I consider myself an educator above all else so that clients can be well informed of the pros and cons of a decision, which in turn leads to confident decision-making. There are of course no perfect investments or strategies, and there is no magic crystal ball telling us what the future holds. So, we use past experience and technical indicators among many other factors to guide our clients toward the highest favorable outcome. Along the way, we aim to foster trust and partnership with those we are fortunate to serve.
I’ve been a Financial Advisor since 2009. Prior to that, I served over 4 years in the U.S. Navy and then became an electronics and laser engineer. When people ask how I came to be an advisor, it was really out of necessity. Rewinding the clock back to ’09, it was a tumultuous time from an economic perspective. I had just moved to Oregon from Houston where I was born and raised. The economy I left was greatly different than the economy I arrived at for sure. As an electronics engineer, this area was saturated with people looking for work. An opportunity presented itself at a financial services company ranked #2 on the Forbes “Best Companies to Work For 2009” list, and thus began my career as an advisor.
It’s been a long road but well worth the effort. I built my practice from scratch, going door to door and gaining business client by client. I was very fortunate from the very beginning, and I’m proud to have created a successful practice and built great friendships along the way.
At first, the goal was to work hard, serve people and get back to the quality of life I had enjoyed previously. As time went on, the deeper meaning and purpose of the path that chose me became more apparent. I say the path chose me because there were not many alternatives at the time, and this opportunity pretty much landed in my lap out of nowhere. I had been used to responsibility, sure. With a growing business, it amplifies the many joys and sorrows our clients experience. I didn’t really anticipate how much emotion would play a part in this career back in the early days. Yes, we manage money, we help families plan for their financial goals and we help navigate the ever-changing financial world. We also share in the ups and downs our clients go through on our journey together. Those memories have been incredibly valuable to me and have shaped me into the advisor I am today.
Now that over a decade has passed, I have a good knowledge of many circumstances people face – whether younger or older – and I draw from that when giving guidance and advice.