Nathan McQuiston

Nathan McQuiston grew up staunchly dedicated to his education and extracurricular activities, which gave him the grounding and discipline necessary to pursue his career as an adult. After graduating from high school, Nathan enrolled in the University of North Texas, eventually earning a Bachelor of Business Administration with a focus on Finance and Marketing.

Over the next several years, Nathan McQuiston became determined to leverage his degree to position himself effectively within the financial industry. This included obtaining such positions as Financial Solutions Advisor, Investment Analyst, and Business Valuations Consultant. These professional roles provided Nathan with the experience necessary to venture into any avenue of the financial industry he chose with confidence and wisdom.

When he is not pursuing success in the business world, Nathan McQuiston enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He also enjoys exercising and all the benefits that come with it. Currently, he resides in Fort Worth, Texas.

Where did the idea for your career come from?

I grew up in a family that thrived within the financial industry, so becoming a Business Valuation Consultant felt like a natural progression for my career. It gives me a great sense of fulfillment and satisfaction to know that the work I do has a positive impact on my client companies.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

I spend much of my typical day following up on emails, returning phone calls and messages, and otherwise keeping up with my client contacts. From there, it’s a matter of working through a prioritized list of tasks. One of my overarching goals is not to procrastinate on anything that needs to be accomplished. I find this prevents the build-up of expected tasks from becoming overwhelming.

How do you bring ideas to life?

Often, I will discuss ideas with my colleagues. Once we come to a consensus for action, we do whatever we can to implement our ideas effectively.

What’s one trend that excites you?

Watching the market do what it is currently doing makes me optimistic about the future. The market works in cycles, and often, a situation such as the one that’s happening right now is indicative of an imminent upswing, which would, of course, improve the long-term outlook.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

I’m a pretty schedule-oriented person. When I set time aside to accomplish whatever I need to accomplish, it gets done at the appointed time. This sort of prioritization keeps me on track, and it keeps those around me aware of what’s required.

What advice would you give your younger self?

I would tell my younger self to take my studies more seriously much earlier in life. I believe the progress I’ve made professionally could have happened sooner had I only given my education the attention it deserved during my formative years.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

I like to dress comfortably when I’m working, as well as when I’m not working. While many have said that your manner of dress can affect your job performance, personally, I haven’t experienced any kind of a negative impact. I’m as driven for success both in professional attire and in casual attire.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

Exercise should be a daily priority. Putting it into your schedule every day makes a difference in how your day progresses. Since I began exercising each morning, the benefits have been incredible. My physique, my energy level, and my disposition have all improved immensely.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

A winning strategy for me has been taking on projects that I wouldn’t normally. Doing so forces me to acquire new skills and develop new approaches to meet the needs of my clients. It has also led me to discover new types of data analyses, many of which have been quite useful and illuminating.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

One big challenge I had to deal with was the choice to change the direction of my career. This required me to dedicate myself to learning a variety of new skills. In time, that dedication paid off and led to me not only becoming established in the industry, but it also led to me developing some new and innovative approaches to maximize results. I continue to develop my skills and learn lessons daily.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

While I don’t have a specific business idea in mind, I will say that the renewable energy sector holds a great deal of promise for growth in both the near-term and long-term future.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

The best $100 I recently spent was buying small stocks that are part of a larger stock purchase. These shares will grow in time and will benefit me for years to come.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

Microsoft Excel helps me to create the spreadsheets which are crucial for staying organized with my evaluation work.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

For those who are considering a career as a Business Valuation Consultant, I highly recommend Warren Buffett and the Interpretation of Financial Statements by Mary Buffett and David Clark. The insights this book contains are invaluable.

What is your favorite quote?

“What a company is worth depends on who wants to buy it.” — Michael Price

Key Learnings:

• Positive results come from remaining dedicated to your goals.
• By taking on projects that you wouldn’t normally, you can expand your horizons and broaden your professional outlook.
• It’s imperative to continue learning and developing new skills throughout your career.