When Ben Beck retired from professional baseball, his next steps in life weren’t clear.
He had studied criminal justice at Northeastern University in Boston, MA, and had considered a career in law enforcement. However, the long-time CrossFit enthusiast soon found himself interested in the financial industry.
This led him to become a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch before eventually co-founding his company, Beck Bode, in 2013 with fellow advisor Jim Bode. Their shared mission became: to help people grow wealth with purpose.
- Twelve years later, Beck Bode has become a successful firm with 12 advisors serving over 700 clients.
Most recently, he launched Forging Elite Finance, a social media educational page powered by Beck Bode, designed to help affiliate owners and CrossFit athletes develop financial resilience and take control of their financial future.
From “DT” to Forging Elite Finance
Beck was first introduced to CrossFit in 2012 by his college friend Josh Plosker, who owns five affiliates in the Boston area, including CrossFit Invictus Back Bay and CrossFit One Nation.
His first workout was the Hero WOD, “DT.”
- “I didn’t know how to clean, so you can imagine what that looked like. I was left lying on the floor, not knowing what happened to me,” Beck remembers, laughing. “And then, it was, ‘What time do we meet tomorrow?’”
It was a “life-changing moment,” Beck explained, as CrossFit has played a central role in his life ever since, and he quickly recognized the parallels between CrossFit’s core principles and sound financial strategy: discipline, resilience, and commitment to the plan, even when it’s difficult, he said.
Through Plosker, Beck quickly learned about the financial challenges faced by many gym owners and athletes, and it became clear that the CrossFit community is badly underserved in terms of financial education and planning. He explained that they are often so busy helping others that their own financial planning falls to the wayside.
- “These are people who are deeply committed to helping others live better lives,” Beck said.“ They’re doing real, meaningful work. They’re building communities, but they often aren’t connecting the dots when it comes to their personal finances because of the pressures of running a business. It’s tough out there.”
The same applies to elite CrossFit athletes.
- “Oftentimes they’re really young, but they can be making real money, and they have all kinds of revenue streams, but they don’t know what to do with it,” Beck said.
So Beck began working with both Semifinals and CrossFit Games athletes, as well as affiliate owners, which eventually led him to start Forging Elite Finance.
More recently, he has partnered with the Professional Fitness Athletes’ Association (PFAA) to help more athletes protect and maximize their earning potential now and into the future.
Forging Elite Finance, Explained
Unlike many financial planners who manage money remotely, Beck makes a point to craft genuine relationships with everyone he works with.
He encourages clients to reach out at any time they have questions and holds regular meetings to stay informed about what’s happening in their lives.
- “Yes, I’m a financial advisor, but it’s pretty all-encompassing. I want to help optimize their lives in all directions,” Beck said. “We help them with everything that can help them along on their financial journey.”
Beck understands that the financial world can be intimidating, so one of his goals is to make it simple for his clients.
- “There’s so much noise out there. Crypto, meme stocks…We help people stay disciplined and ignore the distractions,” he said.
That’s why he said taking a long-term approach is key, just like in fitness.
- “You’re going to have Fran lung, so to speak, at different times in your investing careers,” Beck explained. “But a year later, three years later, you’re a lot fitter.”
The Big Picture
Today, Beck Bode has a growing roster of Semifinals and CrossFit Games athletes and affiliate owners committed to building lasting wealth and stronger communities, both inside and outside the gym. Beck’s main goal is to help them achieve long-term financial success, regardless of whether they become clients or not.
- “They have an amazing opportunity to change their financial lives in a span of a couple of years,” Beck said. They just need a coach to guide them and help them “stay the course.”
This is where Beck comes in to educate and provide the much-needed support tailored to each individual.
- “Anyone can be successful in finance, but there are distractions along the way, ups and downs, that can make it difficult. So we’re here to help build resilience in folks [and eventually] help them retire, and retire comfortably,” he said.
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Featured Image: Beck Bode
