(From left): Victor Harry Hartman, birthday boy James Benedict and celebrity designer Francis Libiran (Photos by Nice Print Photography)

Financial adviser James Benedict Cuesta-Gamboa turned 21 in lavish style at the City of Dreams recently. But don’t be fooled by his young age. He happens to have  the crucial job of ensuring that the funds of some hush-hush celebrity clients are put to good use.

As CEO of his own company, the JC Trade, James serves as a consultant to the stars on how to make investment decisions.

“The thing with some of my clients is that they have lots of money pero natutulog lang so I give them advice on where and how to invest. Others are older people who are lazy to learn the trade or don’t know how to analyze, so that’s where my expertise comes in also,”  he revealed.

His basic advice to his star clients is to “just invest the amount you are willing to lose para walang samaan ng loob, but I don’t give them losses naman so they’re happy,” he added.

James Benedict having a blast during his party inspired by ‘The Greatest Showman’ movie

James also manages the family-owned J-Core Cargo Forwarding Services based in Palawan while studying for a double degree in De la Salle University. He said he’s been working very hard and so splurged on his debut, inspired by the 2017 musical drama “The Greatest Showman” by Michael Gracey. He had a total of three outfit changes during the party, made by no less than his favorite celebrity designer Francis Libiran. 

“Francis is very expensive, yes, but he also gave me generous discounts. I worked closely with him and told him I wanted to be seen from a two-kilometer radius. I cried during my first fitting. Francis is really a genius. Even if I just tell him vaguely what I want, he delivers more than what I could imagine,” James noted.

The young trader considers fashion as his passion. He noted the role of fashion in building one’s confidence, making people feel good about themselves, or establishing one’s identity.

“But it’s not about luxury brands, really. You can be fashionable even with a thrift store purchase. You can be stylish as long as you’re happy and comfortable with what you’re wearing, and no one should judge you for that,” he remarked.

Source: Manila Bulletin (https://mb.com.ph/2022/10/14/meet-james-benedict-money-guru-to-the-stars/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=meet-james-benedict-money-guru-to-the-stars)