Working in the investment industry since 2007, I've seen the good, bad and everything in-between when it comes to financial advice. A good adviser can add years to a successful retirement and prevent costly, sometimes devastating financial errors. Fortunately there are many good advisers out there (especially in the XY Planning Network). Unfortunately, there is also plenty of bad advice from unqualified advisers out there. It can be hard to tell the difference. That can be an expensive lesson. My dad's experience with an adviser in the early 2000s lost him $400,000. I wrote about it here: https://empowermenttools.net/my-dad-lost-400000-heres-what-i-did-about-it/ I started Financial Empowerment to be different. As a devoted Christ-follower I help people steward the financial blessings God has put in their hands. As a fee-only fiduciary, my goal is simple: to help you reach yours. If you're wrestling with multiple competing goals, I'll help you prioritize what to focus on first. I believe in honesty and following through on promises. Finances can seem complicated, but they don't have to be. Ideas that build wealth are often intuitive if explained in plain English. As a CFP® professional and CFA charterholder, I've devoted my career to pursuing the frontiers of investment management and financial planning knowledge. My aim is to provide the highest quality service for clients, on a level that I would accept for my own family. Clients I tend to work best with are 45 - 60 years old, making $200K or more per year, with no or low debt outside of their mortgage. I'm based in McKinney, Texas (Dallas-Ft. Worth metro area) but originally from Denver, Colorado. When I'm not building financial plans you can find me playing basketball or doing art projects with my 10-year old daughter or on the mats practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Kenpo Karate. Schedule a free, no obligation call using the link provided and we'll discuss your situation and how I can help.

Stephen Cross is the sole advisor at Cross Financial Strategies, LLC, an independent firm based in Prosper, Texas. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 26 years of industry experience, including work at LPL Financial. In addition to his advisory role, he maintains a limited insurance agent activity. Cross Financial Strategies provides discretionary asset management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and corporate entities, with specialized services in ERISA plan management and pension consulting. The firm employs tailored investment programs utilizing Modern Portfolio Theory along with long- and short-term strategies, including options and derivatives, and it permits the use of margin and borrowing in managed accounts.

Venkataraghu Komari is a financial advisor at Tusker Wealth Management, LLC with seven years of industry experience. He holds the Series 66 designation and has worked at firms including Ameriprise Financial, Mass Mutual Dallas, and opes One Advisors. Komari also serves as a licensed insurance agent and acts as an agent for an electronic estate planning firm. Tusker Wealth Management provides advisory services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm offers customized and automated portfolio management, financial planning, pension consulting, educational seminars, and electronic estate-planning referrals, employing a variety of investment strategies with regular monitoring and documented investment policies.

Jace Prows is a financial advisor with Luminary Wealth Advisors in McKinney, TX. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 designations and has 16 years of industry experience. Prior to founding Luminary Wealth Advisors, he worked at Alpha Cubed Investments and Beacon Pointe Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, Prows owns Luminary Cabins LLC, a property management company. Luminary Wealth Advisors provides discretionary investment management and financial planning services to individuals and corporate clients. The firm primarily uses a passive, asset-class-based investment approach with index funds and ETFs, while also incorporating fundamental and technical analysis as needed.

John Shao is a CFA® charterholder with 28 years of industry experience. He is the principal of Summitas Investment Management LLC, where he has worked since 2024. Prior to joining Summitas, he led his own firm, John Shao Portfolio Management, Inc., for 12 years and worked at Eudaimonia Partners, LLC for four years. Summitas Investment Management LLC provides discretionary investment management and advisory services primarily to individuals and high net worth clients, including retirement account guidance. The firm employs a fundamental analysis-driven approach using exchange-traded funds, individual stocks, and bonds, with a focus on long-term investment horizons and customized portfolio allocations.

Matthew Willis is a financial advisor at Visionary Wealth Management LLC in Frisco, TX, with 15 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Avanade, NCC Group, and Solutionary/NTT Security. Visionary Wealth Management LLC provides discretionary portfolio management to individual clients, focusing on retirement and taxable accounts. The firm primarily invests in individual equities, CDs, and municipal and corporate debt, using subscription research services to guide investment decisions and tailoring services to each client's needs.

Edison Noboa is a financial advisor at Eagle Wealth Management, Inc. in McKinney, TX, with 29 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 credentials. In addition to his advisory role, Noboa is employed as a Benefits Analyst at the University of California Office of the President. Eagle Wealth Management offers discretionary portfolio management and investment advice to individual investors, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm uses a combination of technical and fundamental analysis and employs diverse investment instruments, tailoring strategies to each client’s objectives.

Vj Arjan is a financial advisor at ConCap LLC with 10 years of industry experience. He holds the CFP® and ChFC® designations, as well as a Series 66 license. His prior experience includes roles at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc. and Torchmark Corporation. Outside of his advisory work, Arjan maintains a personal blog unrelated to finance. ConCap LLC serves individual clients, including high-net-worth individuals, by providing asset management alongside financial and estate-planning services. The firm applies fundamental analysis and Modern Portfolio Theory to build tailored portfolios, focusing on active management through ongoing monitoring and client communication.

Katherine Im is a financial advisor with WG Plan LLC in McKinney, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing five years of industry experience. Her previous roles include positions at LPL Financial and TIAA-CREF, as well as experience outside finance at J.C. Penney and Sassy Su LLC. WG Plan provides discretionary asset management and financial planning services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm uses a combination of fundamental and technical analysis, Modern Portfolio Theory, and a proprietary quantitative model to manage portfolios tailored to client specifications.

Francisco Zorrilla is a financial advisor at Zor Capital, LLC with 15 years of experience in the industry. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has operated his own advisory firm since 2011. In addition to his advisory work, he runs a financial education website and hosts a weekly Twitter chat focused on stock market discussions. Zor Capital serves individual and high-net-worth clients by providing discretionary portfolio management, individualized asset allocation, and customized investment programs. The firm employs a combination of fundamental and technical analysis across various instruments and offers both performance-based and traditional fee arrangements.

Amy Hall is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with CPR Financial & Insurance Services, Inc. in Prosper, TX, where she has worked for eight years. She also has experience as an independent insurance agent and offers accounting and tax preparation services. Approximately 25% of her professional time is dedicated to these other business activities, which occasionally involve providing related products and services to her clients. CPR Financial & Insurance Services offers portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and corporate retirement plans. The firm combines fundamental analysis with individualized investment policies and utilizes sub-advisors and multiple platforms to implement client portfolios, while also maintaining significant insurance brokerage activities.

Terry Ledbetter is a CFA® charterholder with 23 years of industry experience. He has been with Kopion Asset Management, LLC since 2009, where he serves as one of two advisors. Kopion Asset Management provides discretionary investment management primarily for individual clients seeking capital appreciation over a multi-year horizon. The firm manages concentrated portfolios of 15 to 25 publicly traded stocks selected through fundamental analysis, maintaining a uniform model portfolio approach for all fully invested clients.

Randy Smith is a CFP® with 34 years of industry experience. He is currently with Clear Sky Financial, LP, where he has worked since 2018, and previously held positions at LPL Financial and Flight Safety International. He is also a licensed insurance agent. Clear Sky Financial is a small advisory firm managing approximately $140.6 million in discretionary assets, offering tailored investment management and financial planning services to a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, and other investment advisers.

Lori Givens is a CFP® with 13 years of industry experience, currently serving at Align Financial Advisors, LLC since 2024. She previously worked at Wheat-Givens Financial, LLC and United Planners' Financial Services. She is also a board member of Koelling & Associates, Inc., an industrial supplies company in Dallas, TX. Align Financial Advisors, LLC offers asset management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and certain trusts and estates, employing diverse analytical methods and managing portfolios across mutual funds, ETFs, and equities.

Charles Rosen is a financial advisor at CPR Financial & Insurance Services, Inc. with 21 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has been with CPR Financial & Insurance Services since 2014. Rosen serves as president of an independent insurance agency and holds several volunteer leadership roles within the National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals (NABIP), including legislative chair and board trustee positions. CPR Financial & Insurance Services provides portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and corporate retirement plans. The firm’s investment approach includes fundamental analysis and goals-based models, with portfolio implementation delegated to sub-advisors and use of multiple technology platforms.

Michael Davidson is a CFP® professional with 24 years of experience in financial advisory. He has led Wisdom Index Advisors since 2004. Outside of his advisory work, he is licensed as a general lines insurance agent. Wisdom Index Advisors serves individuals, corporations, and small businesses by offering wealth management, investment consulting, and retirement plan services. The firm employs an evidence-based, long-term investment approach centered on broad diversification, strategic asset allocation, and disciplined rebalancing, typically utilizing mutual funds, ETFs, and interval funds.

Jeffrey Sandt is a financial advisor at Align Financial Advisors, LLC with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at USAA and Systemware. Align Financial Advisors provides asset management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and certain trusts and estates. The firm employs various analytical methods and offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management across mutual funds, ETFs, and equities.

Nancy Elliott is a CFP® professional with seven years of experience at Silver Lake Advisory Partners, LLC in Melissa, TX. She has been with the firm since 2019 and is part of a team that has collectively served clients since 2010. Silver Lake Advisory Partners provides discretionary investment management and financial planning to individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, and small charitable foundations and endowments. The firm employs a fundamental analysis-driven investment approach emphasizing long-term holdings with flexibility for short-term trades, tax-aware strategies, and customized portfolios aligned with client risk tolerance and income needs.

Jonathan Lindstrom is a CFA® charterholder and holds a Series 65 license with nine years of industry experience. He has worked at Kopion Asset Management, LLC since 2017 and has prior experience at Buswell Memorial Library and Wheaton College. Kopion Asset Management provides discretionary investment management to individual clients focused on capital appreciation through a single, relatively concentrated model portfolio of 15–25 publicly traded stocks held typically for three or more years. The firm serves investors with a multi-year horizon and employs standardized operations through Schwab with detailed performance reporting and trading disclosures.

Vincent Lombardo is a financial advisor with CPR Financial & Insurance Services, Inc., holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and 15 years of industry experience. He has served as an independent insurance agent since 2010 and is the owner and officer of Vinou Corporation, a consulting company established in 1993. CPR Financial & Insurance Services provides portfolio management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and corporate plans. The firm integrates investment management with insurance brokerage activities and utilizes multiple platforms and sub-advisors to implement customized investment strategies.