Garry Collins

Elijah has been a fee-only financial planner for over eight years. In 2025, he started Essa Financial to provide transparent and client-centric financial advice to folks in the Louisville community and beyond. As a teacher, Elijah’s favorite part about being a financial planner is communicating complex planning topics to clients in ways that are more easily understood. He enjoys the education aspect of being a planner, especially in a one-on-one environment. He values deep relationships with clients, and is always willing to listen and learn. He also believes exceptional client service (and swift communication) is the cornerstone of financial planning. Elijah is actively involved in the profession. He is an active volunteer with the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA), having previously served on their Genesis board for young advisors for five years and currently serving on the South Region board as the Membership Chair. He also reviews scholarship applications for the CFP Board Center for Financial Planning, which provides assistance to qualified candidates for the CFP® exam. In addition to his role as a planner, Elijah teaches part-time as an adjunct professor at the University of Louisville. Elijah resides in Louisville with his wife, Sarah, and dogs, Landon and Korra. Aside from financial planning and teaching, Elijah spends his time frequenting local coffee shops, running (short distances) around his neighborhood, playing video games, watching the Minnesota Timberwolves, and of course, spending time with friends and family.