operations up or down, formulate a succession plan, or plan your eventual total exit from your business, Robert and the Business Advisors & Planners of Hancock Financial LLC will diligently work with you every step of the way to ensure your goals are accomplished.

Professional Credentials, Licenses, & Affiliations Held:

• Certified Financial Planning (CFP) Candidate
• 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