Today we’d like to introduce you to Clift Roach II.
Hi Clift , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Born on Detroit’s west side. Raised by 2 hard working parents that sacrificed everything to invest in great education for me and my older sister. She attended Cass Tech and FAMU then Emerson College. I attended University of Detroit Jesuit High School as 3 sport athlete, tennis, basketball and track. Graduated in 2013 then went to Saginaw Valley State University where I was the marketing coordinator for the school Black Student Union, facilitating events and programs for the largest minority organization on campus. I graduated in 2017 from SVSU with a bachelors in Business Marketing.
From there I started working as a manager at Enterprise Rent A Car right out of school. I became a client of a financial advisor at that time. And a year after working with him, I transitioned into the financial advising industry as a licensed life insurance agent in 2019 and later added my series 7, and series 66 licenses allowing me to sell and charge for advice on stock market related investments. After several leadership positions at 3 different fortune 100 financial firms, I served thousands of families in over 25 states across the United States. I began hosting events to bring together my clients and giving them a chance to connect.
These events have blossomed to Michigan’s largest and fastest growing professional networking community that blends upscale live networking mixers which access to financial planning resources. I’m the President of this organization, called “Networking at Night Detroit Community” We have hosted over 10,000 professionals at in person events in the last 2 years. The platform has grown to also offer stock market and real estate investing masterclasses and workshop. Community service projects like Thanksgiving food drives feeding 1,200 families partnering with the 1% better community led by Dr, Keyon Clinton. Also, partnerships with Jordan Smith and Just Elevated fitness club offering events that combine work out classes with a networking component.
Professionally known to many as “Clift Roach The Money Coach” I offer 1:1 stock market coaching programs, group sessions for financial planning, and basic financial literacy presentations to the youth. I’ve also taught stock market investing classes at Wayne County Community College.
My large network and media presence made for an easy expansion to launching a podcast called Cash Flow Conversation that highlight the stories of successful business owners and investors while teaching valuable money lessons.
I’ve been able to a land modeling and brand ambassador role with the Tayion Collection. One of the nations fast growing men’s fashions brands, found in over 200 Macy’s stores. This has landed me features in major fashion shows in Times Square, New York.
I was voted Detroit’s best financial planner 2025 by Hour Magazine. Received the Spirit of Detroit award for outstanding leadership and community impact from the current mayor, then Detroit city council president, Mary Sheffield. I’ve been feature in publications like Beautiful Machine Magazine, Black Detroiters, and appearances on CBS Detroit and WDIV Local 4 news.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Starting a career in financial services as a 24 years old first generation college grad, black man from Detroit, Michigan is one of the biggest uphill battles you can ask for. In an industry dominated by older white men and generation wealth, attempting to build a castle from the ground up with no tools, experience, funding, inheritance, or other advantages the majority starts with is enough to test your real values and work ethic. Despite running a race against those who were born with a head start, I managed to be acknowledged as the 1st year standout by my firm after out performing my class in my first 12 months of business.
with a lack of support and resources, I was unaware of the fine print in the predatory contracts offered by financial firms. After taking a leadership role and reaching the next level in career at a competing firm. my original firm encouraged advisors to solicit accounts that I sold, and replace the products I helped them obtain. Causing major financial pull backs, and despite transitioning to the next firm on good terms, the original firm sent their lawyers after me to sue for wages that I rightfully earned from doing my job.
After taking another promotional opportunity at my 3rd firm.. I spent a year working diligently to grow the firm by recruiting new advisors and helping the current advisors close more business, the tasks I was hired for. Part of this growth included hosting events that attracted talent people who could potentially become clients or new advisors at out firm.
Leveraging my social media presence to push the mission forward turned bad when the firm unfairly terminated my employment with no real explanation and forewarning. This termination, although abrupt and discriminatory, was the biggest blessing thus far. It allowed me the flexibility to build a movement and personal brand at my own pace, without restriction. Which ultimately allowed for a bigger impact on the community at large,
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
as a formerly licensed stock broker and life insurance agent, I’m about to use this knowledge combined with my communication and marketing skills to education high achieving professionals on how to grow their money by investing in the stock market. I am known as the money coach because of my ability to make complex concepts simple to understand and getting people to take action on steps that increase their overall net worth over time.
In tandem, my ability to influence culture and set a standard for professionalism, networking and community building through live events, make my combination of skills incomparable.
I’m not only known for financial education, but also known for being the only man to Consistently host hundreds of professionals for upscale networking mixers every single month where over 15 different industries are represented, everyone is dressed to impressed, and real business and connections are made.
This has all been organized into a membership based community platform that grants members free access to out mixers monthly and access to professional resources that help them elevate their network and their net worth.
Networking at Night Detroit is the only community platform in the state of Michigan that can gather professionals from politics and law enforcement, to cosmetology, to small business owners and professional athletes all under 1 roof every single month to network and build community, and still have fun doing so.
On top of that, my creative promotional videos and content creation on social media has taken off gathering hundreds of thousands of viewers because of the quality production and depth of material.
My hosting ability and media persona landed my a gig as on site host for the 2026 Detroit auto show that gathered over 350,000 people in 2 weeks.
What does success mean to you?
When people spend time around me, they make more money, the think of new ideas, the get better as humans, I not only lift up those around me, I also soak in game from those around me and use it to improve. I inspire another people to launch ideas and chase their dreams. That’s success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cliftroach.com/ and https://networkingatnightdet.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cliftroach/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clift.roachii/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cliftroachthemoneycoach/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CashFlowConversations7
