What led you to your position at your firm? I have been focused on FIRE (financial independence, retire early) goals since college. At age 36, I was able to quit a high-paying hedge fund job to pursue my dream of starting this business. This wasn’t an accident, but part of a long-term financial plan I crafted for myself. Now, I am able to share my passion and help others pursue and achieve their dreams. What makes you different from other advisors? I am different from other advisors in that I offer a white glove, high touch model. While other advisors may serve as many as 100 to 200 clients each, I intend to serve no more than 20 clients exceptionally well. What minimum assets do you require? For investment-only clients, we require minimum assets under management of $300,000. I charge a 1.0% investment management fee for the active strategy and a 0.7% investment management fee for the passive strategy. For clients with more than $1 million of assets under management, we offer financial planning services at no additional charge. Due to capacity limitations, we will only be able to accept a few more financial planning clients. Once we reach capacity, we will no longer be able to accept new financial planning clients. What makes your investment process unique? Inspired by Warren Buffett’s investing style, I believe I can add substantial value to our clients through active management and superior stock selection. Having two decades of investment experience working at multiple hedge funds with exposure to both equities and fixed income, I have learned from the best. With all of my own net worth invested alongside my clients in the same strategies, my interests are aligned with yours as this cook eats his own cooking.

Venu Vallabhaneni is a financial advisor at CapitalAlphabet with three years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Bank of America for 13 years. In addition to his advisory role, Vallabhaneni is a licensed real estate agent. CapitalAlphabet is an independent firm that provides discretionary portfolio management primarily to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charities, and business entities. The firm employs a fundamental, research-intensive approach with concentrated portfolios focused on long-term capital preservation and uses a broad range of investment instruments, including equities, fixed income, and derivatives.

Katherine Malone is a financial advisor at Malone Financial Planning LLC in McKinney, TX, holding a Series 65 designation and bringing three years of industry experience. Her work history includes roles at Citrine Capital and Baylor Scott & White Health prior to founding her independent firm. Malone Financial Planning LLC offers fee-only investment management and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on personalized investment policies that incorporate both passive and active strategies along with options for socially responsible investing. The firm operates as a boutique practice, providing discretionary portfolio oversight and a range of planning services without account minimums.

Michael Mc Erlane is a CFP® with seven years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Comprehensive Financial Planning for Doctors, LLC in Frisco, TX. He previously worked at Northwestern Mutual in various capacities from 2018 to 2021. Comprehensive Financial Planning for Doctors, LLC provides fee-only financial planning and advisory services primarily to physicians and other professionals. The firm focuses on passive, low-cost investment strategies and offers both standalone plans and ongoing engagements, with client meetings conducted nationally, often virtually.

Ryan Munoz is a financial advisor at Clairalpha Advisors LLC in Frisco, TX, holding a Series 65 license with three years of industry experience. He has worked at several firms including Realta Investment Advisors, Inc. and Transc3nd. Munoz is also involved in tax consulting and insurance sales through affiliated business activities. Clairalpha Advisors LLC provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and employer-sponsored retirement plans. The firm’s approach is based on modern portfolio theory and tailored long-term income strategies, managing accounts on a discretionary basis when authorized and utilizing both third-party model managers and proprietary models.

Roderick Roberts II is the sole advisor at Finance.vet LLC, holding a Series 65 designation with one year of experience. His prior work includes roles at C4 Constructors LLC and Beauty Bakerie Cosmetics Brand, Inc. Finance.vet LLC provides internet-based discretionary portfolio management primarily for U.S. veterans, military retirees, and military-connected families, employing an ETF-first investment approach with a focus on options-income and digital-asset strategies. The firm offers an optional advisory service distinct from its educational technology platform and operates a partner-funded cohort model to reduce fees for eligible clients.

You've experienced an unimaginable loss: the loss of a spouse, a marriage, or a loved one. You never handled the "money" side of things, and you're scared. Your estate planning or divorce attorney has helped you through the nuts and bolts, but now what? Molly Laughter, CFA® Charterholder and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ is passionate about helping women understand finances and answer this question. Molly has spent her professional career making complicated financial topics relatable and understandable. You don't have to know numbers to build a successful life or start again. Molly’s mission is to educate and empower the women she works with to live a life they love, with solid analysis and planning as a foundation for the future. She provides access to comprehensive financial planning and investment management.

Ashish Shah is the proprietor of Shah Tax and Financial Planning in Frisco, TX, with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 credential and has been providing tax preparation and financial planning services through his firm since 2016, preparing and filing annual tax returns as part of his practice. Shah Tax and Financial Planning serves a range of clients, including pooled and institutional accounts, offering investment management alongside financial planning and tax accounting services. The firm employs a primarily passive, asset-allocation-driven investment approach with non-discretionary management and integrates tax-efficiency into financial planning. It features a mixed-fee model with hourly and fixed-fee planning options in addition to percentage-of-AUM fees.

Wissam Bilal is a financial advisor with Tigris Consulting LLC in Allen, TX, holding a Series 65 designation and bringing nine years of industry experience. He has been with Tigris Consulting since 2015 and previously worked at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon from 2010 to 2021. Tigris Consulting LLC provides discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management and advisory services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, and small businesses. The firm employs a long-term buy-and-hold investment approach supported by various analytical methods and offers services such as retirement account management, estate-planning assistance, and advisory coverage for held-away employer-sponsored accounts.

Mike Kurz, CIMA®, CFP®, CAIA, CPWA®, RMA® Chief Executive Officer – Financial Planner Mike has spent 25 years in the world of Wealth Management in counselling Investors and Financial Advisors. His professional experience includes coaching on investment advisory programs, private equity, hedging strategies along with formalized Financial Planning and he often speaks at wealth management events, conferences and workshops. Mike shares that, "The greatest pleasure in helping others encompasses using technical knowledge strengthened by creativity and shared experiences to inspire my audience to develop their personal call to action." Education and Certifications Mike completed a Masters in Legal Studies with an emphasis in Wealth Management at Texas A&M University School of Law and is currently a doctoral candidate in the Leadership and Learning in Organizations program at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College. Mike earned his B.B.A in Finance at Midwestern State University and is an Investment Advisory Representative. In addition, he is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER TM designee, Certified Investment Management Analyst® professional, a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst designee and a Certified Private Wealth Advisor® professional. Mike previously served as the founder and President of the North Texas Investment Management Consultants Association Chapter. In addition, Mike provides volunteer Financial Literacy Education and Research in group presentation. Outside of the boardroom or classroom, Mike enjoys cycling on both mountain bikes and road bikes along with playing golf often.

Wesley Young is a CFP® with 17 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Oakwood Advisory Group, LLC since 2011. He has also been affiliated with MassMutual since 2009. Outside of his advisory role, Young is involved in multiple business ventures, including ownership interests in several management and fund entities, as well as ownership of an entertainment group. Oakwood Advisory Group provides investment management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts and estates, profit-sharing plans, and pooled investment vehicles. The firm employs a disciplined, diversification-focused investment process and offers tailored services directly or through recommended sub-advisors.

Michael Aussieker is the sole advisor at OH Cap Asset Management, an independent firm based in Frisco, TX. He holds the CFA® designation and Series 63 license, with two years of industry experience and seven years managing his own advisory firms. OH Cap Asset Management is a fee-only advisory firm serving primarily individual clients, as well as small businesses, corporations, and institutional clients. The firm integrates fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis with risk assessment tools like Conditional Value at Risk (CVaR) and employs proprietary models for portfolio management and consulting services typically found at larger firms.

Marc Helfrich is the sole advisor at Marc C Helfrich Registered Investment Advisor in Van Alstyne, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 22 years of industry experience. He has operated his own advisory firm since 2012 and has been an insurance agent specializing in life, long-term care, and annuity products since 2009. His firm provides tailored financial planning services to individual clients on a non-discretionary basis, focusing on establishing client goals, risk tolerance, and conducting periodic reviews. The firm emphasizes individualized advice without discretionary trading authority and integrates client approval in all account changes.

Joseph Mc Cullough is the principal of McCullough Wealth Management LLC in Van Alstyne, TX, with two years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has prior experience at Securities America Advisors, Securities America, Inc., and Ameriprise Financial Services. Mc Cullough is also a CPA licensed since 1993 and a Texas-licensed insurance agent, though he does not currently sell insurance products or provide accounting services. McCullough Wealth Management LLC offers asset management and financial planning services to individuals, corporations, and business entities. The firm combines fundamental and technical analysis with Modern Portfolio Theory to construct portfolios and focuses on long-term, income, and tax-efficient strategies tailored to client objectives and risk tolerance.

Ralph Ujano Jr. is a CFP® professional with 28 years of industry experience. He is the sole advisor at The Ujano Advisory Group LLC, an independent firm he has led since 2017. Prior to founding his firm, he worked elsewhere for one year. The Ujano Advisory Group LLC provides comprehensive wealth management and life-planning services to individuals, families, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and employer retirement plans. The firm employs evidence-based portfolio construction and offers pension consulting and retirement-plan support, combining discretionary portfolio management with tax-aware planning and multigenerational legacy strategies.

Stephen Hill is a financial advisor with Eagle Financial Advisors, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 13 years of industry experience. He has been with Eagle Financial Advisors since 2015 and also manages Stephen F. Hill & Associates LLC, an investment advisory firm he founded in 2003. Outside of advisory services, he is involved with an insurance agency affiliated with Eagle Financial Group. Eagle Financial Advisors is an independent advisory firm with a seven-advisor team serving individuals, trusts, corporations, and other entities. The firm offers both discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, financial planning services, and assists clients in selecting third-party managers, using a combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis in its investment approach.

I’m Shar-Né Warren, CFP®, CRPC®, the “excavator” behind Financial Excavation! You could say I’ve always been passionate about helping build more and achieve more. As a former interior design student, I wanted to help people build beautiful homes – and now I get to help them build beautiful lives. My financial story began early at 11 years old, when I witnessed our family lose our house just weeks before Christmas. I still remember the confusion, the stress, the pain, and the worry I felt and saw. From that young age, I’ve had a calling to be a positive difference maker in the lives of others. With over 15 years of experience in financial services, I’ve learned that the journey to financial well-being doesn’t happen overnight. It requires leaving your comfort zone, and it’s more challenging alone. I wanted to create Financial Excavation to help real people, imperfect people, who dream big and sometimes play small…until now! You know where you want to go, you just may not know how to get there. Financial Excavation isn’t another “by-the-numbers” firm. Our approach is more spiritually grounded. Inspired by Bible verse, Jeremiah 1:10, we’re here to help you tear down old beliefs and rebuild a rooted financial life. We know that taking that first step towards digging deep into past beliefs, clearing old patterns, and building a strong financial foundation isn’t easy. But together, we’ve got this! We are committed to helping YOU build the best financial future you can and uncover the beautiful treasure and life that you’ve always desired. Whether you are a new wealth individual, pre-retiree, in transition, or a person of color, we meet you where you are and guide you where you need to go. And we do it with a sprinkle of fun – yes, fun! – in the process.

Charles McLean is the principal advisor at Charles McLean Capital Management in McKinney, TX, with 25 years of industry experience. He previously worked at Sigma Planning Corporation and Sigma Financial Corporation for 17 years and served at the University of Texas A&M School of Law for two years. McLean is the author of *Women and Wealth*, a guide addressing investment lifecycle issues for women. Charles McLean Capital Management offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, comprehensive wealth-management consulting, and related services to individuals, institutions, trusts, estates, retirement accounts, and charitable organizations. The firm emphasizes customized portfolios using individual securities, ETFs, and options, supplements research with vetted external and AI sources, and provides flexible fee arrangements including fixed, hourly, and project-based fees.

Narasimha Vulisetti is the sole advisor at Y2K Financial LLC, holding a Series 65 license with six years of industry experience. He has worked concurrently as a systems architect at Bank of America since 2020 and previously spent nine years at Pegasystems Inc. Outside of financial advising, he maintains a role in software development at a financial institution. Y2K Financial LLC offers financial planning and investment consultation primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm provides written plans and allocation guidance based on fundamental analysis and a Modern Portfolio Theory framework, without ongoing portfolio management or trade execution.

Hannah Szarszewski is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with seven years of industry experience. She is the principal of Blue Mountain Financial Planning, an independent advisory firm, and also owns Blue Mountain Money Education, LLC, through which she provides financial literacy and educational content. Prior to founding her current firm, she worked at Keener Financial Planning and SFMG Wealth Advisors. Blue Mountain Financial Planning serves individual and high-net-worth clients with ongoing financial planning and discretionary investment management, using a primarily passive, asset-allocation approach based on index funds and ETFs. The firm uses a subscription-based fee model rather than asset-based fees and offers both ongoing and project-based planning services.