Stevan Browning
Business Advisor • Financial Coach
Every business has a story—some are fighting through tough chapters, others are just beginning to write theirs. As a business advisor and financial coach, I help at both ends of the business journey.
As a business advisor and financial coach, I bring decades of hands-on experience in growing companies, leading turnarounds, guiding startups, and steering established businesses toward scalable success. My work spans telecom, insurance, bank card management, internet services, and digital media—across both public and private sectors—giving me a rare ability to navigate challenges with both strategic foresight and practical, ground-level know-how.
After decades in the business trenches—growing companies, navigating crises, turning around struggling teams, and reinventing what’s next—I’ve learned what works, what doesn’t, and what truly endures.
I’ve built businesses from scratch. I’ve led them through tough markets, hard decisions, and major transitions. I’ve also helped others do the same when everything was on the line.
So when challenges hit—uncertainty, pressure, or the feeling that something has to change—you don’t need judgment. You need steady, experienced support and clear, actionable guidance.
That’s what I offer.
Background
In the early 1970s, I launched my first business, Texa-Tel Communications, Inc. I gradually expanded this small but consistently profitable startup from a modest $1,000 investment to $2.5 million in sales.
In 1989, I sold my stake in Texa-Tel to join
International Claims Administration Corporation as Vice President of the Bank Card Division at the request of Visa USA, which was my largest telecom client until 1992, when I was asked to join
Visa USA in Foster City, CA where I studied the “Principles of SEC Reporting” with
Grant Thornton
and “International Business Transactions” at
Berkeley Law.
Current Focus
Now semi-retired and transitioning from corporate leadership to supporting small and midsize businesses, I provide strategic guidance, business management, financial insights, and mentorship—often at little or no cost. The most lasting and impactful companies often grow from experience—something that fosters empathy, ignites creativity, and keeps founders grounded when success comes. When leaders choose to pay it forward, they create a ripple effect that benefits their customers, communities, teams, and the industry overall. It’s a cycle of shared growth where everyone gains, beginning with that simple decision to give as generously as you have received. And I mean that.
Personal Life
I reside in the San Francisco Bay Area, where I enjoy mentoring business owners and teaching windsurfing in my spare time. I am a former board member of the Foster City Chamber of Commerce. I am certified in One Page Planning and WorkflowMax project management systems, as well as a Dave Ramsey Certified Financial Coach.
Publications
My book, Hooked—a simple, engaging guide to marketing for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and new marketers. The book reflects his lifelong passion for helping others succeed in business with clarity, creativity, and confidence.
