This publication is devoted to the financial planning process from the point of view of the practitioner. The needed background qualifications, licenses, technical training, and sales development initiatives are all discussed. These factors are then melded together with the steps involved in developing a robust, "stick- to-the-ribs" client base. To be successful in the financial planning profession, a combination of sales skills and the ability to transmit semi-complex technical information in an understandable format are essential. It is the planner's job to motivate people to take action on their financial lives. To do that often requires a gentle nudge or push, which is not really selling but rather counseling. This publication is in no way intended to be all-encompassing but rather to provide some basic guidance to those who enter or contemplate entering the financial planning field.