I am Lance Elrod – co-owner of Next Step Financial Transitions. I believe that most financial planning concepts have become overcomplicated; my goal is to declassify these concepts into conversational terms and educate you enough so that you understand and feel comfortable with any decision you make. We founded our firm with a focus on helping families navigate financial transitions, no matter the stage of life. Most traditional advisors like to focus solely on your investments, we do things a little differently by taking a holistic approach to financial planning. This means the first thing we do is get to know you – your values, your goals, and your personality. It is not until we fully know you as an individual or family that we can begin to build out your financial plan to serve as a roadmap for your future, because you can’t take your next step until you know where you are going. I hold a BS in Personal Financial Planning from Texas Tech University and am a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner. Like many new graduates, I began the early part of my career trying to discover my place and passion within my industry. During that time, I worked short stints with United Capital Private Wealth Counseling, which now comes under Goldman Sachs Personal Financial Management Umbrella, and May and Barnhard, P.C., which recently changed their name to Councilor, Buchanan & Mitchell, P.C… Although I enjoyed financial planning, I felt compelled to take a brief detour as a Mud Engineer because Oil & Gas is what you do when you move to Houston, right? In 2015 I rejoined the industry, where I dug into my career and recognized my desire to serve individuals and families in the under-served, early stage of life. Read Lance's blog here: https://nsfinancialtransitions.com/blog/

Michael Gault is a financial advisor at Redfish Capital with 23 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously spent over two decades at Kempner Capital Management, which is currently in the process of closing. Redfish Capital provides discretionary asset management, financial planning, and ERISA 3(21) retirement plan advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and business entities. The firm uses a combination of fundamental, technical, charting, and cyclical analysis to tailor portfolios to client goals and coordinates with clients’ other professionals for comprehensive reviews.

Donald Maynard is a financial advisor at Cooksen Wealth, LLC with six years of industry experience. He holds the Series 65 designation and has been with Cooksen Wealth since 2019. In addition to his advisory role, Maynard is president and CEO of DG Maynard & Associates, LLC, an oil and gas technology consulting firm. Cooksen Wealth serves primarily high-net-worth individuals, trusts, and estates, focusing on financial planning and wealth management. The firm emphasizes asset allocation using Modern Portfolio Theory and combines fundamental and technical analysis to guide portfolio construction and rebalancing.

Steven Ruderman is a CFP® with 43 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is affiliated with Neal Financial Group, L.P. and has held roles at LPL Financial, LLC since 2009. Ruderman also serves as a FINRA arbitrator and sells fixed life insurance and annuities as part of his professional activities. Neal Financial Group, L.P. provides financial planning and pension-consulting services to employee benefit plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, and individual clients. The firm emphasizes advisory and consulting engagements, using investment analysis techniques such as Modern Portfolio Theory and discounted cash flow models, and typically does not take custody or discretionary trading authority over client assets.

Luis Gonzalez Perales is a financial advisor with Crosswell Family Wealth Advisors and holds a Series 63 designation. He has 15 years of industry experience, including 16 years at Crosswell Advisors, LLC. Outside of finance, he serves as a professor at the University Tecnologica de la Rivera Maya and holds management roles in non-investment businesses. Crosswell Family Wealth Advisors manages approximately $80.6 million across around 53 client relationships, serving individuals, business entities, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm emphasizes capital preservation, return maximization, and risk management, with a focus on both domestic and international clients and investment programs that include a broad range of financial instruments.

Andrew Huber is a financial advisor with Magnolia Wealth in Spring, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 14 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Teamwork Financial, Intrua Financial, LPL Financial, and First Command Advisory Services. He is also a licensed insurance agent and an enrolled agent accountant who provides tax preparation services without charge. Magnolia Wealth is a state-registered advisory firm serving individual and high-net-worth clients with discretionary portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning. The firm employs a range of analytical investment methods and incorporates tax services, insurance activities, and AI-enabled tools as part of its overall approach.

Nichol Freeman is a financial advisor with Freeman & Freeman Private Wealth Management LLC in Montgomery, TX, holding a Series 65 designation and six years of industry experience. Prior to joining Freeman & Freeman, she worked at Oak River Insurance Group LLC and Oak River Financial Group Inc., and has nearly a decade of experience with Schaefer Oilfield Services. Freeman & Freeman Private Wealth Management provides discretionary asset management, financial planning, and retirement advice to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and business entities. The firm employs a long-term investment approach using ETFs, mutual funds, REITs, preferred shares, and select equities, with strategies tailored to client-specific tax and legacy considerations.

Jean Casagrande is a financial advisor with Stability Partners Advisory Group, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and 13 years of industry experience. He has been associated with Stability Partners in various capacities since 2010. Outside of advising, Casagrande serves as a director of HC MUD 383, an elected taxing agency responsible for local community services including water and sewage. Stability Partners Advisory Group provides fee-based financial planning, portfolio management, and retirement-plan advisory services to individuals and businesses. The firm primarily implements client accounts through model portfolios selected in partnership with a third-party money manager and manages approximately $141 million in discretionary assets.

Tara Roman is a financial advisor at Bison Investment Advisors, LLC with 10 years of industry experience. She holds a Series 65 designation and has been with Bison Investment Advisors since 2013. Bison Investment Advisors provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, retirement plans, and business entities. The firm employs a multi-asset investment approach tailored to clients’ goals and risk tolerance and serves as general partner and adviser to a proprietary limited partnership available exclusively to its clients.

Adrian Llerena Navarro is a financial advisor at Crosswell Family Wealth Advisors with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has previously worked at Altavista Growth Advisors, LLC, GT International, Inc., and Seale & Associates, Inc. Outside of his advisory role, Adrian serves as Managing Director of Crosswell Consulting Services, LLC, providing general business administration and consulting services. Crosswell Family Wealth Advisors serves individuals, business entities, estates, and charitable organizations, managing approximately $80.6 million across about 53 client relationships. The firm’s investment approach emphasizes capital preservation, return maximization, and risk management, utilizing a broad range of instruments and maintaining an explicit focus on both domestic and international clients.

Oscar Mondragon is a CFP® professional with 13 years of industry experience. He is a principal at Centric Advisors, LLC, where he has worked for over a decade, and has also held roles with Cetera Investment Services LLC since 2026. Outside of his advisory duties, Mondragon is a licensed insurance agent and operates a consulting firm focused on coaching individuals and businesses in revenue growth, profitability, and organizational development. Centric Advisors, LLC provides portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm employs a combination of fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis and utilizes both long- and short-term trading strategies while tailoring financial plans to clients’ individual circumstances.

James O Neill is a financial advisor at Magnolia Wealth with 14 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked at Magnolia Wealth since 2026. His prior experience includes positions at Intrua Financial and Corda Investment Management. Magnolia Wealth serves individual and high-net-worth clients, offering discretionary portfolio management and comprehensive financial planning. The firm employs a variety of analytical methods and integrates tax services alongside portfolio management.

Brian Koepp is a financial advisor at Sonnet, LLC with 20 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has been with Sonnet since 2016. Koepp also serves as Chief Investment Officer at Revo Financial, where he is responsible for updating and maintaining money management models. Sonnet, LLC provides investment management and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, small businesses, and churches, with a focus on business and retirement planning. The firm offers a range of model portfolios that include both passive and actively managed strategies, many based on proprietary quantitative models, and manages most client accounts on a discretionary basis.

Douglas Murrill is a financial advisor at Redfish Capital with 32 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has worked at Redfish Capital Management LLC since 2010. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as an officer of the Joe Murrill Family Foundation. Redfish Capital provides discretionary asset management, financial planning, and ERISA 3(21) retirement plan advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and business entities. The firm employs a variety of investment strategies tailored to client goals and coordinates with other professional advisors, while also offering affiliated insurance and accounting services.

Michael Sweet is a financial advisor at McAlister, Sweet & Associates, Inc. in Houston, TX, with 26 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and previously worked at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors. Outside of his advisory role, he maintains a beekeeping activity for approximately 10 hours per month. McAlister, Sweet & Associates provides financial planning and portfolio management services to individuals, families, high net worth clients, and business entities, managing about $224 million in client assets. The firm employs a range of analytical methods and investment strategies, primarily managing assets on a discretionary basis, and integrates tax preparation services within its advisory offering.

Jacquelyn Girling is a CFP® with five years of industry experience. She has worked at Bannerman Wealth since 2019 and previously was with Westwood Wealth Management and Texas A&M University. Girling is also co-owner and co-host of a finance podcast. Bannerman Wealth serves individual and high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, business entities, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm employs a largely passive investment approach based on Modern Portfolio Theory and Efficient Market Hypothesis, offering diversified model portfolios and comprehensive financial planning with ongoing client monitoring.

Daryl Lazauskas is a financial advisor with John-Luke Financial, LLC and holds Series 63 and Series 66 credentials. He has 29 years of industry experience, including roles at Proequities, Inc. and MLDL Holdings LLC. He is engaged in insurance sales and investment advisory activities through his firm. John-Luke Financial, operating under MLDL Holdings, manages approximately $89.6 million for around 280 clients, providing portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high net worth clients, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm uses a goal-driven, customized planning approach and manages accounts on both discretionary and non-discretionary bases with Charles Schwab as custodian.

Michael Lakes is a financial advisor at Koinonia Financial with a Series 66 designation and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining Koinonia Financial and LPL Financial LLC in 2025, he held roles with various YMCA organizations in the Houston area. Lakes has been involved with the YMCA of Greater Houston Association and The Woodlands Family YMCA in recent years. Koinonia Financial serves individual investors, including high-net-worth clients, and provides advisory services to retirement plan sponsors and 401(k) administrators. The firm employs a proprietary moderate-growth, contrarian investment model focused on diversification and principal preservation, delivering discretionary portfolio management through LPL Financial’s Strategic Wealth Management platform.

Evan Withner is a financial advisor with APM Wealth in Jersey Village, TX, holding a Series 65 designation and two years of industry experience. Prior to joining APM Wealth, he worked at Cypress Fairbanks ISD and operated a sole proprietorship focusing on music performance and education, including hosting saxophone summer camps through The Young Saxophonist's Institute, LLC. APM Wealth serves individual and high-net-worth clients, particularly physicians specializing in anesthesiology and pain management. The firm provides discretionary investment management, Personal CFO services, and business consulting, utilizing primarily ETFs and mutual funds with an emphasis on low-cost, broadly diversified, and tax-aware portfolio construction.

Dwayne Tidwell is a CFP® professional with 30 years of industry experience, currently serving at Bison Investment Advisors, LLC since 2013. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and is based in The Woodlands, Texas. Bison Investment Advisors provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, retirement plans, and business entities. The firm employs a multi-asset investment approach tailored to client goals and risk tolerance, managing assets through separate accounts and proprietary pooled vehicles.