Benjamin Smith, CFP®, is the founder and owner of Briarwood Financial, a comprehensive financial services firm providing wealth management, tax preparation, accounting, and business consulting for individuals and business owners nationwide. Benjamin enjoys working directly with clients to help them navigate the complexities that wealth inevitably brings. His approach combines financial planning, tax strategy, and business advisory services—ensuring that every piece of a client’s financial picture works together efficiently and intentionally. Before launching Briarwood, Benjamin served as a Financial Advisor at Cetera Investment Services, an independent broker-dealer. There, he specialized in developing customized investment portfolios guided by long-term strategic planning. His drive to offer clients more holistic, tax-integrated advice led him to expand his practice beyond traditional advising and establish Briarwood Financial as a full-service firm. Benjamin holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a concentration in Economics from Seattle Pacific University and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional. Earlier in his career, he gained valuable experience in sales, operations, and management within the telecommunications industry—skills that helped shape his practical, results-oriented approach to leadership and client service. At the heart of his philosophy are integrity, honesty, and competence. He believes true financial planning is built on trust, clarity, and a genuine commitment to helping clients make informed, confident decisions that align with their values and long-term goals.

Jacob Tally is a financial advisor at Prospero Wealth, LLC in Seattle, WA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with one year of industry experience. He is the owner and founder of Tinegoba LLC, which provides contracting services to Prospero Wealth along with consulting advice to startups and small-to-medium sized businesses. Prior to his current role, he worked in various capacities at Cap Hill Brands, New Engen, Crowd Cow, and ZULILY. Prospero Wealth offers discretionary investment management and financial planning to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, businesses, and employer retirement plans. The firm employs tailored investment programs using individual securities, ETFs, derivatives, and long-short strategies, and provides assets-under-advisement consulting and held-away account monitoring through a seven-person advisory team.

Steven Koenig is a CFA® charterholder based in Seattle, WA, with five years of industry experience. He has been with Informed Investors Group since 1992. Informed Investors Group is an independent firm that provides discretionary investment management primarily for high-net-worth individuals and related family accounts. The firm employs a buy-and-hold, lower-turnover equity strategy with a co-advisory arrangement for selecting growth stocks, and it offers customized socially responsible investment screening alongside access to specialized fixed-income opportunities.

Shamus Mc Carthy is a CFA charterholder and principal of Red Haven Advisors, LLC, with six years of industry experience. He has held financial planning and analysis roles at companies including Nordstrom, Inc., where he is currently a Financial Planning & Analysis Manager, and has worked at firms such as Pathlabs Inc., Dutch Bros Coffee, Rad Power Bikes, Inc., Starbucks Coffee Company, and Vulcan, Inc. Red Haven Advisors serves individual and high-net-worth clients with fee-based investment advisory, discretionary portfolio management, and comprehensive financial planning. The firm combines fundamental and cyclical analysis with tactical allocation and option-writing strategies, tailoring portfolios to client objectives and offering a range of billing arrangements.

Lauren Vignec is the principal of Vignec Financial LLC in Seattle, WA, holding a Series 65 designation with over 17 years of experience in wealth management. Prior to founding her own firm in 2025, she worked at Erickson Wealth & Tax Management for 16 years. Outside of advising, she prepares tax returns for an unaffiliated CPA firm during the initial tax season and owns a mobile video-game startup. Vignec Financial LLC is a newly registered investment adviser providing discretionary investment management and portfolio oversight primarily to individual clients. The firm employs a long-term, passive investment approach using risk-based model portfolios mainly composed of broadly diversified ETFs and mutual funds, with scheduled rebalancing and no market timing or individual security selection.

Hope Broucek is a ChFC®-designated financial advisor at Financial Planning for Real People PLLC in Seattle, WA, with two years of industry experience. Prior to founding her independent firm in 2023, she worked at Singer Wealth Management for four years and spent over a decade involved with A Child Becomes Preschool. Financial Planning for Real People PLLC provides fee-only financial planning and discretionary investment management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and charitable organizations. The firm offers tailored investment policies and a broad range of planning services, combining both passive and active strategies while maintaining quarterly portfolio monitoring and comprehensive written plans.

Maris Galins is a CFP® professional with 24 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Mg Financial, Inc. Based in Seattle, WA, Galins has led the firm since 2008. Mg Financial, Inc. provides personalized financial planning and advisory services to individuals, trusts, estates, charitable organizations, and business entities. The firm focuses on non-discretionary asset allocation and utilizes SEI model portfolios and third-party money managers, emphasizing planning and adviser selection rather than direct portfolio management.

Patricia Howe is a CFP® professional and principal of Howe Financial Advisory, LLC in Seattle, WA, with 21 years of industry experience. She has led her independent advisory firm since 2012. Outside of her advisory work, she is a joint owner of an investment-related vacation rental business, where her husband is the active partner. Howe Financial Advisory serves high-net-worth individuals and related entities with fee-based financial planning and discretionary investment management. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory approach, focusing on asset allocation, diversification, and cost-effective strategies using individual securities, ETFs, and mutual funds, with an emphasis on long-term, tax-aware holdings.

Maura Madden is a CFP® with four years of industry experience, currently the principal of Maura Madden Financial Planning in Seattle. She previously worked at EP Wealth Advisors and Conlon Dart Wealth Management, accumulating seven years of prior experience. Her firm serves individuals, including high-net-worth clients, providing comprehensive and ongoing financial planning without direct management of client investment accounts. Maura Madden Financial Planning follows a project and hourly engagement model, offering investment guidance based on modern portfolio theory with an emphasis on passive, asset-class strategies. The firm supports implementation and coordination with other professionals while clients maintain account custody and monitoring.

Stephen Wickleder is a financial advisor at Starbord LLC in Seattle, WA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 21 years of industry experience. He has been with Starbord LLC since 2014 and also owns Wickleder LLC, an independent insurance agency. Outside of advisory services, he sells musical instruments and operates a fishing tour business through Captain Steve, LLC, along with providing income tax return preparation services. Starbord LLC offers investment management, model-portfolio implementation, and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, pension accounts, and other advisory firms. The firm generally manages assets on a non-discretionary basis, emphasizing value-oriented, model-driven portfolios and supplements services with insurance advice, research, and consulting for institutional and advisor clients.

Gary Jeweler is a CFP®-certified financial advisor with 26 years of industry experience. He is the principal and sole advisor at Evolve Financial, an independent firm based in Seattle, WA, where he has worked since 2020. In addition to his advisory role, Mr. Jeweler is a licensed insurance agent and a Certified Public Accountant, providing tax services individually outside of trading hours. Evolve Financial offers portfolio management and financial planning primarily to individual clients, emphasizing integrated planning that includes retirement income strategies and tax considerations. The firm operates as a fiduciary with a multidisciplinary approach, leveraging Mr. Jeweler’s credentials in financial planning, accounting, and insurance.

Joe Wride is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) at Crafted Finance. Unlike old-school financial advisors, Joe believes that wealth-building shouldn't be limited to the wealthy or conventional. He assists clients in navigating real estate and/or equity compensation transactions, retirement income planning, running businesses, and raising families. Joe's approach is rooted in fee-only advisory services, ensuring that he works for the client's best interests, not commissions. Crafted Finance, led by Joe Wride, is a financial advisory firm with a unique perspective. They prioritize fee-only pricing, fiduciary care, and adherence to CFP® standards. Their services include financial planning, investment management, and real estate strategies. What sets them apart is their commitment to transparency, ethical standards, and forming long-term partnerships with clients. Whether you're dreaming of financial freedom or seeking concrete solutions, Crafted Finance aims to build a solid financial future tailored to your vision.

Christopher Jernstrom is a CFA charterholder and the sole advisor at Ironstream Capital, LLC in Seattle, WA, with seven years of industry experience. He previously worked at Russell Investments from 2011 to 2017 and has led Ironstream Capital since 2017, following a one-year sabbatical. Ironstream Capital serves individual investors, personal trusts, and estates, providing comprehensive financial planning and discretionary portfolio management tailored by documented Investment Policy Statements and a blended research approach that includes fundamental, quantitative, and sustainability analysis. The firm manages approximately $75 million in assets across about 40 client relationships, focusing on customized strategies and active fixed-income positioning.

Jesse Dungan is a financial advisor at Fangorn Wealth Management with Series 65 and Series 66 licenses and one year of industry experience. Prior to joining the firm, he spent 10 years at Amazon Corporate LLC. Outside of advising, he works as a compensated soccer referee in Kent, WA. Fangorn Wealth Management serves individuals, high-net-worth clients, small businesses, and charitable foundations with financial planning and portfolio management. The firm utilizes diversified, tax-aware investment strategies and applies Modern Portfolio Theory, scenario analysis, and stress testing to manage risk, while also providing estate and charitable-planning guidance and educational seminars.

Julie Wurst is a CFP® professional with 11 years of industry experience. She has operated her independent advisory firm, Julie A. Wurst, CFP, LLC, in Tacoma, WA, since 2017. Her firm provides advisory services to individual clients, including high-net-worth individuals, as well as small businesses and trusts. The firm employs a globally diversified, low-cost investment approach primarily using index mutual funds and ETFs, and offers customized financial planning and consulting through various communication methods.

Anthony Chen is the sole advisor at ALC Capital Management, LLC in Seattle, WA, holding a Series 65 credential with 18 years of industry experience. He has led ALC Capital Management since 2006. ALC Capital Management provides discretionary portfolio management and separate financial consultation services primarily to individual investors. The firm employs fundamental analysis to select undervalued companies, focusing on concentrated portfolios of individual equities held for multiple years, and uses a performance-based compensation model for eligible clients.

Brian Rall is the sole advisor at Strategic Retirement Partners, LLC in Seattle, WA, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses with 31 years of industry experience. Prior to founding Strategic Retirement Partners in 2018, he worked at Paychex, Inc. from 2012 to 2017. He serves as a director of the C.S. Lewis Institute-Seattle, a Christian education nonprofit, where he is involved in recruiting, speaking, and event organization. Strategic Retirement Partners provides consulting to trustees and plan sponsors of qualified retirement plans and offers fee-based, non-discretionary investment advice to individuals, trusts, and retirement accounts. The firm focuses on value-oriented security analysis and fiduciary support, delivering advice consistent with plan investment policy statements and ERISA requirements.

Anthony Legault is a financial advisor with Chaps Lifestyle LLC in Seattle, WA, holding a Series 66 credential and five years of industry experience. His prior roles include positions at Invesco Distributors, Bank of America, Merrill, Satori, and Have A Heart. He is also the founder of Chaps Lip Balm, a natural skincare products business he has managed since 2015. Chaps Lifestyle LLC is a Washington state-registered investment adviser providing discretionary portfolio management and related advisory services to a diverse client base, including individuals, institutions, and various organizational types. The firm offers customized separately managed accounts across multiple strategies, including tax-optimized equity, fixed-income laddering, and crypto-focused options, with a focus on continuous portfolio monitoring and tailored client solutions.

Andrew Mc Cormick is a financial advisor at Fourward Capital, holding a Series 65 designation with two years of industry experience. He previously worked at Blackrock Alternative Advisers Division from 2014 to 2017 and has been associated with Cottonwood Capital Management, LLC since 2012. Fourward Capital provides discretionary investment management to institutional and individual clients, including retirement plans, corporations, and high-net-worth individuals. The firm employs three strategies—Four Seasons, Business Owner, and High-Growth—utilizing long-term economic and asset-price history to guide asset allocation and security selection.

Welcome, and thank you for your interest! My name is Tim Melia, and my hourly, fiduciary advice-only firm is Embolden Financial Planning LLC. Embolden Financial Planning LLC helps people at every stage of life. From young professionals getting started to families balancing competing priorities to retirees navigating their “go-go” years. Whether you’re new to money topics and looking for practical guidance or a DIY investor seeking a second opinion, you’ll receive transparent, hourly, advice-only financial planning designed to bring clarity and confidence to your financial decisions. Embolden Financial Planning LLC is based in Seattle and serves clients virtually across Washington, Oregon, California, and nationwide. I would be happy to meet with you for a free introduction meeting where you can share your goals for financial planning, learn how Embolden Financial Planning LLC can help, and ask any questions you may have. To schedule, please visit https://www.emboldenfp.com/scheduleintromeeting