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Justin D Maxwell Story
I was supposed to be a college professor, but one event changed absolutely everything. If you’re reading this, it’s because you want to learn more about who is this Justin D Maxwell, who is Big Life Financial, and what are they doing in the world? I want you to know more about me—my backstory, where I came from, how I tick, and what makes me, me.
Early Life and Family Background
The first thing you need to know is that I grew up in an extremely loving household in suburban Utah. My parents loved each other. They were both college-educated. They had opportunities in extraordinary careers. They taught me love, service, how to succeed in school, how to think, how to be. I’m not a product of a poverty-stricken background. I didn’t have to fight through adversity just to survive. I had a stable, consistent, supportive upbringing, and I am extremely grateful for that.
That stability taught me to think. To think big. To chase dreams and believe in my potential. They told me I could become whatever I wanted, but I had to work for it. I appreciate that deeply.
Childhood Challenges and Internal Conflicts
But there was a parallel experience that created internal conflict. When I was young, I had dozens of friends. We did everything together. We played sports, video games, went to cabins—tight bonds that felt like lifelong best friendships. But one by one, those friends moved away. Not their fault. Not mine. But every single one moved away.
I couldn’t process that as a kid. What I internalized was: if you build something close and meaningful, it will eventually leave or fail. That belief held me back. I didn’t know it then, but it planted a subconscious fear. A contradiction was forming inside me. On one side, my parents said I could be great. On the other side, my experience was telling me that putting my heart into something—especially relationships—would end in loss.
This tug-of-war shaped me. I started playing safe. I became good at many things without pushing toward greatness. In sports, I was good enough to get respect without being the best. That protected me from the fear of failure. The deeper the relationship or effort, the more likely it felt it would fall apart. So I found safety in being above average, but not extraordinary.
Struggles with Success and Wealth Perception
Then came another experience that added to this internal conflict. In Park City, Utah, there are many wealthy individuals. One day at church, someone asked, “What are your favorite beaches?” My family was middle class. We didn’t travel to beaches. I felt intimidated. When I shared this with my parents, the response was mocking: “Oh, that’s just because they’re wealthy.”
That moment etched a belief that wealth was bad. That rich people were selfish or somehow lesser. Now I had three forces inside me: a drive to go big, a fear that going all-in would lead to pain or failure, and a belief that money was bad. These stories would later dictate many of my decisions.
Choosing a Career Path
In college, I was trying to choose a career. People suggested law or accounting. I had the demeanor for it. But those paths were off the table early for me. They represented too much success, too much money, and too much risk of failure. Education became the “safe” place to go big.
I loved learning. I was good at it. Teaching offered a path where I could stand out but remain hidden. Professors weren’t rich or famous. It felt safe and non-threatening. So I pursued a bachelor’s degree, then immediately a master’s. My plan was to become a college professor. It paid enough to survive and allowed me to hide while doing good work.
But during my master’s, everything changed. I was doing a mini dissertation. I hated the red tape, the bureaucracy, the compliance. I loved reading research but hated conducting it. That was the first crack. Something inside me said, “This isn’t it. This isn’t big enough.”
Discovering a New Path: Entrepreneurship
Around that time, my neighbor Dave Clark invited me to a real estate meeting. Eventually, I heard Garrett Gunderson speak. It was a spiritual lightbulb moment. For the first time, I realized I didn’t have to work for someone else. I could control my outcome. I could serve humanity through business ownership.
I finished my master’s but knew I couldn’t pursue a PhD. I couldn’t justify more school. I needed to provide for my family. So I got a teaching job while exploring options. I flipped real estate, sold notes, products, systems—anything to find a path.
A year after the Garrett event, I remembered Derrick Van Ness. We’d connected briefly. I called him and asked, “How did you get where you are?” That conversation changed everything. I began doing calls for Derrick. Then I joined Big Life Financial.
Building Big Life Financial
I immersed myself. I sold insurance. I helped with R&D credits. I studied relentlessly—books, courses, podcasts, webinars. I had hundreds of conversations with accountants. I learned through client questions. My background in education allowed me to learn fast.
Within six to seven months, I replaced my $60K W2 teaching salary. I left teaching. But then came the real journey of business ownership. Regulation changes, cash flow fluctuations, client needs—it was trial by fire. We kept solving problems. Our services grew: from coaching to investing, accounting, M&A, estate planning. We became a fractional family office.
The Ripple Effect and Growing Legacy
Every step was serendipitous. Garrett’s talk led to entrepreneurship. My call to Derrick led to joining Big Life. A canceled speaking gig due to COVID gave me a chance to speak on a stage Garrett was on. Garrett later told me to improve my speaking. He referred me to Heroic Public Speaking.
I invested in that training. I learned to connect emotionally, not just deliver data. One speech led to a client—Jeff Sands. Jeff referred me to Amber Spears and the Four Rooms Mastermind. That led to Alex Moscow’s event where I met Dr. Nima. He helped me unlock childhood trauma and understand my internal resistance.
The Vision for the Future
Now I’m all in. I’ll fail often, but failure is part of the journey. I help business owners stop treating their business like a job and start treating it like an asset. I help them unlock generational wealth.
This isn’t just about money. It’s about family. I want my family to look both backward and forward—to thank ancestors and empower descendants. I want us to give away a million dollars a year in 20 years, and a billion over 150 years.
We’re not raising trust fund kids. We’re raising creators and givers. That’s the permission I want every business owner to have: to become generationally good leaders building generational impact.
Conclusion: A Bigger Why
Our vision is to build a billion-dollar company in 10 years. Not for the money, but for the lives we’ll impact. Just like Garrett’s speech impacted mine, I want to spark that ripple for others.
That’s who I am. That’s what Big Life Financial stands for. Yes, we do taxes, investments, insurance, exits. But our why is unleashing human potential. Because when someone reaches their potential, they help more people. That’s the legacy we’re building.
I’m Justin D. Maxwell. Thanks for reading.