William Bunch II is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, with 10 years of experience in financial advising. He is the sole advisor at Maze Financial Planning in Chapel Hill, NC, where he has worked since 2016. Maze Financial Planning provides investment management and financial planning services to individuals as well as private foundations, charitable organizations, and participant-directed retirement plans. The firm emphasizes long-term, diversification-centered strategies based on Modern Portfolio Theory and offers fiduciary plan advice, participant education, and monitoring of plan investments.

Leonard Brooks is a financial advisor with Brooks Financial of North Carolina, LLC in Durham, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and with 28 years of industry experience. He has worked at firms including Cetera and H.D. Vest Advisory Services before founding his current firm. Brooks also owns a tax preparation and filing service and acts as an agent managing small commercial property insurance through Alpha Risk Management Services. Brooks Financial of North Carolina provides financial planning and non-discretionary portfolio management primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, along with retirement-plan services such as profit-sharing and 401(k)/403(b) planning. The firm offers insurance planning, retirement rollovers, participant education, and tax preparation, managing accounts with client-confirmed trades and tailored asset-allocation strategies based on fundamental and technical analysis.

William Newcomb is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license with 16 years of experience in financial advising. He founded Newcomb Financial Advisors, LLC in Chapel Hill, NC, where he has been the sole advisor since 2010. Newcomb Financial Advisors is an independent, fee-only firm serving individuals, trusts, estates, and small businesses with financial planning and investment management. The firm employs a core-and-satellite investment approach focused on strategic asset allocation, managing approximately $13.9 million across 14 clients, primarily on a discretionary basis.

Edward Fulbright is the principal and sole advisor at Fulbright Financial Consulting, PA in Durham, North Carolina. He holds the PFS™ designation and Series 63 license, with 10 years of experience in financial advising and over 40 years managing his CPA firm, Fulbright & Fulbright, CPA, PA, where he provides accounting, tax, and management consulting services. Fulbright Financial Consulting is a fee-only advisory firm serving individual investors, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm employs a Functional Asset Allocation approach that integrates interest-earning assets, real estate, and equities, and emphasizes low-cost index funds and ETFs, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary services.

I didn't set out to become a financial advisor. I spent 18 years in the music industry as a recording and touring audio engineer. What I saw again and again were hardworking, independent people — musicians, artists, freelancers, and other creative professionals — who wanted the same things everyone wants: stability, a plan, a better financial future. But because their income was unconventional, they felt like the financial industry wasn't designed for them. Honestly, they were right. So in 2019 I launched my business, got my CFP® designation, and built a practice specifically for people who've spent their lives and careers outside the mainstream. I work with artists, musicians, authors, and other independent-minded professionals with unconventional careers and the financial complexity that comes with them. I offer two types of services: financial planning and investment management. Financial planning means identifying the two or three things that would make the biggest difference in your financial life right now and building a clear, actionable plan around them. Investment management means taking that completely off your plate — so you never have to think about it, worry about it, or wonder if you're doing it right. The work behind the scenes is rigorous. The experience on your end should feel like talking to someone who genuinely gets it. I live in Durham, NC with my family and our dog Yoshi. I have a degree in mathematics and grew up on a farm in Michigan. The through line: I've always figured things out on my own terms — and I have a lot of respect for people who do the same. If any of this resonates, I'd love to connect.

David Brodie is the principal of Brodie Wealth Management and holds a Series 66 designation. He has one year of experience in financial advisory roles and has worked at Osaic Advisory Services and Osaic Wealth. He also operates Brodie CPA PLLC, a CPA firm based in Cary, NC, where he serves as principal. Brodie Wealth Management provides wealth management, financial planning, and asset management services to individual and institutional clients. The firm offers tailored investment strategies across traditional and alternative asset classes and provides retirement plan advisory services, leveraging its affiliation with an in-house accounting practice for tax and estate planning support.

John Bland is a financial advisor with Diversified Investment Services LLC in Durham, NC, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and bringing 24 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Blackridge Asset Management LLC and Commonwealth Financial Network. Bland is also a licensed insurance agent offering insurance product sales alongside his advisory services. Diversified Investment Services LLC provides portfolio management and financial planning to individual and high-net-worth clients, utilizing a range of analysis methods and investment strategies. The firm offers discretionary management, regular portfolio monitoring, and quarterly reporting, with portfolios that may include mutual funds, ETFs, fixed income, real estate funds, annuities, and non-U.S. securities.

Bert Bennett IV is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 15 years of industry experience. He is the principal of West Fork Wealth Management LLC, an independent firm he joined in 2024 after working at Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated and Morgan Stanley. Outside of his advisory role, Bennett teaches summer camp at Carolina Friends School in Durham, NC. West Fork Wealth Management provides discretionary asset management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth families, non-profits, endowments, trusts, small businesses, and estates. The firm manages portfolios tailored to clients’ investment goals and risk tolerance, employing fundamental, technical, cyclical analysis, and modern portfolio theory.

Ohan Kayikchyan is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with seven years of industry experience. He is the principal and sole advisor at Alohana Financial, LLC, an independent firm based in Durham, NC. His prior experience includes roles at Wells Fargo Clearing and Wells Fargo Bank NA. Alohana Financial, LLC provides investment management and financial planning services to individuals and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs an asset-allocation driven approach grounded in Modern Portfolio Theory, combining passive and active investment vehicles with options for ESG customization upon client request.

Benjamin Birken is a CFP® with 18 years of industry experience, currently serving as the principal advisor at Pisces Financial Advisors, LLC in Chapel Hill, NC. He previously worked at Woodward Financial Advisors, Inc. for 12 years and holds a leadership role at Holistiplan, LLC, a financial services software company, where he is Vice-President for Customer Success and Engagement. Pisces Financial Advisors provides comprehensive financial planning and discretionary investment management to individuals, families, high-net-worth clients, and small businesses. The firm’s investment approach focuses on strategic asset allocation using low-cost, diversified mutual funds and ETFs with attention to diversification, cost control, and tax efficiency.

Allen Bass III is a CFP® certificant with nine years of industry experience. He has been the sole advisor at Carolina Wealth Strategies, LLC since 2014. Carolina Wealth Strategies serves individual investors and small businesses with financial planning, investment supervisory services, and educational workshops. The firm uses a combination of passive and active management strategies, providing both broad-based and modular planning, and typically manages client accounts on a discretionary basis with regular monitoring and rebalancing.

Christopher Harp is the sole advisor at CH Capital Management, an independent registered investment adviser based in Chapel Hill, NC. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 22 years of industry experience, having led CH Capital Management since 2010. CH Capital Management provides discretionary investment management and financial planning services to individuals, families, trusts, endowments, charitable organizations, and pension or profit-sharing plans. The firm typically serves clients with substantial assets and combines a solo advisor model with institutional-style client relationships, outsourcing operational functions to third-party providers.

Kathleen Scharl is the principal advisor at Scharl Advisory Services, Inc. in Durham, NC, holding CFP® and Series 63 designations with 23 years of industry experience. She has led her independent practice since 1989. Outside of advising, she is involved in tax preparation, bookkeeping, and small business consulting through Scharl & Associates, Inc., primarily during tax season. Scharl Advisory Services, Inc. provides fee-only financial planning and investment management to individuals and small businesses, focusing on retirement, tax, cash-flow, education funding, and estate planning. The firm employs a strategic, core-and-satellite asset allocation using no-load or low-load funds, and operates on fixed and hourly fees rather than asset-based charges.

Lisa Hodges is a financial advisor at Shift to Impact with six years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and has worked in marketing consulting and advisory services prior to her current role. Hodges leads Shift to Impact, an independent firm based in Durham, NC. Shift to Impact is a fee-only financial planning firm serving individuals and families who seek to align their finances with social justice and environmental values. The firm emphasizes values-based investing and offers comprehensive planning, guidance on charitable giving and employee benefits, as well as educational workshops and speaking events, without managing client portfolios or exercising trading discretion.

Kent Fisher is a CFP®, CFA®, and Series 63 licensed advisor with 16 years of industry experience. He currently leads Southern Investment Management Collective LLC, an independent firm he joined in 2023. Previously, he worked at Mutual Advisors, LLC and Old Peak Finance. Southern Investment Management Collective provides portfolio management and investment advice to individual and high-net-worth clients, tailoring strategies based on each client’s goals, tax situation, time horizon, and risk tolerance. The firm uses a combination of fundamental analysis, quantitative techniques, and modern portfolio theory to construct diversified portfolios and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary services.

Shrey Patel is a CFA® charterholder and the sole advisor at Ataraxis Capital, LLC in Durham, NC, with experience beginning in 2016 across several firms including Boyer Value Group and Thor Equities Group. He currently holds a salaried position as a senior investment analyst at Thor Equities Group, where he performs research and analysis. Ataraxis Capital provides discretionary and non-discretionary asset management and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients, utilizing a multi-method investment approach that includes fundamental and technical analysis, options, and margin. The firm manages approximately $840,000 in assets across two client accounts and offers performance-based fee arrangements for qualified clients.

Curtis Byrd is a financial advisor at Onyx Wealth Management, LLC in Durham, NC, holding the CFP® and Series 66 designations with 11 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Hamilton Point Investment Advisors, Hilltop Wealth Advisors, Fulbright Financial Consulting, and Mass Mutual Investors Services. Onyx Wealth Management provides discretionary asset management and comprehensive financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, non-profits, small businesses, and estates. The firm combines fundamental security analysis with modern portfolio theory to construct diversified portfolios, offering regular account reviews and ongoing planning consultations.

Mary Macdonald is the sole advisor at Personal Path Financial Planning in Hillsborough, NC, holding Series 65 and Series 66 licenses with 10 years of industry experience. She has operated her own advisory practice since 2017. Personal Path Financial Planning offers fee-only financial planning and investment consultation to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm provides non-discretionary advice focused on long-term, goals-based strategies using primarily low-cost index funds and ETFs, and delivers services on an hourly or fixed-fee basis without taking custody of client assets.

Thomas Sikes III is a CFP® with 20 years of industry experience and the principal of WanderWealth Inc., an independent advisory firm based in Hillsborough, NC. He has operated WanderWealth since 2006. Outside of his advisory work, he runs Traveltirement LLC, an online education and media business focused on retirement planning and long-term travel to Italy and France. WanderWealth Inc. provides discretionary investment management and financial planning primarily for individuals and couples, specializing in clients planning to retire in or already residing in France. The firm employs a passive, asset-allocation strategy using ETFs and direct index portfolios tailored to the tax circumstances of French residents, and it serves a modest client base with a fee structure that accommodates clients without managed assets.

Nahnsan Guseh is a financial advisor with Capital Solutions Advisors, LLC in Durham, NC, holding a Series 65 designation and three years of industry experience. Prior to founding Capital Solutions Advisors in 2023, Nahnsan has held roles at Intuitive Surgical, where he currently works as a data scientist, as well as positions with Swing Low Sweet Chariot, LLC, NSG Solutions, LLC, and the U.S. EPA. He combines his advisory work with ongoing employment in the medical device and renewable energy sectors. Capital Solutions Advisors, LLC serves primarily individual clients, offering discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive financial planning, and consulting. The firm employs a diverse investment approach incorporating fundamental, technical, charting, and cyclical analysis, with strategies that include options and hedged-equity, and also provides a paid educational digital magazine as an ancillary service.