> I got my start in money the strange way. I was a bank teller at 15 in Spring Hill, Kansas, and I'm told the age requirement went up after me. > Since then: eight years at Fidelity learning how big firms care for clients, a wealth management chapter, a CFO seat at a startup. And in 2025 I went advice-only, because I kept meeting families who'd been offered plenty of products and percentages, when all they really wanted was someone on their side of the table to hand them the plan. > That's what advice-only means. You pay one flat fee for advice. I don't sell products, I don't take a percentage of your money, and nothing I recommend pays me a commission. The advice is the whole business. > I work with couples and families like my own, people who love what they do and want to know their family is taken care of. We map the whole picture, cash flow, investments, taxes, protection, and you leave with a plan you actually understand and own. > Away from the desk I'm a husband and a dad of three. Whatever time is left goes to guitar, piano, and singing and a long audiobook queue. > If you've been wanting real advice without wondering who's earning what off the recommendation, message me here. That's the easiest way to start!

Thanks for checking out my profile! Here's a little about me: I'm happily married to the love of my life who somehow hasn't realized how far out of my league she is (so please don't tell her). When not working, I’m probably chasing after our two amazing kids who keep life loud and full in the best ways, or experimenting with new vegan curry recipes, or injuring myself trying to get back into a workout routine since I refuse to accept that I’m no longer a 20-something Marine. I'm often asked how I got into financial planning. After the military, I headed to San Diego State University not knowing what my next steps would be, but knowing that I 1) wanted to do meaningful work that could genuinely help people, 2) had a strong interest in finance, and 3) was compelled to continue my lifelong string of side projects and small businesses I kept finding myself in. Smashing those together led to becoming a CFP® and founding Next Gen Financial Planning to serve clients often overlooked by our profession, giving me the chance to help hundreds of people navigate their financial and life journeys. Along the way, I did my best to learn from every financial planner in San Diego or elsewhere who would answer my calls or emails. Jim taught me the importance of truly listening to clients before offering solutions. Michael showed me how to think like a business owner, not just an advisor. Nancy taught me that sales can be ethical and fun. Taylor showed me the power of community and supporting each other as we grow. I'm deeply grateful to them, and to the many others who helped me get here. Next Gen grew up to be bigger than just me, and I passed the torch over to the team in 2024. Now I'm excited to set my sights on a new mission with AdviceOnly because it's time for change, not just for me but in how our profession treats both financial advisors and the clients we serve. I’m building a new model to help advisors focus on giving advice, not sales pitches. Too many are overwhelmed by compliance/tech/admin, or feel lonely, or pressured to put the firm's financial performance over their sense of what’s right. Quick note: I'm not currently taking on new ongoing financial planning clients while focusing on building the AdviceOnly platform to support other advisors, so please consider checking out www.adviceonly.com or another credible place. I do still take on an occasional small hourly projects.

Grant Knox has been a Financial Advisor since 1994 and holds the following registrations and licenses: General Securities, California Life and Health Insurance, and California Real Estate and Mortgage Lending. A Southern California native, Grant excels at strategies for financial health and wealth that are attainable and effective. He is passionate about helping others achieve financial success and exceed their goals. He is a certified Kingdom Advisor, able to offer counsel on the integration of a Biblical worldview into financial practices. He holds the Certified Plan Fiduciary Designation (CPFA), designating expertise in company retirement plans. He holds a Bachelors degree from Evangel University and a D.Min. from Summit Bible College. Grant lives in La Mesa with his wife, Nicole and their son Noah. He loves to travel, active in his church, is a voracious reader and an avid soccer fan, having played on and managed recreational soccer teams for over 30 years.

Frederick Pearson is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with 15 years of industry experience. He operates as a self-employed advisor through his independent firm, Pearson, Frederick, Norman Jr., based in Poway, CA. His firm provides discretionary portfolio management primarily for individual investors, focusing on IRA accounts. The investment strategy centers on income through dividend-paying stocks and ETFs, with a smaller allocation to growth equities managed under a strict money-management framework.

Kyle Tweet is a financial advisor with 25 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® designation and Series 66 license. He has worked at Tweet Management Services since 2011, with prior experience at Salt Capital Management and Ameriprise. Tweet Management Services, Inc. provides portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, retirement accounts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and small businesses. The firm employs a combination of fundamental and technical analysis and typically uses publicly traded securities and mutual funds, managing accounts mostly on a nondiscretionary basis while coordinating with clients’ external tax and estate professionals.

John Malaney is a financial advisor at Engineering Financial Independence, Inc. with four years of industry experience. He holds the Series 65 designation and has a background as a Program Manager at General Atomics, where he worked for fourteen years. Engineering Financial Independence, Inc. provides portfolio management and financial planning services to individual and high-net-worth clients, managing approximately $5.0 million across a small number of relationships. The firm offers a free subscription service featuring general investor commentary, and employs an investment approach that includes fundamental analysis, modern portfolio theory, quantitative methods, long-term equity strategies, options trading, mutual funds, ETFs, and fixed income.

Earl Wong is a financial advisor at Spirit Global Investment Advisors, LLC with 14 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has been with Spirit Global since 2013. Outside of his advisory role, he manages One Road Media Ventures, focusing on developing and distributing global media projects with an emphasis on partnerships in Asia. Spirit Global Investment Advisors serves family offices, ultra-high-net-worth individuals, and institutional investors with integrated wealth management, combining public-market portfolio management, alternative fund access, and institutional-grade digital asset services. The firm employs a manager-of-managers approach with significant allocations to alternatives and digital assets, primarily targeting sophisticated and institutional mandates.

Scott Melbrod is the sole advisor at Taxable Wealth in San Diego, CA, holding Series 63 and 65 licenses with 23 years of industry experience. Prior to founding Taxable Wealth in 2019, he worked at NATIONAL PLANNING CORPORATION from 2002 to 2017 and has been associated with M Wealth Management since 2015. He is also managing partner of Accumulation Wealth Partners and SH Partners, LLC, the latter involving real estate management. Taxable Wealth provides investment advisory and financial planning services mainly to individual and high-net-worth clients, as well as corporate clients. The firm emphasizes passive portfolio construction using low-cost index funds combined with fundamental analysis and periodic reviews, and it sponsors affiliated private real estate investment vehicles.

Chester Holliday is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 designation with nine years of industry experience. He currently serves as the sole advisor at Elite Wealth Management, LLC, a firm he joined in 2021 following prior work with Andina Capital Management, LLC. Elite Wealth Management provides continuous investment management and comprehensive financial planning to individuals and high-net-worth clients, along with employee benefit plan advisory services for employer plan sponsors. The firm employs a combination of passive and active strategies and offers individualized account management, pension consulting, and educational seminars.

Sean Bradford is the sole advisor at Speiro Investments, LLC, an independent firm based in Lakeside, CA. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 19 years of industry experience. Bradford has led Speiro Investments since 2014. Speiro Investments provides discretionary portfolio management and investment supervisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, charitable organizations, and plan sponsors. The firm uses a combination of fundamental and technical analysis, managing diversified portfolios that include mutual funds, equities, bonds, ETFs, REITs, and government securities.

Kenneth Corlett is a CFP® professional with 23 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Corlett Financial, Inc. in San Diego, CA. He previously worked at Worthpointe Wealth Management for two years before founding his firm in 2017. Corlett is also a partner and wealth advisor with another investment advisory firm and holds active securities licenses, though he has not been engaged in insurance activities for over two years. Corlett Financial, Inc. provides portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs an investment approach that combines cyclical analysis with modern portfolio theory, offering both discretionary and non-discretionary management with a focus on tailored investment strategies and regular account reviews.

Darin Delozier is a financial advisor at Frassati Wealth with one year of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and previously worked at Foundation Wealth Planning LLC for two years. Outside of advising, he has worked at Catholic Answers since 2005. Frassati Wealth LLC is a fee-only registered investment adviser serving individuals and high-net-worth clients with asset-allocation driven portfolios combining passive and active strategies. The firm integrates Catholic social-teaching screens in its investment approach and offers tailored financial planning and discretionary portfolio management.

Jane Edmondson is the founder and managing member of JLE Wealth Management, LLC, an independent advisory firm based in San Diego, CA. She holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and has 24 years of industry experience. Prior to her current role, Ms. Edmondson worked at TMX VettaFi and founded EQM Indexes, LLC, where she remains majority owner and partners in licensing indices used as benchmarks for exchange-traded products. JLE Wealth Management is a woman-owned firm that provides discretionary investment management and bundled financial planning to individuals, high-net-worth, and institutional clients. The firm employs a quantitative, model-driven stock selection process that integrates fundamental and market-sentiment data, with ongoing portfolio rebalancing and risk controls.

Adam Bileckyj is the principal advisor at Brightway Wealth Planning in Poway, CA, holding Series 65 and Series 63 licenses with nine years of industry experience. He has worked in various roles including at Principal Life Insurance Company and Principal Securities INC before founding his independent advisory firm. In addition to financial advising, Bileckyj operates as an independent insurance agent. Brightway Wealth Planning serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as small businesses and corporations, providing customized financial planning, investment consultation, and nondiscretionary portfolio management. The firm employs a globally diversified investment approach combining Modern Portfolio Theory with a Core + Satellite framework, managing portfolios on a long-term buy-and-hold basis with client-specific guidelines.

Donald Dalesandro is a financial advisor at Liberty Solutions Advisors with 28 years of industry experience. He holds the Series 63 and Series 65 designations. Prior to joining Liberty Solutions Advisors in 2019, he worked at Tate Asset Management and DCO Wealth Management from 2015 to 2019. Liberty Solutions Advisors provides portfolio management and investment advice to individual clients, pension and profit-sharing plans, and business entities. The firm uses a combination of charting, fundamental and technical analysis, and employs a range of strategies from long-term investing to short-term trading, including options, margin, short sales, and access to private placements and alternative investments. Unlike many peers, Liberty Solutions manages accounts directly and offers performance-based compensation alongside traditional fee models.

Amanda Austin is the sole advisor at Austin Consulting, holding a Series 65 designation with three years of industry experience. She previously spent 20 years at Engel Consulting. Austin Consulting provides portfolio management and investment services to individuals, trusts, estates, and charitable institutions. The firm employs a conservative, fundamental analysis approach using mutual funds and ETFs, operates on a non-discretionary basis, and customizes advice according to each client’s financial situation.

Glenda Moehlenpah is a CFP® and Series 65-licensed financial advisor with 24 years of experience at Financial Bridges, a sole-proprietor firm based in Poway, CA. She also provides tax preparation services as a CPA, dedicating part of her year to preparing individual tax returns. Financial Bridges offers financial planning, investment consultation, and tax preparation services primarily to individual investors and families, focusing on project-based or as-needed engagements without managing client assets directly. The firm emphasizes globally diversified asset allocation and provides implementation education without discretionary portfolio management or custody.

Robert Shabkie is a financial advisor at Pathlight Wealth Management with 15 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Cetera Investment Advisers LLC, Cetera Advisor Networks, and VOYA Financial Advisors. In addition to his advisory role, he maintains a legal practice focused on estate planning and serves as a licensed independent insurance agent. Pathlight Wealth Management is a single-advisor independent firm managing approximately $20.7 million for around 61 clients, including individuals and institutional pension plans. The firm provides discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services, employing various analytical methods to tailor investment strategies that may include mutual funds, ETFs, equities, and more active trading approaches.

James Paulsen is a CFP® with 22 years of industry experience. He is the principal advisor at Taxable Wealth in San Diego, CA, where he has worked since 2026. Prior to that, he spent 10 years with Guggenheim Funds Distributors LLC. Outside of his advisory work, Paulsen holds a passive ownership stake in a clothing company through TAVIK Holdings, LLC. Taxable Wealth provides investment advisory and financial planning services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients, with additional services for corporate and business clients. The firm emphasizes passive portfolio construction using low-cost index funds combined with fundamental analysis, and it manages about $91 million in discretionary assets for roughly 40 clients.

Steven Farrington is a CFP® professional with 17 years of industry experience, operating as the sole advisor at ESI Financial Services, Inc. in La Mesa, CA. In addition to his advisory role, he owns a CPA practice, integrating tax preparation and planning services into his financial planning engagements. ESI Financial Services, Inc. provides comprehensive financial planning, tax, and investment advisory services to individuals, families, small businesses, and related entities. The firm employs a functional asset-allocation approach with a generally passive investment philosophy, focusing on no-load index funds, ETFs, and fixed-income securities, and maintains a small client roster with non-discretionary, fee-only services.