We were lucky to catch up with Taylor Hutton, Mba recently and have shared our conversation below.

Taylor, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

My mission behind this business was born from a deeply personal and painful experience that doesn’t get mentioned much. On May 18, 2022, I lost my father – which was an incredibly difficult moment in my life, right after the loss of my mother. One of the hardest parts was realizing that his passing could have been prevented, or at least made more manageable, if he had planned better financially. He didn’t have the financial resources to cover a hospital visit, and it ultimately cost him his life.

That day, I made a vow to myself: no other child should ever have to bury their parent because of a lack of financial preparation, especially when it comes to emergencies like medical costs. As an adult, I’ve learned that financial planning isn’t just about saving for the future – it’s about protecting your loved ones and ensuring they have the means to handle life’s unexpected challenges.

Through this business, I want to empower families to create solid financial plans, so they don’t have to face the same heartbreaking situation I did. My mission is to help people understand the importance of planning ahead, making sure no other child has to bury their parent due to lack of financials.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I grew up in Wichita, Kansas, in a business-oriented household where discussions about business were common at the dinner table. My mother owned her own cleaning company, and my father was a regional sales manager in the aerospace industry. I loved going to work with my parents and listening in on conference calls, even hearing about the sale of sheet metal at a young age.

At the age of 11, my mother asked me if I would like to take over the bookkeeper role of her company, so I stepped in to help with the bookkeeping. It was during this time that my passion for finance truly took root.

Fast forward to college: I was pursuing a Finance Degree at McPherson College and I enjoyed every moment of it. However, my junior year took a devastating turn when I lost my 55-year-old mother to Alzheimer’s disease. Overcome by grief, I made the difficult decision to leave school and join the job force. I took a job as a server at a local chain restaurant, but it didn’t take long for me to realize that this path was not where I wanted to stay. While I enjoyed working with people, I missed the financial focus that had always driven me.

After taking a semester off to process my emotions and reassess my future, I decided to return to school, and enrolled myself at the University of Phoenix. In 2020, I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in finance, along with a Certificate in Financial Planning. Within 12 weeks of graduation, I received a job offer at a corporate company and moved to Kansas City to begin my career in the financial industry. Things were going great as I moved up to a management role, until tragedy struck again with the loss of my father in May 2022.

His death changed everything. I knew life would never be the same, and I felt a deep sense that I was meant for something bigger, though I wasn’t sure what that something was. Then, one afternoon in August 2022, while sitting at my father’s grave, the idea hit me: ‘Go get your master’s degree and open your own business.’
I wasted no time. Within two months, I enrolled in the master’s program at the University of Phoenix for the 2023 term and began planning my business venture in secret.

In December 2023, I graduated with my MBA and was inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS), an honor given to the top 5% of college students. That same month, I made my dream a reality by launching Budget Bee LLC, where I offer monthly budget consulting, budget teaching sessions, and spending summary reports all Taylor-Made for you to reach your wildest dreams of buying a house, paying down your debt, getting married, and much more!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Prior to opening Budget Bee LLC – I wanted to have an office space for people to come in and talk face-to-face about their financials, and to help alleviate their financial stress with a welcoming / cozy environment. I rented an office space in a well known area to help attract clientele and even purchased a lavender fragrance to help provide a calming environment for a personal discussion. However – it became evident that an office space was not going to be needed, as many people prefer to have virtual meetings from the comfort of their own home. While my goal was to offer a welcoming environment to people for them to open up about their financials, I quickly had to make a pivot in my business to go from only seeing clients in person – to only offering virtual services. This pivot was a hard one to make – but has been more beneficial for my business than I ever imagined, because now I can also serve individuals and families that reside outside the KC area.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I think the biggest thing that helped me build my reputation within my market was that I allow my followers to have an inside look into my personal life and see that I practice what I preach. For example – I share budget-friendly cooking ideas that I make at home rather than ordering out, how I budgeted for my dog’s birthday celebration when I didn’t make extra income, how to budget for game days when its football season, etc.

By being transparent and showing that I also live within my budget – has allowed my followers to have trust in me that the advice I share is feasible, rather than an unrealistic idea.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.budgetbeellc.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/budgetbeellc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/budgetbeellckc
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@budgetbeellc

Image Credits

Tenowski Branding