CFP®-certified, financial coaching / therapy financial advisors in Arcadia, CA

Sharon Novell is a financial advisor at Guardian Financial Partners, LLC with 19 years of industry experience. She previously worked at Novell Investment Management Company, Inc. from 2006 to 2024 before joining her current firm. Guardian Financial Partners provides investment advisory services to individuals, trusts, pension and profit-sharing plans, and business entities. The firm emphasizes a fiduciary, client-focused approach using proprietary asset-allocation models and combines fundamental and technical analysis with due diligence on third-party managers.

Hungkwang Wu is the sole advisor at Bright Light Capital Advisor, Inc. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 37 years of industry experience. The firm, founded in 2011 and based in Arcadia, CA, provides discretionary portfolio management and investment supervisory services. Bright Light Capital Advisor primarily manages pooled or institutional assets using a methodology that combines charting, fundamental, technical, and cyclical analysis. The firm employs both long- and short-term trading techniques, including short sales, margin, and options strategies.

Guofeng Xu is the principal advisor at FengCapital LLC, holding a Series 65 designation with 11 years of industry experience. He has worked at PasacaCapital Inc., a family office where he serves as Head of Research, as well as at Mullan Pharmaceutical Inc. and Innova Medical Group. Xu dedicates a significant portion of his time to evaluating investment projects for PasacaCapital Inc. FengCapital LLC provides portfolio management services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients, focusing on value investments in the healthcare sector. The firm uses a combination of fundamental and technical analysis with long-term equity trading and options strategies, managing client assets internally with regular account reviews.

Larry Yu is an investment advisor at Castle Group Investment Counsel, Inc. with eight years of industry experience. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has prior roles at Fortune Securities, Inc. and Evergreen Realty & Associates. Outside of his advisory work, he owns Feather Insurance & Financial Services, which sells fixed life, annuity, health, and property and casualty insurance. Castle Group Investment Counsel, Inc. provides discretionary portfolio management and financial planning services to individuals, high-net-worth clients, and institutional entities. The firm combines fundamental and technical analysis with client risk profiling to tailor portfolios and accepts discretionary authority to manage client accounts accordingly.

Steve Kim is a financial advisor with LPL Financial, holding a Series 66 designation and 23 years of industry experience. His prior experience includes roles at UBS Financial Services and Western International Securities, Inc. He is also licensed as an agent in accident and health or sickness, life, and variable insurance. LPL Financial is an SEC-registered investment adviser and broker-dealer serving a broad client base including individuals, retirement plans, banks, corporations, and charitable organizations. The firm offers a range of advisory programs, financial planning, and brokerage services supported by model portfolios, research, and technology-driven investment options.

Darrin Chow is a Financial Consultant currently working at Fidelity Investments since 2022. He has held various roles in the financial services industry, including Senior Financial Consultant at E*TRADE Securities, LLC from 2014 to 2022, Financial Advisor at BancWest Investment Services, Inc. from 2013 to 2014, Financial Solutions Advisor at Merrill Edge from 2011 to 2013, and Paraplanner at Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. from 2010 to 2011. His approach involves co-creating customized financial strategies focused on long-term goals, emphasizing individual definitions of financial independence. Darrin holds a California Insurance License. Outside of work, Darrin engages in personal interests such as hiking, movies, music, reading, tennis, and traveling.

David Gilchrist is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He works with a select group of high-net-worth families, executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals, providing comprehensive wealth-planning strategies that address complexity, preserve capital, and support long-term financial objectives. His approach is client-centric and emphasizes understanding clients' financial situations alongside their professional and personal lives to inform sound financial decisions. David specializes in areas including divorce transition planning, executive compensation, family wealth management strategies, legacy planning, personal retirement planning, portfolio management, small business strategies, individual and corporate investment strategy, tax minimization, and retirement income. Prior to joining Merrill, he gained experience in accounting at an estate-planning law firm and as a tax auditor for the City of Los Angeles Office of Finance, applying this background to help clients with tax-aware strategies within their wealth plans. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Loyola Marymount University and a certificate in Accounting from UCLA. Additionally, he has earned the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) designation awarded by the Investments & Wealth Institute in conjunction with Yale University. Outside of his professional role, David enjoys golfing, hiking, pickleball, reading, running, soccer, spending time with family, tennis, traveling, and yoga.

We focus on providing honest and personalized life and financial guidance, as independent fiduciary advisors and coaches, to help you achieve your most abundant life. We are comprised of our CEO who is a CPA/PFS, CFP and have psychologists on board for financial and life coaching to accompany our technical advising. Our founder, Abel Soares III, had the vision to build a group of member firms where he would be able to share and utilize his knowledge to give back to those trying to better themselves and their lives. As a devoted husband and proud father of two boys, Abel set out to start a business where he could build a legacy for his family and be available for his family and clients. Abel is part Native Hawai'ian; and he grew up in Southern California, Idaho, and Oahu, Hawai'i. Abel obtained his Masters in Accounting Taxation from Boise State University and went on to work for regional and international CPA and Consulting firms for over 5 years. In these roles, he learned a great deal about various types of business models, industries and the secrets to success. He started his own successful tax and consulting business after obtaining his CPA (Certified Public Accounting License), and soon after discovered his true passion in personal financial planning. After a total of 8 years in the accounting and financial arena, his vision began to grow on how he could best serve clients. Once he obtained his CFP (Certified Financial Planner) and PFS (Personal Financial Specialist) designations, his vision for Hui Malama Advisors LLC and the member firms started coming into focus. Along the way, he noticed that the biggest factor of effective financial management, outside of being educated about finances, was the individual's mindset. This meant that someone with expertise in addressing the human psyche was necessary to provide a more holistic approach to financial planning. Abel set out to find business partners who could help him turn his dreams into a reality. He naturally started with his best partner of all – his wife, Sadé - who is currently completing her doctoral degree in clinical psychology. Together, they made Abel’s vision a reality by incorporating both financial and life coaching; and Hui Malama Advisors LLC was born. Abel has paved his own path into the world of entrepreneur-ism and has also invested in other businesses. He looks forward to using his years of experience in financial planning, consulting, and accounting to assist you in living your most abundant life through The Hui Malama Advisors LLC member firms.

John Foligno has 30+ years of professional work and coaching/mentoring experience, which includes over 10 years of running his own business. Through empathy, active listening and thoughtful counsel, he lives his personal mission by inspiring people to overcome the roadblocks that prevent them from accomplishing their goals, and helps them to find enlightenment, fulfillment, and financial well-being. He specializes in supporting high-net-worth households, although he enjoys working with all manner of people. As a business owner, John learned the hard way how much he would have benefited from a financial steward who understands the myriad challenges of running a business. That experience, coupled with his passion for financial planning, enables him to relieve business owners of the day-to-day concerns of reaching their financial goals, which frees them to focus on their growth and ultimate exit strategy. As a graduate of Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management, John studied finance and marketing. John is a member of NAPFA, whose members completed a broad-based advanced education program in financial planning and are trained to provide coordinated advice on issues surrounding a client’s entire financial picture. When he is not fulfilling his fiduciary obligation of putting his client’s interest first, John is sharing time with his wife, Michelle, his daughter, Ruby, and their golden retriever, Honey. He enjoys a healthy lifestyle of strength conditioning and hiking as well as watching sports and reading. John is a first-degree black belt in Goju karate that guides his disciplined approach. He volunteers his time for the honor of helping people with limited financial education to make more informed decisions and has been featured in financial planning media journals to share his insights.

As a former Deputy U.S. Marshal and with a Master's degree in Financial Planning, Charlie brings decades of specialized financial experience to the private sector. His Federal Law Enforcement background gives him distinctive insight into the financial challenges and opportunities facing Federal Employees and specifically, Federal Agents. Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, Charlie is the Lead Financial Planner of Charles Michael Financial, a Fee-Only Financial Planning firm serving Federal Agent families nationwide. Charlie also founded and runs the MoneyArmor™ Membership at Charles Michael Financial, which focuses on financial coaching and educational resources designed specifically for Federal Agents & Heroes. As a Certified Financial Planner, Charlie follows the CFP Board’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct. The complex knowledge required to obtain and maintain this professional designation helps Charlie develop extensive financial plans that hardworking people deserve. When he's not helping clients navigate their financial futures, Charlie embraces the "Work Optional" lifestyle by specializing in outdoor family adventures and enjoying great food and friends around the fire pit. He’s often found perfecting his ping-pong skills (where he claims an undefeated status), writing, and sharing amateur dog training tips with anyone willing to listen.

Sarah Currier Barrella is a CFP® professional with 26 years of experience in financial advisory services. She currently works at Santander Securities LLC and Santander Bank, NA, having previously held positions at TD Bank and Citizens Securities, Inc. Barrella is based in Boston, MA. Santander Securities LLC serves a broad retail client base with approximately $3.14 billion in regulatory assets under management across 10,800 client relationships. The firm offers investment advisory services, portfolio management through wrap-fee programs, and financial planning, operating both as a registered investment adviser and a FINRA-registered broker-dealer.

Elanna Gould is a CFP® professional with six years of experience, currently advising at Cambridge Investment Research Advisors in Cleveland, OH. Her background includes roles at PepsiCo and The Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Center, as well as academic experience at The Ohio State University. She is also an independent insurance agent for various companies. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors serves a broad client base, including individuals, retirement plans, and charitable organizations, offering financial planning, investment management, and retirement advisory services through a network of independent professionals. The firm provides a range of portfolio management options, proprietary and third-party strategies, and various custody platforms tailored to client objectives.

Ethan Siekkinen is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. He has one year of industry experience and previously worked at J Wilson Wealth Management. Outside of financial advising, he has experience in the lawn care business with Rizzo Lawn Care. Plante Moran Financial Advisors serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutions, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations. The firm provides investment advisory, financial planning, and estate-planning services, utilizing a range of investment strategies and managing both discretionary and non-discretionary assets.

Jace Hart is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience and currently serves as a financial advisor at Rockwall Wealth Management. His prior experience includes roles at Leo Wealth, LPL Financial, and Fidelity Brokerage Services. Rockwall Wealth Management provides portfolio management, financial planning, and consulting services to individuals, trusts, plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm emphasizes diversified, low-cost ETF model portfolios with a focus on tax efficiency, liquidity, and systematic macro tilts, offering both traditional and advanced investment strategies tailored to client objectives.

Jeffrey Macdonald is a CFP® and ChFC® with 17 years of industry experience. He has been with Investment Management & Planning LLC since 2010 and is also affiliated with LPL Financial LLC. Investment Management & Planning LLC provides fee-based investment advisory and comprehensive financial planning primarily for individual and high-net-worth clients, offering portfolio management on both discretionary and non-discretionary bases. The firm emphasizes ongoing account supervision and individualized asset allocation, often utilizing LPL-sponsored platforms and model portfolios.