Meet Loren Hsiao, CFP®, CLU®
Loren Hsiao was born in Lubbock, TX but grew up in Plano, Texas. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Texas A&M University in 2000. Outside of his work life, you’ll find Loren coaching basketball, attending one of the many sports or musical activities for his kids, or playing pickleball.
He and his wife Stephanie live in Fairview, Texas. They have three children, and all attend Coram Deo Academy in Plano, TX. They are active members of Providence Church in Frisco.
Loren Hsiao Applies Life Lessons Learned from his Father
Loren Hsiao, CFP®, CLU®, enjoys their office culture built around the acronym H.E.A.R.T., which stands for holistic, empower, adventure, relevance, and truth. It is what he asks of his staff and in turn, it is what his staff can count on from him.
While he has been able to set the standard for an outstanding work culture through the visual that the H.E.A.R.T. acronym represents, his own standard for professional growth, work ethic and even his entrepreneurial streak, were formed by another heart beat – that of his father David Hsiao.
“My parents are immigrants from Taiwan, in fact my father came here as a graduate student, not knowing anyone, not being able to speak English and leaving my mom behind when they were just newlyweds,” Loren Hsiao said with amazement.
The decision to make such a drastic change from their homeland in Taiwan where David and Jenny Hsiao first met, was because of David’s strong desire to give his wife and future family the very best that he could give them. In order to obtain such a lofty goal, he knew his future rested in the United States.
“Landing in Lubbock, Texas was a bit of a culture shock for my dad,” Loren Hsiao said. “Fortunately, his graduate advisor at Texas Tech, Dr. Leland Tribble, embraced him like his own son and showed him the ropes. He told my dad that when he wasn’t in class, that my dad should follow him everywhere, and he did just that.”
Because of that friendship and fatherly support that David Hsiao received, he soon acclimated, learned English well and decided on a graduate program in engineering. Soon the year requirement for spouses to immigrate was over and his wife was able to join him in Lubbock.
“And as things often happen, I was born nine months later,” laughed Loren Hsiao. “I was a bit of a surprise to say the least and they were not quite ready for me.”
David Hsiao knew that in order to provide for his new family, he would have to take on extra work outside of his classes. That extra work took the form of three part-time jobs, causing him to race home from class, wolf down a quick meal, nap briefly and then head back out the door for his next job.
“He could never recharge himself to 100%, there just wasn’t enough time in the day,” Loren Hsiao said.
The impact of the sacrifice his father made for him was particularly poignant, when one day Loren asked his dad to stay and play with him.
“My dad said he couldn’t because he had to go earn money for us. In Mandarin, the word “earn” is a homophone for “spin,” which looks and sounds very similar. When I heard him say that, I thought he was spinning a quarter on a table. I pulled out a quarter and tried to spin it for him, so he could stay home with me,” Loren Hsiao said.
As his father watched his son spinning quarters on a table, David Hsiao saw that his son simply couldn’t realize how important his sacrifice of time was to the family. In turn, Loren Hsiao still remembers that moment as it has become a symbol of his commitment to becoming a hard worker to provide a better opportunity for his family and clients.
“My dad gave up everything for his future family. He left his homeland, his friends, and his culture,” Loren Hsiao said. “He never had the privileges we had and he wanted us to have every opportunity available to succeed and grow. He was able to pay for my college education and my two brothers’ as well. We graduated with zero student loans! This was only possible because of my mom and dad’s sacrifices.”
"I often think about my parents' sacrificial life. I picture our family's possessions of time, money, and energy as a commodity; I imagine my dad watching me spin quarters,” Loren Hsiao said. “What would it look like for me to put myself in an uncomfortable position to make another person’s life better? I want to invest my time well and make an impact in the lives of others."
Loren Hsiao is thankful that he was able to find a career in financial planning and become a Co-Founder of 22 One Advisors. This allows for deep connection with clients and an opportunity to serve them. He is thankful too that his dad taught him the importance of sacrifice and the ability to seek out challenging opportunities.
“My dad knew that our family’s opportunity was in the United States and his decision paid off. As a Mandarin-speaking engineer back when the doors of the Asian markets flew open, he became invaluable to his company,” Loren Hsiao said. “I knew that my own opportunities could be made through hard work and sacrifice, just like my dad. I will be forever grateful of the example that my dad and mom provided.”
