Get to Know Austin Private Wealth

Tik Tok, Spotify, Discord

The Iron Giant

“I see now that the circumstances of one’s birth are irrelevant. It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are.”

Volleyball, Hawaiian BBQ, golden retrievers, camping, and soccer

My dad is from the Alsace region of France, so every few years we take a trip there to visit family and see the wonderful countryside of France.

My family, girlfriend, and friends are my biggest influences. I am lucky to have such wonderful people in my life.

Pride in my work keeps me fulfilled. I work best when working towards goals that my coworkers and I are proud of achieving.

I love exploring new technologies, playing video games, and working with excellent people!

While my parents and sister were an important part of my growing up, my grandmother had the most influence in teaching the importance of having strong family relationships. She and her siblings were orphaned as young children. Instead of being sent to an orphanage, my grandmother and her sisters were split up and raised by different family members. In 1960, before most people were interested in genealogy, she and her cousins created the first version of our family tree, going back to my 5th great-grandfather. In the 70’s she wrote quarterly family newsletters and mailed them to hundreds of family members in multiple countries. She continued the newsletter well into her 90’s. She was a real matriarch.

Puzzles have become my new favorite activity. I find the actions of searching, finding, assembling, and completing hugely satisfying.

I like to mix physical activity and history while traveling within the USA. A vacation to Oregon included a car trip along the west coast, hiking, whitewater rafting down the Rouge River, and a visit to Crater Lake. Other memorable trips include a cruise to Alaska and concerts in Las Vegas.

Until video streaming became so popular, reading was my number one hobby. I enjoyed reading so much, I worked for a national bookstore chain during high school and college. I used to love historical romance novels and my favorite authors were Amada Quick and Johanna Lindsey. Now a days, I prefer Jack Reacher-type books.

I played kickball in the Austin Women’s Kickball Association and was a member of the original Margarita Mamas kickball team. My teammates and I had daughters that played in the NWA Kickball league. We played regular season games in Austin and Annual tournaments in Corpus Christie. I played for 5 years and had a blast. However, playing kickball is a lot harder than it looks and I decided to stop after too many injuries to my fingers.

Dance as though no one is watching you, Love as though you have never been hurt before, Sing as though no one can hear you, Live as though heaven is on earth - souza

My wife and my family back in the Midwest. They are huge influences in my life of trying every day to be a person with integrity, trustworthiness, and looking for the positives in any situation.

I believe that forming connections with your clients and coworkers on a personal level will allow your workplace to be something more than just a job. When you have a stake in your clients' lives and their goals, you will make your profession worthwhile. I am also a believer that whenever you say you are going to do something, always follow through, no matter how small it may seem.

My hometown sports teams- the Cincinnati Bengals and Cincinnati Reds. And I love to play golf and tennis as a way to stay active.

Ocean’s 11

• Espn App
• Nike Run Club
• Spotify
• My Chess App

Visiting small towns in Texas with a lot of character.

I love hearing impacts that our company has had on clients’ lives. Being able to see a financial plan put to work and getting a client to their goals is what motivates me in this profession.

During my first career in International Marketing and Sales I realized that, although successful, I was missing a sense of purpose in my job. I was also finding myself giving financial advice to my close friends on a regular basis and wanting to know more about it. It all came together when I started my current career. It was a revelation that helped me get through the difficult initial years.

Every day I show up for work I still have the desire to make a difference in people's lives like I did the first day I started. I especially enjoy being part of my clients’ lives in joyous as well as difficult moments. I believe we are so privileged to experience life in all its facets through the lives of our clients, helping them resolve family situations, seeing their kids go to college and form families and planning for future generations.

Soccer aficionado - my dream retirement would be to travel the world attending local and international soccer tournaments across the planet while taking local cooking classes.
Collecting wine is fun and waiting for a bottle to be drinkable for many years is an exercise of self-discipline.
Skiing is awesome, but I am still not sure if it is the skiing itself, the beauty of the mountain scenery or the "Aprés-Ski" that makes it so great!

Traveling the world with my family never gets old and opens my eyes to something new every single time. Among our favorites: turquoise waters of the Caribbean and South Pacific, Andean mountains of Ecuador, Paisanos de Uruguay, food vendors in Bangkok, temples of Angkor, rugged mountains of Laos, the majesty of the Grand Canyon, the serenity of Big Bend, beautiful cities of St Petersburg, San Francisco, Rio, Sydney and Vancouver...to be continued.

All-time favorite book is Les Rougon-Macquart, a collective title given to a cycle of twenty novels by French writer Émile Zola. Subtitled "Natural and social history of a family under the Second Empire," it follows the life of one family during the Second French Empire (1852–1870). I spent a summer reading all 20.
Most Al Pacino movies are my favorites.

For travel, Trip it and Momondo are amazing and so useful.
Miscellaneous: Credit Karma, Cellar Tracker, Nike Run Club, FuboTV, TED

Real estate gets me excited in all its different forms and watching a rundown building being transformed into a desirable place never ceases to amaze me. Most important to me is my family and my adopted country, I feel so blessed with all the opportunities that we have had and with living in a great country.

John Quincy Adams: “I am a warrior, so that my son may be a merchant, so that his son may be a poet.” (P.S. -I personally would substitute the word builder to warrior.)

Arthur Ashe: “Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.”

There have been two people who have had the most influence on what I do and how I think; Warren Buffett and my mother, Kelly. Warren has shown me how to find true value not only in investments but in life. My mother was the one who instilled the work ethic and drive to be a better person for humanity.

My true happiness comes from seeing others succeed. My job as an advisor is to be thoughtful, selfless, and empathetic when discussing any situation, no matter how big or small. My goal is to always provide more depth or education around certain areas so that we may make the best decisions in that moment. I am naturally an intellectually curious individual, which helps when problem solving or thinking through a complex decision for a client.

I am universally attracted to all sports due to my competitive background. On a personal level, I still try to compete in golf and tennis but love to watch football, basketball and baseball.

Boston. I love the history and grittiness of the city.

• Poor Charlie’s Almanack, Charlie Munger
• Thinking Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman
• The Birth Of Plenty, William J. Bernstein
• Factfulness, Hans Rosling

Wall Street Journal
Barron’s
Austin Business Journal
Spotify

I love playing and listening to the piano.

• "The chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken."

My guilty pleasure is a nice glass of whiskey on ice over the weekend.

My family in different areas of my life. I go to my dad a lot for business/work advice, my mom for relationships and my brother and his fiancé for just about anything. I rely heavily on my close friends as well.

Long walks with my dog, Boo, crisp and sunny fall/winter days, exploring new neighborhoods by foot, audio books and podcasts, finding new music, trying new restaurants, going to see live music.

My dad has always said, “If you get it right, sometimes work can be more fun than fun,” and that is what I think everyone should strive for.

• Spotify
• Instagram

“When you learn a little, you feel you know a lot. But when you learn a lot, you realize you know very little.” – Jay Shetty

I have grown up going to Hilton Head Island, SC, with my mom’s side of the family for my entire life, so that is a very special place to me. Additionally, my family unanimously decided the best trip we’ve ever taken together was to The Galapagos Islands. The amount of different species of wildlife, beautiful nature and their incredible societal efforts to protect it all is amazing..

My favorite apps would be Letterboxd, Strava, and goodreads. Letterboxd is a movie tracker app that tracks the movies you watch and allows you to rate them. My wife and I are big movie fans, so we both really enjoy it. Strava helps me track my workouts and runs. And goodreads helps me track all the books I read.

With being a big movie fan, this is really hard to narrow down. Some of my favorites include Coda, What If, About Time, The Intern, and the Harry Potter series.

Two of my favorite quotes are: "What is success? To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate the beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch Or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"That which we manifest is before us; we are the creators of our own destiny. Be it through intention or ignorance, our successes and our failures have been brought on by none other than ourselves." - Garth Stein in his book Art of Racing in the Rain

I love making coffee and visiting different coffee shops, traveling with my wife, watching movies and reading. .

My wife and I really enjoy going to New York City and watching Broadway shows and walking around Brooklyn. We also enjoy visiting National Parks. Our favorite trip thus far is our two-week vacation to Scotland where we spent one week hiking the West Highland Way and another week driving around the country.

The biggest influence on my life is my mom. Growing up, she raised me as a single mother and guided me into becoming the person I am today.

I love working with others to educate and help them achieve their financial goals. If I can help alleviate the burden and worry in any way, I feel greatly fulfilled.

Google Maps, Bank apps, and Spotify

Anastasia, Young Woman and the Sea, and The Secret Garden

Hammock, Journal, and Swim Goggles

Philippines

I played field hockey for a year when I lived in Maryland, my junior year of high school.

My values and work ethic come from my parents, but this is always what I have wanted to do.

I love working with people and thinking creatively about how to accomplish all of the things they want to do in life. I especially enjoy helping clients to see possibilities that seemed out of reach and then working with them until they are achieved.

• Traveling with my family
• Listening to podcasts and books
• Playing ping pong
• Watching the Boston Celtics and New England Patriots

Anywhere international. I love to visit places where all my assumptions about how life works are questioned.

• Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, Yuval Noah Harari
• Pillars of the Earth, Ken Follett

• Overcast
• Audible
• NY Times Cooking

I taught myself the guitar in college and have been playing for over 25 years but, somehow, I’m still the worst musician in my family by a country mile!

• "Most people make two common mistakes. We set our goals too low, and we try to accomplish them too quickly." - Rick Warren
• "If you have more dreams in your head than achievements, you are still young." - Shimon Peres
• "Do not condemn others for judgment that differs from your own. You may both be wrong." - Dandamis

I recently started playing competitive Table Tennis and can’t believe how happy it makes me!

My parents are the most important influences in my life. My parents have engrained the value of hard work ethic, commitment to family and the importance of being an honest and genuine person.

• Fishing new lakes and bays
• Watching my Red Raiders

Northern Arizona. I enjoy the breathtaking views and how different the landscape is from southern Arizona.

I would not say I have a favorite movie, but my favorite genre is Romantic Comedies.

• Spotify
• Weather Channel
• Reddit
• Amazon

Being able to connect with individuals not only on a professional level but a personal one is something that I truly enjoy. I love being able to share experiences and stories with my clients. After all we are working closely with one another, why not have a laugh or two along the way? My role as a Financial Advisor is not only to guide you towards the path to financial freedom, but to develop an enduring relationship built on trust and communication for years to come.

I know how to weld and bake amazing cheesecakes.

“Many men go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not the fish they are after.”- Henry David Thoreau

Concerts, Trying new restaurants.

Too many to list individually, but Jim Rohn is a significant one.

Ask yourself the tough questions, be accountable, embrace change, and don’t be afraid to seek out unique and compelling opportunities.

Quality time with the people I love; Asian food; playing guitar; getting emotionally invested in a song or a book or a movie; the moment inspiration strikes, and I need to learn as much as I possibly can about a thing or topic.

Colorado was home for a long time, so I enjoy getting back to visit family whenever possible. Bucket list trips include Japan, Fiji, Australia, and the Maldives.

Anything James Bond, Batman, or Indiana Jones.

Audible, Apple Music, Apple Podcasts

Did I mention Asian food?

• “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” – Theodore Roosevelt
• “Learn how to be happy with what you have while you pursue all that you want.” - Jim Rohn

Working with a personal financial advisor opened my eyes to the value added to my life and the peace of mind it brought to my family and me. I’ve always loved working with motivated teams to grow and flourish both individually and as a unit. As soon as I met the APW team, I knew I wanted to work with them.

I come to work each day for the people I have the privilege to interact with – my team, our amazing clients and the vendors who support us. Every place I spend time is about the people who are there, whether it’s home, work, church, school, etc. I also love that I’m teaching my sons and daughter that it’s possible for a mom to do what fulfills her and meets her own definition of success. I stayed home with my kids for 10 wonderful years, and have been back in the workforce for 6 years now. Like my family, my work is energizing and motivating to me. I want my kids to know that “having it all” is a myth, but it’s possible to have multiple sources of joy in your life and make daily decisions that you don’t regret, whatever that means to you at the time.

I love to cook, read, relax at home, spend time with friends and travel with my family. I enjoy decorating elaborate cakes for my kids’ birthdays in whatever theme they request. They look very homemade, but it’s a tradition my mom started with me when I was little, and it always reminds me of my childhood.

My favorite vacation destination is Disney World because I love the planning and anticipation that goes into a trip, the quality family time once there and the experience of being a cherished guest. I’m fascinated by Disney’s approach to customer experience. I love that their cast members are so engaged that they create magic for guests day after day, knowing that they are empowered to make decisions and bring joy to each guest they interact with.

These change on an almost weekly basis. My current favorite serious books are What If? by Steve Robbins and Being Mortal by Atul Gawande. Current favorite light fiction is the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. My all-time favorite re-readable fiction series is Earth’s Children by Jean M. Auel. I like action movies and good old romantic comedies. I absolutely can not watch horror movies. The anticipation of the next jump-scare is too much for me!

• Audible - I have a commute to work and enjoy listening to books, especially after a long day.
• Allowance Manager - for teaching my children responsible spending habits
• GroupMe - for keeping in touch with friends and organizing social time

A few years ago, my husband introduced me to Dungeons and Dragons, which turned out to be much more fun than I expected. We host a weekly game night and recently I was the Dungeon Master, leading our group through an adventure based on Stranger Things. We had a great time and, no surprise, I loved getting to be in charge!

“It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” - Walt Disney

One of my very favorite places to be is in a classroom. I love to learn and get excited about taking tests. Required training, conferences, tax seminars? Sign me up!

My father and my mother are the biggest influences on my life. My father taught me the importance of “sawing wood” and patience, while my mother showed me how to care for others and treat people with love. I would not be where I am today without them, and it seems every day I learn something new from their infinite wisdom and experience.

I have always considered myself to be a math and numbers guy, it always came naturally to me. However, the analysis portion of financial planning is just a part of the entire process. These analyses must be aligned with an individual’s dreams and values, so their financials are working towards what they want to do in life. I could not be more thankful to be doing meaningful work in a profession that relieves people of stress, educates them on personal finance, gives them back more time, and helps them achieve the life they want to live.

• I love swimming and have been doing so since I was eight years old. Not only does it keep you in shape, but it teaches you discipline, focus, and awareness.
• I dabble every now and then in poetry, writing and reading. It helps calm me down and get my thoughts on paper, and I learn a thing or two along the way.
• I love playing board and card games with my friends. Whether it be Presidents, ERS, Catan, or Seven Wonders, if there is a board and card game night, I am trying to be there!

Baby Driver – Nothing gets me going like a high-speed chase to the sound of Bellbottoms by The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Add in a romantic story, cool cars, rebel characters, and a ripping guitar solo from Queen’s Brighton Rock and I am hooked!

• Spotify – I love all kinds of music, and you can frequently catch me listening to it no matter what I am doing. From jazz to classic rock, it helps me focus on what I am doing, and brightens my mood.
• Chess – I picked up chess in recent history as a hobby. I am not very good, but I am learning by the day, and see the value the game can impart. My goal is to beat my father one day!
• Discord – A great platform to keep up with your friends over text or voice chat. Many of my friends will frequently meet to catch up and talk about what has been happening in our lives, or to play games.

I have fond memories of visiting Ohio with my father to see his family and go fishing on Lake Erie. It was always during Labor Day week, so my teachers were not happy with me missing school, but it was always worth it. As life progressed, I have been unable to go as often, but it is always a treat when I can to see my family and fish, and form lasting memories.

I have always been fascinated by human behavior and the human condition; it turns out the world is the way it is today because of people! I am very interested in the young field of behavioral finance and how psychology and money are being blended to understand and picture how and why people treat and view money the way they do. Money is and will be a sensitive subject, but I feel if more people are able to recognize why they have biases or viewpoints regarding money, the conversation can be a lot easier.

• “Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.” – Mark Twain
• “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” – Lao Tzu

My maternal grandfather played a large role in my pursuit of a career in wealth management. When he was ten years old his father died, and he became the sole provider for his family. Rather than use his hardships as legitimate reasons to be angry at the world, he developed an impeccable work ethic and passion for helping others. His determination enabled him to put himself through college, start a successful business, provide a loving home for his family, and help those in need. He used his hard-earned wealth to help people less fortunate than him, and he had a profoundly positive impact on his community. He was able to do these things, in part, due to the sound financial decisions and investments he made throughout his life. I think people tend to view services such as wealth management as self-serving and catered towards the rich. My grandfather’s story, and the stories of many members of my family, provided me with a different perspective. The purposeful, long-term growth of wealth through investing is life-changing and exciting and provides an avenue to greatly impact the community. It is this accumulation and use of wealth that motivates me to become a great financial advisor.

As most of my work involves numbers, in my free time I enjoy being creative. My past hobbies include scrapbooking, baking, succulent arranging (sadly, I did not have a green thumb!), painting, and knitting. I can spend hours on Pinterest and in Hobby Lobby! I also love being outdoors. As a kid I spent my Spring Breaks camping and hiking in Big Bend, my Christmases snowmobiling in Yellowstone, and my summers road tripping to National Parks such as Zion, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon. I also love spending time with close friends and family. Some of my best hours have been spent playing backgammon with my mom, fishing with my dad, and thrift shopping with my brother. I cherish and still maintain friendships from elementary school, high school, and college and there are few things that top a weekend at the lake with old friends.

The financial markets are extremely nuanced and complex, and most people lack the time or know-how needed to make appropriate investment decisions. I have always been interested in business, and throughout college I was drawn towards finance and accounting. These interests combined perfectly with my passion for helping people, my love of planning, and my love of teaching to lead me to pursue a career in wealth management. It is my ultimate goal to become an expert in this field so that I can share this knowledge and be a source of confidence during the financial planning process. If I can help people have more time for their family, friends, jobs and passions by alleviating the burden of financial decision-making, then I will have met my goal.

• Calm – I’m a busybody and rely on meditation & mindfulness apps to slow down
• Pinterest – for my creative side when I need a break from work!
• Jackpot Party Slots - just like the slots in Las Vegas!
• Spotify

It’s never too late to be what you might have been.

I’m a big animal lover. I fostered kittens throughout college and enjoy volunteering at Austin Animal Center, Austin Pets Alive, and the Victoria Riding Therapy Center.

Everything, Everywhere, All at Once. I love movies that are so out of the box you’re in awe of the creativity of the person who created it.

Trying everything Austin, TX has to offer, playing sand volleyball, spending time with friends and family, finding new music, and listening to any kind of live music..

“Each of us can make a difference. It doesn’t have to be anything spectacular. Keep the neighbor’s kid while she goes to the store or to the doctor, or befriend somebody in need. I don’t mean you have to take them into your home, but you can find a place for them to stay or see that they get food. You can do an act of kindness every single solitary day, because it’s needed.”— Opal Lee

If I were to choose the next place I wanted to go, I’d probably say Barcelona or Prague. However, the trip I make most frequently would be Cancun. I can’t say no to a relaxing beach vacation.e

Whenever I was 16, my club volleyball team placed 13 th at the National Tournament. It was pretty exciting.

I am lucky to have a career where I get to help people every day. If I can make someone’s life just a little bit easier or help someone get a little bit closer to their goals, then it was a great day.

My parents always encouraged me to focus on my studies, which inspired me to do well. Working with a talented and motivated team and providing solutions to customers is always a good feeling. That inspires me to go the extra mile in customer service. I enjoy my work every day.

I love cooking, playing with my son, international travel (planning to visit Europe next year), watching Cricket and movies.

I was an avid reader of Indian comics during my childhood.

Amazon
Google Maps

I was an NCC (National Cadet Corps) cadet, where I learned Army discipline and leadership. And I volunteered in government events as a cadet. I also grew up in the countryside with a self-sufficient farm.

Listening to Indian classical music
Swimming

“It isn't what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it.” ― Dale Carnegie

The key to success is hard work and passion.

I love to read. I know a lot of people think they need to travel to be open-minded but to me I can learn that from reading. Besides reading, I absolutely love visiting museums whether it’s a well-known museum or not I try to visit as many of them as I can.

I have a few favorite movies, but nothing beats Ratatouille. I love seeing people going after their dreams even though it seems impossible.

• Wordle - Fun game that keeps my mind active
• Scribd - My go to app to find a new read

I have quite a few favorite travel spots. I like Barcelona because of their relaxing lifestyle. I like Paris for their food and their architecture. Lastly, I love the entire country of Italy, every time I go to Europe, I make sure to add a new city in Italy for my stop.

• How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
• The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

I’ve always had this deep desire to help people as far back as my high school days, where I discovered business and community service at the same time. I’ve been pursuing both ever since. I love helping people - perhaps because my family and I were helped by so many people when we escaped communist Vietnam and emigrated to the US in the late 70s. We arrived with just the shirts on our backs - my dad had two “right” flip flops on his feet when we got off the plane. Helping people brings me great joy and as a Christ follower, I believe Jesus was the ultimate example of loving and caring for others so I try to do the same.

Money causes people anxiety and it can be hard to navigate, both emotionally or practically. It can be the same with healthcare. It was challenging to figure things out when my dad was diagnosed with cancer nine years ago. We would have been extremely grateful if we’d had an advocate who could explain things to us. I want to be that kind of advocate for my clients. If I can help people make sense of money and their finances and help them achieve a level of confidence in their plans, then I’m doing what I love.

Relationships bring me the most joy, and I spend most of my time with my own family, my faith family or my work family - really listening to what’s going on in their lives and in their hearts.

I love bringing people together, to spend quality time and typically to break bread together. I’m a foodie, and on my travels, I love to collect pretty little things for my kitchen, to serve my guests. My charcuterie board is usually arranged with memorable items from my time in France, Peru, Vietnam, Burundi, Italy and Kenya.

My hubby, Mark, and I did a road trip down the Pacific west coast for our honeymoon 2021 – camping amongst the giant redwoods.  The water is beautiful, but our hearts are in the mountains… camping, hiking and horse riding through the mountains and the woods. Internationally, I visited the people of Africa a few years back.  I spent a week in Burundi on a mission trip with my church family and then a second week on safari in Kenya seeing some pretty incredible wildlife.  Mark and I joined our family recently in Vietnam, we got to enjoy street food of the big city in Saigon, farm to table meals in the rice fields of the countryside and the sandy beaches on the coast.

• The Prodigal God - Tim Keller
• Mere Christianity – CS Lewis
• To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
• Ted Lasso – TV Show
• Hamilton - Musical
• Lonesome Dove – TV Series
• Christmas Story – Movie- A tradition with my Mom!

• Travel - Airbnb, SW Airlines, and Chase Travel
• Camping and Hiking - HipCamp and All Trails
• Podcasts: Tim Keller, Tim Mackie, Bible Project, Bloomberg
• Shopping - Amazon and REI

I hate HATE chocolate - I know, it’s weird :)

My mom and dad provided a great example of the importance of helping others, and I’ve always been interested in saving money. My wife would tease me about the books I read when we were dating and early in our marriage (see: The Millionaire Next Door, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Estate Planning to Die For). I was at a crossroads in my career in the mid-2000s, and she gave me the courage and support to relocate and start my practice in Austin. I was lucky enough to meet up with Dan and Raoul and the rest is history…

I feel very fortunate to do work that is so meaningful. Helping people accomplish the things that are most important to them is incredibly rewarding, and it’s equally fulfilling knowing that people rely on us for help during their times of need as well.

I’m definitely a fan of Mizzou and the professional sports teams from Kansas City. I’m also pretty passionate about photography. I try to keep some of my favorite pictures hanging on the walls of my office and my goal is to update them over time with the new places we visit.

Road trips with our kids. We have a blast creating our own traditions and seeing new things. I also love my family’s cabin in the Ozarks (“The Farm”). Tons of memories there from my childhood and it’s just a very special place.

The Wizard of Oz is my favorite movie. I watched it with my mom when I was growing up and I’ve loved introducing it to my kids.

Shazam. I love listening to music and discovering new songs. I’m amazed at its ability to identify music as I’m hearing something for the first time. I’ve also been organizing our travel wish list in Google Maps. I recently found out you can bookmark destinations, attractions, hotels, etc. and I’ve been saving places there to make sure we actually visit them.

I was a semifinalist at the Nintendo World Championships in 5th grade.

“It’s only a matter of time.” - Dan Kraus and Raoul Celerier

Live music, Kansas City (aka real) BBQ, Tex-Mex

The close relationship I had with my maternal grandmother was extremely influential in my life. When I was growing up, she lived close enough that I could ride my bike to her house, which I did several times each week. She had inherited some investments and loved to check the value of her stocks in the daily newspaper. Because of her interest in her own investments, she taught me about the stock market. From an early age, I was fascinated by the idea that – through investments – your money could work for you, growing on its own. In part because of her teaching, I saved enough money to make small investments in one stock and two mutual funds when I was in high school. Those investments ended up becoming part of the money Julie and I used for the down payment on our first house.

I love a good spreadsheet or Monte Carlo simulation (who doesn’t?!). However, the analytical components of financial planning are just the means to an end. And that end is taking complex financial strategies and explaining them to clients in a way that makes sense and helps them achieve their goals. I’m incredibly thankful to work in a profession I truly enjoy, serving clients I care about deeply.

I grew up playing sports, and although four knee surgeries have limited my own ability to compete, I’m still a big sports fan… especially of college and NBA basketball and professional tennis. Attending each of the four major / grand slam tennis tournaments in person is on my bucket list. I also love ping-pong, foosball, playing cards and board games, and reading.

My fondest childhood travel memories are the road trips my family would take every summer from Texas to Canada (a 30-hour, non-stop drive!) to visit my grandparents, who lived in a small town on the north side of Lake Erie. We’d stay for a couple weeks and go to the beach every day. Similarly, my wife, Julie, and I have established a vacation tradition for our own family. Every year, we take a beach trip to Port Aransas with friends. It’s not exotic, but the drive time is a lot shorter than my childhood road trips to Canada!

Inception. I love everything about it… the complex plot, the characters, and the soundtrack by Hans Zimmer. My head says the top keeps spinning, but my heart says it falls.

Apple’s Podcast app. I’m an avid podcast listener and often share interesting episodes with clients, friends, and family members. Some of my favorite shows are a16z, Against the Rules with Michael Lewis, EconTalk, Freakonomics Radio, People I (Mostly) Admire, and NPR Planet Money.

I was born in Canada and have dual citizenship. However, my family moved to Texas when I was four years old, and I’ve been a proud Texan ever since!

When not helping clients achieve their financial goals, I love spending time with Julie and our three children (Emma, Kyle, and Connor). I’m also a sucker for pizza, cheeseburgers and chocolate milkshakes, and superhero movies.

My grandfather, Louis Wright Sr., was the wisest man I have ever known. He had the ability to discern and navigate life in a regal yet commanding authority. He left a legacy of excellence that I try to live up to daily

Never let anyone question your commitment to the work you committed to do.

Music! I consider myself a music aficionado who likes to search for music that is off the beaten path. I love live shows and hope to one day learn to play the guitar.

I would like to go back to Brazil one day and hope to travel to Africa and Dubai soon. As far as the US, New York and New Orleans.

“Because I’ve been blessed, I will be a blessing” and “Be on your own side, don’t ask anyone else to be there if you are not” ~Maya Angelou~

Finding Forrester

• Spotify
• Final Draft

I write screenplays and I also try to read the Bible once a year.

Going to church, hanging out with my family and friends, reading a great book, encouraging and mentoring youth to become the greatest version of themselves, and I enjoy almost all sports and have recently started learning more about soccer.