B.D. Dalton II is the strategic director at Rockfine Group
In one sentence, what does your role involve? Building and protecting wealth for business owners through wealth management and strategic consulting.
How long have you been in your current job? 27 years
Please give a summary of your professional career to date. My career kicked off at Walmart in its management acceleration programme, stationed in Lakewood, Washington. From there I dived into the financial world, joining Edward Jones Investments in 1997, where I quickly became a partner. In 2002 I made the move across the pond to the UK, where I led initiatives for Edward Jones across the Midlands. Fast forward to 2009, when Edward Jones exited the UK, I took the opportunity to establish our own wealth firm, now known as Temple Row. In 2012 I founded Rockfine, shifting focus to helping business owners sell their companies for top value.
Did further/higher education set you up well for your particular vocation? Higher education was essential to get qualified, especially in finance. I went to university in the States to study international business, but I would say that while education laid the groundwork, most of my learning came from real-world experience and constant adaptation in a fast-changing environment.
How is your job impacted by uncertainties in the economy? Here’s the funny thing: when the economy shifts, people with wealth need even more advice. Adversity creates opportunity, especially for the wealthy. The economic rollercoaster, whether it’s driven by taxes or market shifts, tends to create new avenues for strategic planning and growth. The wealthy often come out stronger when times are tough.
What’s your view of artificial intelligence – an opportunity, threat, or bit of both? It’s an amazing opportunity, no question. But I’m also cautious. If AI goes unchecked, we could hit the singularity way faster than we’re ready for. With planning and oversight, AI is a game-changer, especially for industries like wealth management where data and efficiency drive results.
Social media platform of choice, and why? LinkedIn takes the top spot for me. It’s the perfect hub for professional connections and thought leadership. My second choice would be YouTube, especially for podcasts and video content. I’ve had incredible conversations with people like Jay Abraham and Dr Allan Barnard, and YouTube helps extend those insights to a global audience.
How do you hope your colleagues would describe you? Energetic, connected, and what I like to call myself—a ‘lazy over achiever’. I love getting things done, but I’m all about working smarter, not harder. My colleagues hopefully see me as someone who keeps things moving but doesn’t burn out in the process.
Highlights of your career so far? I’ve picked up a few awards along the way, but the real highlight has been creating businesses and building teams at Rockfine and Temple Row that allow me to live the life I love. I can take one holiday a month and still feel confident my clients are in great hands. Balancing my professional life with my personal life – my clients, team and family – is the real success for me.
Any particular faux pas or embarrassing moments in your career you would prefer to forget? Every career has its moments, but nothing too dramatic that I would lose sleep over. You learn more from the hiccups than from smooth sailing, right? I loved my time at Edward Jones and I was once on the BBC talking about what I thought was cabbies and it ended up actually being Cadbury’s, so I looked stupid on TV.
Pet hates? Top of the list: people who don’t respond to emails or WhatsApp messages, lateness, and – my personal favourite – people telling me how busy they are. Everyone’s busy, but it’s about how you manage your time that counts. We call them ‘pet peeves’ in the US.
If you could go back and give your younger self some wise advice, what would it be? Hold onto those Amazon shares! But in all seriousness, invest more in yourself, be patient, and always remember that success doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a long game, and the best returns come from persistence and smart decisions.
How do you relax away from work? The gym is my go-to for stress relief, and I love lifting weights. When I’m not working out you’ll find me travelling, enjoying good food, and sipping wine with my family and friends.
Tell us something about you that most people probably wouldn’t know. I’m an Eagle Scout, I can juggle, and I spent a year living in Spain. Random skills and life experiences can sometimes take people by surprise!
You can take one book, one film, and one CD onto a desert island – what would they be? For books, I’d take The Compound Effect for business inspiration, and The Prophet or The Art of War for personal growth. My film would have to be Monty Python and the Holy Grail – a bit of humour is essential. For music, the Beastie Boys Anthology would keep my energy levels high.
Your five dream dinner party guests, dead or alive? My Grandpa Doc would definitely be at the table, along with Elon Musk, General Franco, Leonardo da Vinci and Baron Rothschild. The conversations would be as diverse as the personalities.
What would you choose to eat for your last supper? Tapas, hands down. You get a little bit of everything . . . variety is the spice of life!
