Becoming a Financial Planner: Q&A with Finance Alum River Galland

River Galland (2024) is the first finance student to complete the CFP® exam after the financial management curriculum was registered with the CFP Board. He is pursuing his career goals in financial services industry working in Mill Valley, California. We asked River to answer a few questions regarding his journey to becoming a financial planner. 

 What got you interested in the CFP® certification?

My interest in the CFP® certification began during my first professional job at Blakeslee & Blakeslee, a local financial planning firm in San Luis Obispo. That experience introduced me to the real-world impact of financial planning.

While I’ve always enjoyed working with numbers and had a strong passion for finance, I realized that what truly motivated me was being able to help people directly. I saw how powerful it was to take the stress out of clients’ financial lives, helping them feel secure about retirement, supporting their families, and planning confidently for their future. I wanted to pursue a career where I could build meaningful relationships and guide people through some of the most important decisions in their lives. The CFP® designation stood out as the gold standard to help me achieve these career and personal objectives.

How did Cal Poly’s coursework prepare you for the CFP® exam?
Cal Poly’s rigorous coursework gave me a huge advantage when it came time to prepare for the CFP® exam. Classes like Financial Literacy, Corporate Finance, Portfolio Management, Fixed Income Markets, Options & Futures,  and estate and retirement planning built a strong foundation in both the theory and application of financial management. The academic challenge at Cal Poly helped me develop the discipline and study habits needed to tackle the exam’s broad scope.

I supplemented my studies with Kaplan’s CFP® prep course and dedicated time to intensive review. Along the way, I was also able to support other Cal Poly students by answering their questions about the exam, what to focus on, how to study, and what resources to use. Helping my peers deepened my own understanding and reinforced the collaborative spirit that Cal Poly fosters. The knowledge I gained through my classes and the CFP® preparation process gave me the confidence to step into this field with clarity and purpose.

How did passing the CFP® exam help start your career?
Earning the CFP® designation has been a critical step in launching my career. While licenses like the SIE, Series 7, and Series 66 are valuable as baseline requirements for the securities industry, the CFP® certification is widely recognized as the most comprehensive and distinguished credential in the financial planning profession.

It demonstrates deep knowledge across all the essential areas of a client’s financial life: investment planning, retirement planning, risk management, insurance, employee benefits planning, estate planning, tax planning and the development of an overall financial strategy. Having the CFP® has opened doors to highly respected firms that prioritize holistic planning and long-term client relationships. It also gives clients confidence that I can guide them through complex life decisions with clarity and care. It’s more than a certification; it’s a statement about my commitment to delivering the highest standard of advice.

Where do you see your career going over the long-term?
Long-term, my goal is to become a lead wealth manager and build lasting relationships with clients — relationships where I’m working alongside them through every phase of life. I want to be a trusted partner they can turn to during career transitions, planning for their retirement, sending their kids to college and everything in between. My hope is to provide not just financial guidance, but peace of mind. I’m deeply grateful to Cal Poly for helping lay the foundation for this path. I hope the CFP® program at Cal Poly  continues to inspire other students to pursue this profession. Financial planning is a growing, impactful field and I’m excited to be a part of a movement that empowers people to manage their lifetime finances with confidence.