Austin Harwood | Financial Strategist | GFI
Financial Operations · Bay Area, CA · GFI Global

Teaching the 99%
What the
Top 1% Know. Your family deserves the same strategies as the wealthy.

Executive Director · National Trainer · GFI Global Financial Impact

Quit corporate. Built a family business. Went 100% remote. 11 years teaching families how money really works — and how to make it work for them.

11+
Yrs Finance
50
States Served
100%
Remote
GFI
Exec. Director
Austin Harwood
Austin Harwood
Executive Director · GFI
Location Bay Area, CA
Coverage All 50 States
Experience 11+ Years
Mode 100% Remote
"Harwoods Do Hard Things." The Harwood Family Motto
What I Do

Financial ServicesBuilt for real families. Engineered for results.

Every strategy is custom-built around your goals, your family, and your future. No cookie-cutter plans. No unnecessary complexity. Just real solutions that work.

01 💰
Tax Strategy

Stop overpaying. The #1 way to leverage the tax code is running your own business. I show you what your CPA never told you.

02 📈
Wealth Building

Indexed products, cash value life insurance, and long-term wealth infrastructure — the tools the 1% use, available to everyone.

03 🛡️
Life Insurance

Term, whole, and indexed universal life solutions that protect your family today and build a tax-free legacy for tomorrow.

04 🏠
Mortgage Protection

Safeguard your home and your family's security. Because the roof over your kids' heads is non-negotiable.

05 🎯
Retirement Planning

Retire on your terms — not when your employer says so. Tax-efficient strategies that build freedom, not just a balance sheet.

06 🚀
Business Coaching

Want to build your own agency? Austin trains teams nationwide. The same path he walked — 100% remote, family-first — now open to you.

Austin Harwood
Austin's Story

From IT Sales
to Financial Freedom.The story that started with a 47% tax bill.

"How come they don't teach this in school? How come my job never told me about this? Everyone needs to know about this."

It started in 2014 — IT Sales in the Bay Area, new house, new baby, making "good money" but paying 47% in taxes. His CPA dropped one line that changed everything: "The #1 way to leverage the tax code is to run your own business."

A mutual friend — 13 years in financial services, 2,000-person nationwide agency — sat down with Austin and his wife. He was blown away. Quit IT. Went all in on coaching families on money. A few years later, his mom joined the business. Then his wife left corporate to join him.

Now — 2 kids, multiple offices, home purchases, and running a 100% remote family business — the Harwoods have built life entirely on their own terms. 11 years in. More learned about money than in the prior 34 combined.

Executive Director — GFI Global Financial Impact
Mar 2024 – Present · Recruiter · National Trainer
Helping people increase their net worth. Training agents nationwide.
Senior Director — Pinnacle Elite
Jan 2015 – Mar 2024 · 9 yrs · Pleasanton / San Jose, CA
Built and led a high-performing financial services team
Sales Supervisor — SYNNEX Corporation
2006 – Jan 2015 · 9 yrs · Fremont, CA
IT Sales & Management · Major Bay Area tech company
BS Business Administration — Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
1998–2002 · Marketing · Minor in Psychology
Phi Delta Theta · Recruitment Chairman & Secretary
How It Works

From First CallA clear 4-step path to financial clarity.

01
Discovery Call

A real conversation — no pitch, no pressure. We map where you are and where you want to go.

02
Financial Snapshot

We identify your income, taxes, protection gaps, and opportunities. The full picture — clearly explained.

03
Custom Strategy

Your personalized plan — built around your family, your goals, and the tax code working in your favor.

04
Ongoing Partnership

Annual reviews, life updates, and a direct line to Austin whenever you need it.

Deep Expertise

Core SpecialtiesHigh-impact strategies for what matters most.

01 // Specialty 01
Tax Reduction Strategy

Most people hand over 30–50% of their income without realizing there's a better way. I teach families and business owners the same legal tax strategies that wealthy entrepreneurs have used for decades.

02 // Specialty 02
Indexed Universal Life (IUL)

Tax-free growth potential, downside protection, and a tax-free death benefit. A powerful wealth-building tool — and I'll tell you honestly whether it fits your situation.

03 // Specialty 03
Retirement Income Planning

Building a reliable, tax-efficient income stream that lasts as long as you do — regardless of market conditions. We design your retirement around your lifestyle, not a generic number.

04 // Specialty 04
Business Building & Recruiting

For those ready to build their own agency: Austin is a national trainer with a proven system. The same path he took from corporate to family business — now teachable, duplicatable, and 100% remote.

Let's Connect

Ready to Learn What
They Never Taught You? One conversation changes everything.

No sales pressure. No jargon. Just a straightforward conversation about where you are and where you want to go. Austin did this — so can you.

Direct line: 925-899-2523  ·  Bay Area, CA  ·  Nationwide via Zoom
Austin Harwood
Executive Director · GFI Global Financial Impact · Bay Area, CA

Securities and investment advisory services offered through GFI Global Financial Impact. This website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. All financial strategies should be evaluated based on individual circumstances. Please consult with a qualified professional before making financial decisions. © 2025 Austin Harwood.