Mark Steven Arola

Driven by a deep passion for finance and investing, Praveen brings a unique blend of experience to his work. As a South Asian immigrant, he navigated the complexities of building a successful 15-year career in Silicon Valley, including co-founding a startup and most recently serving as a Software Engineering Manager at Google. In parallel, he dedicated over a decade mastering various asset classes, from traditional stocks and bonds to value-add commercial real estate and alternative investments like private equity and venture capital. Having achieved financial independence through diligent saving and strategic investing, Praveen is now committed to empowering others to take control of their financial futures by drawing on his own hard-earned wisdom. Empower Financial is an independent, fee-only advisory that provides financial planning and investment consultation to individuals, trusts, estates, retirement plans, small businesses, and a variety of institutional and nonprofit clients. The firm employs a Core + Satellite investment approach, focusing on client risk profiles and asset allocation recommendations, while clients generally execute trades themselves.

Louis Romero III is a financial advisor with OSAIC in San Ramon, CA, holding a Series 66 designation and 19 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation for nine years and MetLife Securities Inc. for one year. Outside of advisory work, he owns and operates Sentinel Wealth Strategies, providing financial planning and annuity sales. OSAIC Wealth, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment adviser and FINRA member broker-dealer serving a diverse client base, including individual investors, pension plans, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a technology-driven investment process and offers a wide range of advisory programs and investment options through a large network of financial advisers.

I am a seasoned technology professional and an entrepreneur based in Silicon Valley. I have experience starting and running a software company that was venture-funded and subsequently acquired by a public company. During my high-tech career, I got intrigued by money matters such as savings, investments, insurance, taxes in order to achieve my family's financial goals. Out of curiosity, I spent time reading and researching various aspects of personal finance. I realized that there are a growing number of financial options available with increasing complexity in these choices. My passion towards financial planning ultimately resulted in pursuing formal education in financial planning, subsequently completing the CFP Board requirements to be a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Professional. I launched Encover Personal Finance in 2018, primarily to help technology professionals achieve their financial life goals based on my own experience. I believe in serving clients honestly and transparently in a conflict-free manner. https://www.encoverpersonalfinance.com/about

Megan Rouse is the principal of Megan Rouse Financial Planning in Dublin, California, holding the CFP® designation and a Series 65 license with 17 years of industry experience. She is also a California Licensed Professional Fiduciary and operates a separate fiduciary services business. Megan has provided financial planning services since 2009. Her firm advises individuals, families, and small businesses with comprehensive or segmented financial planning, focusing on non-discretionary advice and low-cost investment options such as mutual funds and ETFs. The firm uses project, hourly, or retainer fee structures and does not manage client assets or take custody of funds.

Ajay Agrawal is the principal and sole advisor at Ajay Agrawal, an independent firm based in Fremont, CA. He holds Series 65 and Series 63 registrations and has 19 years of industry experience, including roles at Envestnet Asset Management and SagePoint Financial. Outside his advisory practice, he serves as Managing Director of Taj Funds, a private investment fund focused on hard money lending and startup funding. Ajay Agrawal provides fee-based discretionary investment management and qualified retirement plan consulting to various entities such as plan sponsors, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and high-net-worth individuals. The firm utilizes a tactical allocation approach incorporating fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis, and emphasizes retirement plan advisory services alongside individual account management.

Kautilya Palaypu is a financial advisor at Cow Capital Inc in Newark, CA, holding a Series 65 designation with three years of industry experience. He has been involved in multiple private companies, serving as a director and management consultant for businesses including a gold bullion distribution firm. Cow Capital Inc provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and business entities. The firm offers a range of services from portfolio management to self-directed retirement plans, employing diverse investment strategies and features such as performance-based fees and advice on non-conventional tangible assets.