I was 13 years old when I started investing. My grandfather taught me. Instead of fishing or watching baseball during summers together, he walked me through options trading (not the safest way to invest lol). Buying and selling puts, running iron condors and writing covered calls. Most kids my age were at camps or on the swim team. I was learning about risk, free cash flow, and what it means to actually own a piece of a business. I was obsessed. I kept investing through college, eventually realizing there was a whole world beyond picking stocks. Tax planning. Estate planning. Cash flow. The full picture of what it takes to build wealth and protect a family. I joined a firm out of school. Then another. I learned a lot, but kept running into the same wall: I didn't have the freedom to invest the way I believed clients deserved. In 2021, I started Baskets Capital, my own independent RIA. I wanted full control over how we serve clients. Not 10 mutual funds and calling it a day. Not telling an 85 year old "let's just see what the market does." I wanted custom portfolios of individual stocks, actively managed, tailored to each client. Then in early 2024, life hit me hard. I was diagnosed with a fatal brain tumor. Three months of scans and specialists led to brain surgery in May 2024. A week in the hospital, time in the Neural ICU, and a long recovery that stretched through the year. I could not have made it through without God protecting me the whole way, without Courtney by my side, and without having built my own firm years prior. Full control over my schedule is what let me focus on healing. In 2025, the best thing that has ever happened. We welcomed our daughter, Parker, into the world. She reshaped how I think about my work and why it matters. At Baskets Capital, we help families and business owners navigate tax planning, estate planning, charitable giving, and investments so they can focus on what matters most - family time. We coordinate every piece: proactive tax planning, smart giving strategies like donating appreciated stock and using donor-advised funds, and custom portfolios of individual stocks. Every dollar gets put to work with intention. If you think you're safe because nothing has gone wrong yet, and you haven't built a plan for what happens when life throws something unexpected at you, we should probably talk. Life has a thousand things it can throw. One of the best things you can do is prepare, build a plan, and walk through it with experts beside you.

I’m Zach Thomas, founder and steward of Growth Horizons Wealth Management, based in Georgetown, TX. As a fee‑only, fiduciary advisor, our team empowers small business owners, high-net-worth individuals, and retirees to build purposeful lives through thoughtful, technology-forward wealth planning—because financial success should fuel what matters, not distract from it. My journey began after witnessing my grandfather’s financial struggles following his business exit. That experience—combined with the values of my parents (a teacher and postal worker)—shaped my mission to prevent others from suffering the same. I launched my career at Wells Fargo, built a wealth-management department at Cadence Bank, and refined my approach at Heritage Family Offices before launching my practice in July 2023. Outside of work, I’m a devoted husband, proud father to Roman, CrossFit enthusiast, triathlon finisher, aspiring author, lifelong student of the humanities, and active Christian. I believe wealth is about time, freedom, and legacy—not just dollars.

Kirti Bhanushali is the sole advisor at Dversify Advisors LLC, holding a Series 65 credential with one year of industry experience. Prior to founding Dversify Advisors, Kirti was employed at Oracle Corp for 18 years. Kirti is also involved with Dversify AI LLC, a technology affiliate related to the advisory platform. Dversify Advisors provides automated, non-discretionary investment advice and financial planning services to individual clients through an interactive digital platform. The firm focuses on delivering analyses such as retirement-income planning, Social Security strategy, and tax-related modeling without managing client assets or executing trades.

Brandon Perry is a CFP® and ChFC® with 22 years of industry experience. He is the principal of Perry Investment Management, LLC, an independent firm he has led since 2009 in Round Rock, TX. Perry Investment Management is a fee-only registered investment adviser managing approximately $27 million in discretionary assets. The firm serves individuals, nonprofits, corporate pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable institutions, foundations, and endowments, using an IPS-driven approach focused on risk control and loss limitation through diversified portfolios comprising stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, and bonds.

Scott Jacobsmeyer is a CFP® with 20 years of industry experience and has been with Argent Wealth Management, Inc. since 2005. He is based in Round Rock, TX, and holds a Series 65 license. Argent Wealth Management provides personalized financial planning and investment management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and small businesses on a fee-only basis. The firm employs a strategic asset allocation approach using primarily passive mutual funds and ETFs, with an emphasis on non-discretionary management and periodic rebalancing.

Mustafa Ismail is the principal of Ismail, Mustafa, an investment management firm based in Cedar Park, TX. He holds a Series 65 designation and has industry experience beginning in 2024. Prior to founding his firm, he worked for nine years at Intel Corporation in technology roles including cloud architect and software engineer. Ismail, Mustafa provides fee-only financial planning services to individuals and high-net-worth clients, focusing on tailored recommendations in investing, asset allocation, retirement rollovers, insurance, and taxes. The firm emphasizes long-term diversified strategies and detailed risk disclosures, operating on an hourly billing basis without accepting custody or discretionary authority over client accounts.

Devang Patel is a financial advisor at Rewbix with a Series 65 credential and two years of industry experience. He has been associated with DJP MD PLLC since 2013. Outside of his advisory role, he serves as a director at Rewbix Real Estate Investments LLC, where he oversees property management issues. Rewbix AI Investments LLC is an independent, internet-based advisory firm that provides AI-driven portfolio management and related services to individual, retail, qualified, and accredited investors. The firm uses machine-learning algorithms to generate buy and sell recommendations and operates on a non-discretionary basis, with plans to introduce discretionary trade execution and token-based fees.

Brandon Hinneberg is a CFP® and ChFC® with six years of industry experience. He currently operates as the sole advisor at Off-Trail Works LLC, an independent firm based in Austin, TX. Prior to founding Off-Trail Works, he spent several years with Northwestern Mutual in various investment and wealth management roles. Outside of financial advising, he was involved with Your Vision Video Productions LLC from 2018 to 2021. Off-Trail Works LLC provides comprehensive financial planning and discretionary portfolio management to individuals, families, small business owners, trusts, and related entities. The firm emphasizes a planning-first approach, integrating detailed financial projections and tax-efficient investment strategies, and manages approximately $9 million in assets across about 21 households.

Donald Rudy III is a financial advisor with Lakeline Financial in Cedar Park, TX, holding a Series 65 designation and two years of industry experience. Prior to founding Lakeline Financial, he spent over a decade at Blizzard Entertainment and two years at Momentum Private Wealth Management. Lakeline Financial provides investment management and comprehensive financial planning for individual and high-net-worth clients, offering a range of services including ongoing planning and limited-scope hourly engagements. The firm employs both passive and active strategies grounded in modern portfolio theory and focuses on traditional asset classes while excluding Alternative Investments and Cryptocurrency.

Brock Erwin is a financial advisor at CleverInvesting LLC with nine years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has been with CleverInvesting since 2016. In addition to his advisory role, he works as a Software Development Engineer for Amazon. CleverInvesting LLC provides discretionary portfolio management for individual and high-net-worth clients, employing a concentrated, fundamentals-based value investing approach. The firm focuses on tailored investment policies and occasionally uses derivatives such as cash-secured put options.

Max Mueller is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with four years of industry experience. He is the sole advisor at Mueller Wealth Advisors in Austin, TX, and previously worked at JP Morgan Chase & Co. Outside of his advisory role, he manages two business ventures focused on consulting and business technology software. Mueller Wealth Advisors provides asset management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and closely held businesses, with a focus on strategic asset allocation and coordinated business succession planning.

Thomas Fortenberry is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with Sovereign Asset Advisors LLC, where he has worked since 2020. He has five years of experience in financial advising and also maintains a law practice as an attorney since 2009. Additionally, he is a licensed real estate agent and serves as a trustee for private trusts. Sovereign Asset Advisors LLC is a small independent firm managing approximately $2.5 million for individual investors, small businesses, charitable organizations, and retirement plans. The firm uses an active, value-oriented investment approach combining fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis to create diversified portfolios and offers comprehensive financial planning, discretionary portfolio management, and retirement-plan advisory services.

Jeffrey Kikel is the principal advisor at Freedom Day Wealth Management LLC in Cedar Park, TX, holding the ChFC® designation along with Series 63, 65, and 66 licenses. He has 30 years of industry experience with prior roles at Fidelity, Charles Schwab, Edward Jones, and other firms. Outside of financial advising, he is involved in several entrepreneurial ventures including owning a solar energy company, a media publishing and marketing consulting business, and founding a coworking facility. Freedom Day Wealth Management provides discretionary asset management, financial planning, and retirement-plan advisory services to individuals and corporate plan sponsors. The firm combines fundamental and technical analysis in a long-term investment approach tailored to each client’s needs and offers fiduciary retirement-plan consulting services.

Manuel Ramirez Jr. is a financial advisor with Versai Wealth Management LLC in Cedar Park, TX, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses and having 22 years of industry experience. Prior to founding Versai Wealth Management in 2018, he worked at B.B. Graham & Co. and Per Stirling Capital Management, LLC. He is also an independent licensed insurance agent. Versai Wealth Management LLC is an independent advisory firm serving individual and high-net-worth clients with portfolio management and financial planning. The firm employs a variety of analytical approaches and offers discretionary account management that can include the use of derivatives and options strategies tailored to client goals and risk tolerance.

Richard Brady is a financial advisor at Helios Financial Services, LLC with six years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at several firms including Foundations Investment Advisors, Vital Retirement, Portside Wealth Group, Townsquare Capital, and Insurance Network, Inc. Outside of advising, he is also a licensed insurance agent. Helios Financial Services, LLC provides asset management and financial planning services to individuals and high-net-worth clients, focusing on managing custodial accounts. The firm combines technical charting, fundamental analysis, and modern portfolio theory to tailor strategies that include long- and short-term, income, and hedging approaches.

Richard Betts is the sole advisor at Barton Creek Advisors, LLC, an independent firm based in Round Rock, TX. He holds a Series 63 designation and has 22 years of industry experience, having been with Barton Creek Advisors since 2004. Outside of his advisory role, Betts is the founding principal of R. Mark Betts Financial, where he provides education and services related to life insurance, fixed annuities, and life insurance settlements. Barton Creek Advisors offers investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, and estates, focusing on customized portfolio construction and ongoing financial consultations. The firm typically oversees third-party money managers who handle day-to-day trading and custody while maintaining a non-discretionary advisory role.

Edmund Crawford is the principal advisor at Crawford Advisory Group, LLC in Austin, TX, with 30 years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has worked previously at Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he owns Lil' Love Apparel, LLC, a non-investment business. Crawford Advisory Group provides comprehensive financial planning and discretionary investment advisory services to individuals, small businesses, corporations, estates, and trusts. The firm combines strategic and tactical asset allocation, using both fundamental and technical analyses, and manages accounts on a discretionary basis with regular reviews and rebalancing.

Douglas Kirkpatrick is the sole advisor at Alphaglider LLC, an independent registered investment adviser based in Georgetown, TX. He holds the CFA® designation and has 13 years of industry experience, including prior institutional equity roles before founding Alphaglider in 2012. Alphaglider LLC serves individuals, families, trusts, and retirement plan sponsors, managing approximately $48 million across about 30 clients. The firm offers discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management, fiduciary consulting, and 3(38) investment-manager services, with a focus on diversified, risk-managed, tax-aware strategies that rely heavily on exchange-traded funds and are delivered primarily through its website and mobile applications.

Jacques Corre is a financial advisor at Quasar with a Series 65 credential and one year of industry experience. His prior work includes roles at Orbiss Inc., Naolys SARL, International Management Solutions Inc./Exelmans, and Orcom SA. Quasar provides advisory services to individuals and high-net-worth clients through customized wealth management, family CFO services, financial planning consulting, estate and tax planning, and educational seminars. The firm uses a combination of Modern Portfolio Theory with fundamental, cyclical, and charting analysis and supervises unaffiliated sub-advisers to manage client portfolios.

Stephen Homer is a financial advisor at Inked Investments with seven years of industry experience. He holds Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and has prior experience at Edward Jones. Outside of advising, he works as a real estate agent and coaches athletics at Round Rock Christian Academy. Inked Investments provides investment advisory and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, business entities, and retirement-plan sponsors. The firm employs quantitative, fundamental, technical, and economic analysis to guide investment decisions and typically operates with discretionary trading authority for portfolio management.