Today we’d like to introduce you to Omar Aguilar.
Hi Omar, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My story doesn’t begin with me; it begins with the courage of my family. I grew up in a blue-collar home watching my parents work tirelessly, a reality many of us know well. They taught me that our roots aren’t a barrier, but the very foundation we stand on.
Eighteen years ago, I started as a bank teller just to pay my way through a degree in Education. My goal was to be a high school history teacher, but I quickly realized that every time I helped a client avoid a fee, build credit or apply for a home, I was teaching. I was helping people navigate a financial system that can be ruthless to those who don’t know the rules. In a way, I became a teacher the moment I stepped behind that teller line; I just swapped the history books for financial ones.
In 2022, after years of mastering the technical side of finance, I launched Blue Ladder Financial Planning. I did it because I noticed a troubling pattern: the people in the community I grew up in were working just as hard, if not harder, than wealthy clients I was advising, yet they remained stuck in a cycle of living paycheck to paycheck.
My time in the industry taught me a vital lesson: financial freedom isn’t a luxury reserved for the few; it is a goal that the average person can absolutely achieve. I started this company to be a foundation for those families. I wanted to prove that the same path to security used by the wealthy should be available to everyone in my community.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I don’t believe any road is a smooth one, especially for an entrepreneur. My journey has been less about avoiding obstacles and more about learning how to climb them. Two of my biggest challenges have been the steep learning curve of business ownership and the deep-seated distrust of the financial system within our community.
In my previous roles, I was proficient at being an advisor, but running a firm is a different world. You have to be more than a good advisor; you have to handle compliance, marketing, and a million other details that happen behind the scenes. It was a humbling experience to realize I didn’t know what I didn’t know. Luckily, I found incredible networking groups shortly after launching Blue Ladder. They helped me tackle those business ownership issues so I could get back to focusing on what matters: my clients.
The second obstacle was the education gap. When I started, I naively thought everyone would be eager to listen because the knowledge I share leads to financial independence. However, I quickly realized that in our community, there is a lot of skepticism toward the financial system. People are often hesitant to trust someone they’ve never heard of with a topic they’ve never been taught. To bridge this gap, I started providing free financial literacy classes. I realized that before I could ask for their business, I had to provide value and earn their trust. These ‘small hills’ have only made me a better advocate for the people I serve.
We’ve been impressed with Blue Ladder Financial Planning, LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At Blue Ladder Financial Planning, we operate on a simple philosophy: You don’t need thousands of dollars to start your journey toward financial freedom; you just need to start. We specialize in helping hardworking individuals who may not come from wealth, blue-collar workers and minorities navigate their financial lives with confidence.
What truly sets us apart is that we are ‘people who work with people, not numbers.’ Because of my background in the Air Force and my 18 years in the industry, I approach planning with a sense of duty and discipline. I’ve seen how larger corporations sometimes treat clients as just another account number. At Blue Ladder, we do the opposite. We specialize in personalized financial roadmaps, investing in education, and life insurance strategies. We focus on the ‘A through Z’ of your finances, but we do it in a way that is easy to understand and tailored to your specific life goals.
Brand-wise, I am most proud of our commitment to transparency and education. I’m not here to sell a product; I’m here to be a partner for the long haul. Whether it’s through our quarterly check-ins or the free financial literacy classes I give in the community, our brand stands for inclusivity. I want readers to know that at Blue Ladder, we believe financial security should be accessible to everyone, regardless of where they are starting from. We provide the tools, the support, and the plan—you just have to take the first step onto the ladder.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Up until I was seven, I lived in a small town in Jalisco, Mexico, called Los Azulitos. It was a farming community where almost everyone raised livestock, and as kids, we found our entertainment wherever we could.
At the time, we had a pig that was easily one of the biggest in the area—honestly, she probably could have won some awards if we had ever entered her in a show. One of the many things I would do with my neighbors was catch her so I could try to ride her. No harness, no equipment—just me and my bare hands. Sometimes I would hold on for a over eight seconds but more often than not I ended on the ground faster than I got on. For a five-year-old, it was the ultimate thrill.
One day, I decided I was ready for the big leagues. My uncles were branding cattle and had a few calves in the corral. When my uncle called out to see which of us kids sitting on the wall wanted to ride one, I didn’t just jump—I flew off that wall. I ran as fast as I could toward a black-and-white calf before anyone could change their mind.
The calf came to about my chest. I grabbed hold of it and was just about to swing my leg over when I heard a voice that stopped me cold: ‘What in the world do you think you’re doing?’
It was my dad. He had shown up at the most inopportune time. He was angry at me and even angrier at my uncle for letting me try it. I let go of that calf, walked out of the corral with my head down, and ended my bull-riding career before it even officially started.
Looking back, that story always makes me laugh, but it also reminds me of the environment that shaped me. I learned early on to have the courage to jump into the ring, but I also learned the value of having a father who looked out for me and kept me grounded. That mix of bold ambition and steady guidance is exactly how I approach my life and my business today
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.blueladderfp.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blueladderfp/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blueladderfp/
Image Credits
Moonlight.Photography.TX – Araceli Aguilar
