I’m Brandon Schneider, founder of Deliberate Wealth. After 15+ years in the financial world, I realized that true wealth management shouldn’t be shrouded in jargon or complicated, hidden fees. That’s why I started this firm: to bring honesty and simplicity back to how we plan for the future. My approach is built on a foundation of candid communication and complete transparency. I believe you deserve to know exactly what you’re paying for and why. By stripping away the complexity, I help you focus on the factors that actually matter—investing wisely, managing risk, and keeping your costs low so that more of your money works for you. But at the end of the day, money is just a tool. It exists to serve your life, not the other way around. My goal is to help you enjoy your life today while building a profound legacy that impacts your family and community for generations. I’m not here to manage portfolios in a vacuum; I’m here to partner with you. We’ll take the stress out of financial planning so you can stop worrying about the numbers and start focusing on the people and experiences that bring you joy. I strive to live out this mission daily. Balancing the joys of raising my five young children with the demands of running a business and remaining deeply active in my church and local community, I know the weight of competing priorities. I practice what I preach, ensuring that my own financial planning aligns with the things that truly matter most to me. I invite you to join me in redefining what it means to be wealthy. Let’s make intentional choices that allow you to live well now and leave a lasting legacy.

Joseph Freeman is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with six years of industry experience. He has worked at Adolos Asset Management since 2021 and previously spent 30 years at Wachovia Bank, N.A. Adolos Asset Management provides discretionary and non-discretionary investment management to a select client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, trusts, estates, endowments, and charitable foundations. The firm uses an institutional-quality platform and offers portfolios built from written investment policy statements, with strategies tailored through tactical overlays and a range of investment models.

Brandon Walls is a financial advisor at Fortress Private Ledger, LLC with 10 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at The Fidelity Bank, LPL Financial, Allegacy Federal Credit Union, and CUSO Financial Services. Fortress Private Ledger serves individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth individuals and employer-sponsored retirement plans, offering financial planning, portfolio management, retirement plan consulting, and Qualified Opportunity Zone advisory services. The firm’s investment approach combines trend identification and technical analysis with fundamental strategies, employing a mix of ETFs, individual securities, and mutual funds, and delivers services through a network of advisers using both discretionary and non-discretionary models.

Matthew Blades is a CFP® credentialed advisor with 10 years of industry experience. He has worked at Woodard & Company Asset Management Group, Inc. since 2021 and previously held roles at Members Trust Company, Credit Union Investment Services, SECU Life Insurance Company, SECU Brokerage Services, and State Employees' Credit Union. Woodard & Company Asset Management Group, Inc. provides discretionary asset management and retirement-plan services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm uses a team-based investment approach with a focus on tactical asset allocation and a “market leaders” equity strategy, managing approximately $1.167 billion across about 1,806 clients.

Joan Woodard is a financial advisor at Woodard & Co Asset Management Group Inc with seven years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and has been with Woodard & Co since 1994. Woodard & Company Asset Management Group, Inc. provides discretionary asset management for individual and institutional clients and offers retirement plan services, including plan design and participant education. The firm manages over $1 billion across approximately 3,000 accounts, employing tactical asset allocation and a “market leaders” equity approach supported by proprietary research.

John Woodard is a financial advisor with Woodard & Co Asset Management Group Inc in Bermuda Run, NC. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 7 years of industry experience. Woodard has been with Woodard & Co Asset Management Group Inc since 1985. Woodard & Co Asset Management Group Inc provides discretionary asset management for individual and institutional clients, as well as retirement plan services including design and participant education. The firm manages approximately $1.039 billion across about 3,000 accounts and uses a tactical asset allocation and “market leaders” equity approach, supported by proprietary research and external data sources.

John Woodard III is a financial advisor at Woodard & Co Asset Management Group Inc with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Fidelity and the YMCA. Woodard & Co Asset Management Group Inc provides discretionary asset management and retirement-plan services to a diverse client base, including individuals, trusts, and corporations. The firm employs a team-based investment approach combining tactical asset allocation with a concentrated equity strategy and emphasizes risk management through broad diversification and hedging techniques.

Todd Senter is a CFP® with eight years of industry experience, currently serving as an advisor at Woodard & Co Asset Management Group Inc. He has been with the firm since 2004. Woodard & Company Asset Management Group, Inc. provides discretionary asset management and retirement plan services to individual and institutional clients. The firm manages over $1 billion across approximately 3,000 accounts, using tactical asset allocation and a “market leaders” equity approach supported by proprietary research and external data.

Allen Ray Jr. is a financial advisor at AlphaStar Capital Management with 16 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® designation and securities licenses Series 63 and Series 65. He is the founder and president of DSR Investment Management Corp, an insurance company he has led since 2008. AlphaStar Capital Management serves individual, corporate, and retirement plan clients, offering discretionary investment management, financial planning, and subadvisory services. The firm utilizes model portfolios and advisor-directed strategies incorporating a range of investment vehicles, supported by third-party portfolio construction tools and ERISA-related plan services.

Andrew Lind is a financial advisor with Principal Advised Services in Lexington, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and seven years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Wells Fargo Clearing Services and Principal Financial Services. In addition to his advisory work, he serves as a notary public. Principal Advised Services provides investment advice and related services primarily to retirement plan participants and retail IRA clients, offering both non-discretionary recommendations and a discretionary, wrap-fee investment management program called SimpleInvest. The firm combines third-party and proprietary models and operates within the Principal Financial Group family, integrating affiliated products and services in its offerings.

Craig Fishel is a financial advisor at Wealthcare Advisory Partners LLC in Winston-Salem, NC, holding a Series 66 designation with seven years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Horace Mann Investors, Edward Jones, Guardian Life, Consolidated Planning, and Prudential Financial Planning Services. Wealthcare Advisory Partners LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm employs a goals-based financial advising approach using patented software and behavioral economics, combining quantitative metrics with fundamental, technical, and behavioral analysis to implement both passive and active investment strategies.

Garrett Ray is a financial advisor at AlphaStar Capital Management with four years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 credential and has previously worked at Bulwark Capital, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Tesla, and Celgard. Ray is also a licensed insurance agent. AlphaStar Capital Management serves individual, corporate, and retirement plan clients, offering discretionary investment management, financial planning, and subadvisory services through a mix of strategic and tactical portfolio approaches.

Colby Davis is a financial advisor with Wealthcare Advisory Partners LLC in Winston-Salem, NC, holding a Series 65 designation and four years of industry experience. His background includes roles at Triad Advisors, Inc. and several related financial and consulting firms. Outside of advising, he has been involved in insurance sales and administration through Carolina Financial Professionals. Wealthcare Advisory Partners LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, employing a goals-based approach that integrates proprietary software and behavioral economics alongside both passive and active investment strategies.

Brice Payne is a financial advisor at AlphaStar Capital Management with 14 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including The Wealth Navigators, LLC, The Wealth Guardians, and W. Wall and Company, Inc. Outside of financial advising, Payne owns a photography business. AlphaStar Capital Management is a registered investment adviser managing approximately $1.84 billion for individuals, trusts, small businesses, pension plans, and other advisers. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement consulting, utilizing both model and custom strategies based on strategic asset allocation and quantitative analysis.

Lucas Breeden is a financial advisor with Packerland Brokerage Services, Inc. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 12 years of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Sigma Planning Corporation, Parkland Securities LLC, and Guardian Life. Outside of his advisory work, he is involved with Breeden Insurance Services, an independent insurance agency owned by his family since 1967. Packerland Brokerage Services, Inc. serves individual and institutional clients, including high-net-worth individuals, trusts, corporations, and retirement plan sponsors. The firm offers a range of advisory services such as financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement-plan consulting, utilizing a platform that supports both discretionary and non-discretionary account management.

Beth Agnello is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, with eight years of industry experience. She has been with CGN Advisors, LLC since 2018 and previously worked at Forsyth Technical Community College for eleven years. CGN Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, families, pension plans, businesses, foundations, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a long-term, globally diversified investment approach that integrates asset allocation, Modern Portfolio Theory, and active management, and provides comprehensive financial planning and ongoing investment supervisory services.

William Thornton is a financial advisor at Wealthcare Advisory Partners LLC with 15 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and has previously worked with M. S. Howells & Co. and Efficient Advisors, LLC. Outside of his advisory work, he serves as Treasurer for Bethel Methodist Men, assisting with fundraising and charitable activities. Wealthcare Advisory Partners LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm employs a goals-based financial advising approach that integrates proprietary Wealthcare software, behavioral economics, and both passive and active investment strategies.

Michael Ferrin is a financial advisor with Compass Financial Management LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 32 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Compass in 2023, he worked at Kovack Advisors, Inc. and Kovack Securities, Inc. from 2001 to 2023. He is also president of Pinnacle Insurance and Investments, Inc., where he is involved in sales and service related to securities and fixed insurance products. Compass Financial Management serves individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, and estates, offering discretionary portfolio management and retirement plan consulting. The firm employs a multi-strategy investment process across various asset classes and supports approximately 1,310 client relationships through a team of 27 advisors.

Richard Davis is a financial advisor with Wealthcare Advisory Partners LLC in Winston-Salem, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 designations and bringing 30 years of industry experience. His career includes leadership roles at multiple firms dating back to 2000, such as Wiser Benefit Consultants and Carolina Financial Professionals, where he has also been involved in insurance sales. Wealthcare Advisory Partners LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm employs a goals-based financial advising approach supported by proprietary software and quantitative metrics, combining passive and active investment strategies alongside dynamic rebalancing when appropriate.

Ronald Perry is a financial advisor with Founders Financial Alliance, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 35 years of industry experience. Prior to joining Founders Financial Alliance in 2020, he worked at UBS Financial Services from 2011 to 2020. Outside of his advisory role, he participates as a club member in Hagerty Classic Car Club’s Drive Share rental program, which involves renting classic cars under a supervised insurance arrangement. Founders Financial Alliance provides discretionary investment management, financial planning, and retirement plan consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and corporate clients. The firm employs an evidence-based investment process using ETFs, third-party managers, and portfolio monitoring, and offers a family-office style program under a flat fee structure.