Kartik Patel is a financial advisor at Simplify Investments with eight years of industry experience and holds a Series 65 designation. He is also the president of Data Express Inc., an information technology consulting firm where he provides IT consulting and business strategy analysis, including work with a client in the financial sector. Simplify Investments offers portfolio management services to private individuals, families, and small businesses, focusing on fundamental, value-oriented analysis using a concentrated portfolio of stocks, ETFs, and bonds. The firm serves a notable number of non-U.S. clients and emphasizes addressing currency risk and overseas investment considerations.

As a member of the financial independence community, I understand the value of quality fee only advice catering to the complex and "nontraditional" route we are taking to life. I have built a "lifestyle" practice, where I can serve clients, maintain my balanced lifestyle with two girls, pursue my hobbies and travel. I primarily work with clients on an ongoing retainer basis, charged with a monthly billing arrangement. For legacy (separated) clients or family of clients, I offer hourly based planning. I also prepare tax returns and manage assets, both of which I charge a separate fee for. After graduating from University of Maryland, College Park, I worked in public accounting doing tax preparation and consulting for high net worth individuals, estates and trusts. I changed careers into financial planning in 2013, working mainly with clients pursuing a traditional retirement path, including attorneys, physicians, executives and families with wealth. After working for a large planning firm in the DC area, I launched my firm in 2018. I am a CFP® and CPA. Given my background, I specialize in tax planning, retirement planning and frugality!

John Rathnam is the sole advisor at Rathnam Capital, LLC, an independent firm based in Bluemont, VA. He holds the CFA® designation and Series 65 license, with 21 years of industry experience. Rathnam has led Rathnam Capital since its founding in 2010. Rathnam Capital serves individual and high-net-worth clients, managing approximately $81 million across about three dozen households. The firm provides discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting, utilizing customized asset allocation strategies and third-party sub-advisers to address a range of investment needs.

Eric Norberg is the principal of EAN Equity Financial Services LLC, an independent firm based in Leesburg, VA. He holds the CFP® and ChFC® designations and has 11 years of industry experience. Prior to his current role, he worked at PKS Investment Advisors LLC for one year. In addition to his advisory work, Norberg provides CPA tax preparation and small life insurance sales through his firm. EAN Equity Financial Services offers personalized financial planning and investment management to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and small businesses. The firm employs a combination of strategic and tactical asset allocation using both active and passive investment vehicles and fundamental security analysis, and maintains a tax-preparation practice alongside its advisory services.

David Pickei is the sole advisor at Reye Partners Asset Management LLC in Leesburg, VA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 24 years of industry experience. He has been with Reye Partners since 2005. Reye Partners Asset Management provides discretionary, separately managed investment management and portfolio consulting services primarily for individual clients and trusts. The firm serves both high-net-worth and non-high-net-worth clients, emphasizing portfolio composition, due diligence, diversification, and capital preservation through a manager-of-managers approach.

Eric Smeby is the sole advisor at eSmeb Inc. in Leesburg, VA, holding a Series 65 designation with 16 years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Capital One, Camino Financial, and Ellucian, among others. He is also involved with affiliated entities FTToken Inc. and Waterfall Wealth LLC. eSmeb Inc. delivers automated investment advisory services through its online platform, WaterfallWealth.ai, serving individual investors and companies seeking rules-based portfolio management without in-person advice. The firm’s algorithmic approach incorporates trend-based weighting, risk scoring, and automated rebalancing, offering managed model portfolios and self-directed custom portfolios entirely via the Internet.

Bryan Lohr is a financial advisor at Present Value Financial Services LLC with seven years of industry experience and a Series 65 credential. He has been with Present Value Financial Services since 2018 following a period of semi-retirement from 2015 to 2018. Present Value Financial Services serves individual and family clients with financial planning, investment management, tax preparation, and financial education. The firm employs a fiduciary standard, using bottom-up fundamental analysis combined with capital market techniques to construct diversified, tax-aware portfolios and offers fee structures that do not rely on assets under management.

Robert Allen is a Series 65-licensed financial advisor with 22 years of industry experience. He has been the principal at Allen Investment Management since 2014. Allen Investment Management serves individual investors, foundations, charitable organizations, businesses, and pension/profit-sharing plans by providing discretionary investment supervisory services combined with integrated financial planning. The firm emphasizes a value-oriented, long-term investment approach supplemented by active sector rotation or limited short-term trades and manages roughly $27.1 million in discretionary client assets across approximately 41 client relationships.

Mark Helm is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license, with 22 years of experience in financial advisory. He has been the sole advisor and founder of Helm Financial Advisors, LLC since 2003. Helm Financial Advisors, LLC is a fee-only, state-registered firm providing holistic financial planning and investment advisory services primarily to individuals and families. The firm employs a retainer and project fee model, offers integrated tax preparation and IRS representation, and focuses on non-discretionary advice with client-approved trading.

Bradley Piesco is the managing principal of Magpie Consulting LLC, an independent advisory firm based in Leesburg, VA. He holds the CFP® and ChFC® designations and has 16 years of industry experience. Piesco has led Magpie Consulting since 2007. Magpie Consulting LLC provides fee-only asset management and financial planning services to individual clients, including high-net-worth and private investors. The firm uses a disciplined financial planning process and constructs diversified portfolios mainly with exchange-traded funds, offering both discretionary and nondiscretionary management options.

Diane Case is the principal of Shenandoah Financial, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 20 years of industry experience. She has operated as a sole proprietor since 1993 and worked at Gradient Advisors, LLC from 2015 to 2016. In addition to her financial advisory work, she is a licensed insurance agent and dedicates approximately 25% of her time to that practice. Shenandoah Financial provides financial planning and consulting services to individuals and small businesses, referring clients to third-party money managers for investment management. The firm assists clients with tailored financial plans, monitors third-party manager performance, and handles related administrative tasks.

Jessie Rancourt is the principal of Opportunity Cost Investors LLC and holds the Series 65 designation with four years of industry experience. Prior to founding the firm in 2019, Jessie worked at Harris Miller Miller & Miller and UFA, Inc., and concurrently serves at the Federal Aviation Administration. Jessie is also the owner of Opportunity Cost Media, which produces finance-related content on YouTube. Opportunity Cost Investors LLC is a solo registered investment adviser that provides discretionary portfolio management to retail clients, primarily focusing on a fundamental, value-oriented investment approach targeting deeply discounted, high-quality public equity securities. The firm manages a small number of concentrated portfolios and operates an affiliated media outlet aligned with its investment views.

John Seraphin is a CFP® and Series 66 designated advisor with seven years of industry experience. He is the sole advisor at Phin Wealth Planning, LLC, an independent firm based in Middleburg, VA. His prior roles include positions at Steigerwald, Gordon & Koch Wealth Advisors, Eagle Strategies (NY Life), and several other firms. Phin Wealth Planning provides financial planning and investment management to individuals, high-net-worth individuals, families, and nonprofit organizations. The firm offers fixed upfront and recurring fee planning engagements across Core and Advanced tiers, with discretionary portfolio management that combines passive and active strategies tailored to client objectives.

Tarif Homsi is a financial advisor at Noorvest with eight years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at JPMorgan Securities, UBS Financial Services, and Spire Wealth Management. Noorvest provides fee-based investment management and financial planning primarily for individual clients, including high-net-worth individuals, as well as trusts, estates, and certain business entities. The firm specializes in socially responsible Islamic investing, using qualitative halal and financial screens to construct portfolios that comply with specific ethical guidelines.

David Berish is the sole advisor at The Dienekes Corporation, an independent registered investment adviser based in Purcellville, VA. He holds a Series 65 designation and has 15 years of industry experience. Berish has led The Dienekes Corporation since 2008. The Dienekes Corporation provides discretionary portfolio management services focused on customized strategies for individual clients. The firm manages a concentrated client base and draws on Berish’s extensive background in fixed-income markets, including prior roles as a bond trader in New York and London and a director at a bank.

Kevin O Neil is a financial advisor at KO Financial with 24 years of industry experience. He holds the ChFC® designation as well as Series 63 and Series 65 licenses. Prior to founding KO Financial, he worked at Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC and Rafalko Advisors, Inc. Outside of his advisory role, he is a licensed insurance agent with the Hilb Group, where he sells and services life, health, disability, and dental insurance plans. KO Financial is a solo-registered investment adviser serving primarily individual clients, as well as corporate pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm offers asset management, financial planning, and retirement-plan consulting, employing modern portfolio theory and asset-dedication models to build tailored portfolios and maintain alignment with clients’ objectives and risk tolerances.

Kevin Boss is a financial advisor and principal of Boss Financial Strategies, LLC in Aldie, VA, holding a Series 65 designation with four years of industry experience. He previously worked at Carrier Global Corporation and Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC. In addition to advisory services, he is a licensed insurance agent and dedicates part of his practice to insurance sales. Boss Financial Strategies serves individuals, families, and trusts, offering discretionary asset management and comprehensive financial planning. The firm uses fundamental and technical analysis to build tailored portfolios and operates under discretionary trading authority, reviewing accounts at least quarterly.

Mary Boland is a CFP® professional with one year of experience at Brass Capital. Prior to joining Brass Capital, she worked at Dominion Financial Consultants, LLC, and has a background that includes roles at Florida Atlantic University and involvement with Fields of Athenry Farm, LLC. Brass Capital provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals and high-net-worth clients, utilizing client-specific investment policy statements and a variety of analytical methods with a long-term trading orientation. The firm offers family-office style ongoing services and manages approximately $72.7 million in discretionary assets under management.

Anthony Davis is a CFP® and holds a Series 66 license, with nine years of industry experience. He has worked at Brass Capital since 2025 and previously held roles at MAI Capital Management, MTX Wealth Management, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, and Foundation Mortgage. Brass Capital provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals and high-net-worth clients, offering comprehensive planning that includes cash flow, tax-aware, estate, legacy, insurance, and philanthropic planning. The firm uses client-specific Investment Policy Statements and a variety of analytical methods to guide investment decisions, maintaining a long-term trading orientation with discretionary authority.

Abdul Mallick is a financial advisor at Sampatti Financial LLC with seven years of industry experience. He holds a Series 65 designation and has worked at firms including Capital One, Flying Phase, and currently serves as a consultant with Datsura, focusing on data analysis and report preparation. Mallick balances his consulting role with his responsibilities at Sampatti Financial. Sampatti Financial LLC provides discretionary asset management and employee benefit plan advisory services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and small businesses. The firm employs a blend of fundamental, technical, and charting analysis to manage portfolios on a discretionary basis, offering performance-based fee arrangements for qualified investors and operating with a two-advisor team.