Origin Investment Advisory LLC

Cherita "Cherie" Church is a CFP® professional with four years of industry experience. She is currently with Origin Investment Advisory LLC and previously worked at Financial Advice Center, LLC and Time2Plan Financial. Cherie also provides financial planning guidance as a freelance consultant for Blend Financial, Inc. Origin Investment Advisory serves individual retail clients through a subscription model and employer-sponsored workplace benefits, offering tools such as budgeting, thematic Stock Bundles, and an Automated Index Investing platform. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory and behavioral finance approach, using rules-based model portfolios and AI-driven advice, with a fee structure based on subscriptions rather than assets under management.

Marcus Miller is a CFP® professional with four years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Mainstay Capital in Lakeland, FL. His background includes nine years in the US Navy and concurrent roles at Mainstay Capital and Origin Financial since 2020 and 2022, respectively. Mainstay Capital provides comprehensive financial planning and discretionary portfolio management for individual clients and small businesses, with a focus on tactical asset allocation and ongoing retainer-based financial planning. The firm integrates tax preparation and education into its services, coordinating closely with outside accountants and offering 401(k) plan administration through a sub-adviser relationship.

James Horn is a CFP® with nine years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Origin Investment Advisory LLC in Sarasota, FL. He previously worked at Facet Wealth and Merrill Lynch. Outside of finance, Horn is the owner and president of Horn Commercial Cleaning, LLC, a janitorial services business. Origin Investment Advisory primarily serves individual retail clients through a direct-to-consumer subscription model and employer-sponsored workplace benefit programs. The firm employs a rules-based investment approach grounded in Modern Portfolio Theory and behavioral finance, offering AI-driven advice and discretionary Automated Index Investing portfolios without charging traditional percentage-of-assets management fees.

When I was 18, I joined the military. My service in the Air Force for five years provided me with what I’d call an unfair advantage for my work later in the financial industry. My experiences living abroad first in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia during a 1995 Desert Storm tour, then in Fusa, Japan, 1996-1999, both helped me understand life and financial planning, along with the value of a hard-earned dollar. I grew up over there, and my values are strongly rooted in the same ones belonging to my parents, both educators, but also firmly molded by my service to our country and through military discipline. As military, we were tested and challenged, and we persevered in taxing and uncomfortable conditions because we always had a plan. Living in the middle of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, our unit worked directly with the 82nd Airborne Division, specializing in parachute assault operations. As a journeyman, my responsibility was to maintain and ensure the safety of the Hercules C-130, an aircraft known to fly into the eye of a hurricane. While the 82nd stood ready to respond to crisis contingencies anywhere in the world within 18 hours, our job was to make sure they arrived at their destination. We relied heavily on formal flight, maintenance and safety plans. These experiences helped inform my subsequent financial planning career through my appreciation for a well-designed, communicated, and formally written plan. My time in the military also exposed me to certain sources of waste that to me, was not logical. My fellow soldiers were buying clothes as if they were in college. I could not understand why someone needed five pairs of new pants when, on five out of seven days, we were required to wear our military uniform. “No seas codo Jose,” my friend Mike, who was half Puerto Rican, would tell me (slang for “don’t be cheap”). This was also the case with music. My friends all loved to purchase countless CD’s from their favorite musical artists. I was not conditioned to spend money that way. Instead, I used a cassette player and recorded Saturday morning radio on KANW, 89.1, when I visited New Mexico. This was the music I grew up with and what I loved. While living abroad, no amount of clothes, CD’s or stuff could fill my heart like the oldest FM Radio station in New Mexico playing on my “Walkman” portable cassette player. While living in Japan and being single, and I had some down time and I became bored. When I say “bored,” I am reminded of my dad's response to me whenever I told him I felt that way. He would say, “Ok, let's get to work,” and in Japan, that is what I did. I found out about an opportunity to work at a club as a bar-back. Within six months, I was promoted to bartender, then lead bartender. Some nights I would pocket over $100 in tips! I also was being paid $10 per hour which was not bad back then. As a sidenote, I was bartending the night I turned 21, while my friends back home were taking birthday trips to Vegas to celebrate their 21st birthdays. I feel that I earned and saved money while having fun. I believe that money is more of a tool than a luxury, and what my Puerto Rican friend Mike didn’t know is that much of my money was going to purchase the one thing that isn’t manufactured any more except in Hawaii...I wanted land! If Mike had asked me back then, “Why are you working so hard, Jose?” my answer was clear. I always wanted to buy my own piece of land, perhaps many acres in the beautiful New Mexico landscape. While this was my goal as a child, it turned out to be a rather poor investment from a monetary standpoint, yet I was enriched by the experience and education. From that point in my 20s, I understood the discipline and dedication it took to achieve any milestone. One of my jobs after the military, while I was in graduate school, was selling life insurance. After a year, I realized that this was not for me. While I value the importance of insurance, I despised the promotion of products through unscrupulous sales tactics. This was my first indication that financial planning was broken. I worked directly for a legend in the industry who took me under his wing. I learned a lot from him, most of which I did not like. While I won awards and trips, I hated the fractured process. The financial services industry and its legends focus its sales force on selling their product, not on the process or maintenance of financial planning. Since that day, I have been focused on financial planning - the process and fiduciary responsibilities that come with it. I might add that I achieved my certification as a financial planner through arduous work since I’m challenged with dyslexia, but that has never stopped me. Before serving in the military, I grew up in a small community and was raised by a village of less than 200 individuals and two great parents who recently celebrated 52 years of marriage. They had four children of their own, and I am the youngest. My parents were challenged with the loss of my brother when “God zapped him up.” He was the second oldest, and at age 16, was struck by lightning on a baseball field while doing what he loved, playing sports with his friends. I was only 13 at the time. This introduced thoughts about life insurance that impacted me later in my professional life. Through this experience, I learned that catastrophe can happen in an instant. Also, a seed was planted that grew into my interest in risk mitigation planning. While growing up in Glorieta, New Mexico, I worked a few jobs including being a gas station attendant and in yard maintenance for an affluent family in Santa Fe. Presently, when I am not working, I enjoy spending time with my wife Jasmin who is a residential realtor and a loving mother to our three children. We struggled to have kids, with over seven miscarriages which included molar, ectopic, and several with no heartbeats. The eighth tenacious pregnancy led to our first born, a perfect baby girl. We chose to have a home water birth and it was successful. The positive momentum did not stop there. We became doubly blessed with a different type of pregnancy, a twin birth with healthy boys. I love my wife so much for enduring the challenges of motherhood. Jasmin is my biggest fan and my best friend, and she is beyond brave! Before she married me, she completed over 200 jumps from perfectly working planes, including an occasional C-130 and hot air balloons. Now that the twins are walking, life often means going out on adventure with our five fedoras hats on and our two adopted, four-legged kids Sol, Bella and Duke. We are dog lovers and have a soft spot for rescues. Our close friends have referred to us as the Fedorable Five, now with our dogs we are the “Fedorables.” Whenever I can find a little bit of free time, I love to fly fish and get out in nature. I make time weekly for riding my mountain bike despite my hatred for pesky goat thorns that ruin my best tires. If my clients were to talk about me behind my back, I would guess they would say I’m a really nice guy who listens carefully. I’m patient and persistent and I ask a lot of questions, some that made people cry in a good way. They might mention that I’m detailed but I keep things simple. They also look forward to my family newsletter. Any new client who walks in the door can expect to share the identical experience. Read Jose's blog here: https://josevsanchez.com/free-resources

Tarif Carson, CFP®, serves as the Director of Portfolio Strategy & Wealth Planner at 2nd Story Wealth Planners, LLC, where he blends nearly 20 years of portfolio management expertise with his passion for cultivating meaningful client relationships. He designs and oversees the investment portfolio models that guide clients toward their financial goals, while also working directly with clients to deliver personalized financial strategies that align with their values, aspirations, and long-term legacies. Throughout his career, Tarif has partnered with many clients—from high-net-worth individuals managing significant portfolios to underserved communities striving toward financial independence. His professional journey includes roles as a Senior Lead Planner at Facet Wealth, where he helped clients achieve major life goals such as early retirement, homeownership, and world travel, and as a Senior Financial Advisor at Vanguard, managing over $500 million in assets while collaborating with clients and their tax professionals to ensure tax-efficient decisions. Tarif’s approach to planning evolves as life changes, ensuring clients' financial plans remain flexible and forward-looking. In addition to his technical expertise, Tarif believes strongly in the power of personal growth and financial legacy. His guiding philosophy: "Your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your values, your values become your destiny," serves as the foundation for how he advises clients on building lasting legacies for their families. Outside of his professional role, Tarif is focused on planting the seeds of a meaningful legacy for his family and helping his clients do the same—building not just wealth, but values that endure across generations. His commitment to mentorship extends this philosophy, as he is dedicated to guiding and developing aspiring financial planners. Through mentorship, Tarif ensures that the next generation of financial professionals upholds the same standards of integrity, service, and the pursuit of financial empowerment. Tarif earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the first HBCU Cheyney University and holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation. He is also a member of the Financial Planning Association, Association for African American Financial Advisors and a VITA Volunteer who helps income tax payers accurately prepare and file taxes

After graduating from the University of Dayton, Michael was like many other millennials (easy targets!); unsure of his career path and a lack of confidence in managing his own finances. Early in his career while working for one of the largest investment management firms in the country he attended the National Personal Financial Planner(NAPFA) conference. After hearing a few of the speakers(s/o Michael Kitces!), and meeting some of the attendees he knew financial planning was the field he wanted to pursue. He always had a passion for educating himself and others, and helping people along their financial journey quickly became his goal. Michael earned the CFP® (Certified Financial Planner™) designation in 2018 to learn fundamentals of comprehensive financial planning. The education covers Investments, Estate Planning, Insurance, Education Planning, Retirement Planning, and Cash Flow Management. In early 2020, Michael created Black Dog Financial Planning to help professionals and families in their 30s and 40s with their finances. After working at a few firms, he realized the majority of investment advisors primarily focus on pre-retirees and retirees. Meanwhile his peer group was significantly under-served. He launched the firm to make high quality financial advice more affordable and accessible for his peer group, and to help individuals and families live great lives by making smarter financial decisions. When Michael isn’t helping his clients, he’s spending time with his own family. He and his wife, Katie, were married in May of 2018 after relocating to Charleston from Chicago, IL. They welcomed their first child, daughter Annie Rose, on February 6, 2020. Annie joins big “fur-brother”, Barkley, to which the firm, Black Dog Financial Planning, gets its name. Barkley is a rescue from PAWS Chicago, a no kill animal shelter. Barkley was 3 months old and 25 pounds when Mike and Katie adopted him. He’s now 3 years old and 80 pounds and his favorite pastime is watching squirrels from the window and chasing them out of the backyard. Mike and Katie enjoy low-country living, especially golf, the beach, and oyster roasts, but also love to travel. They got engaged in Paris in 2017 and have traveled around Europe and Asia together. Next up, they hope to visit South America, Australia and Africa. They look forward to raising their family in the low-country and traveling together whenever they can. Read Michael's blog here: https://blackdogfp.com/blog

At Carriere Financial Planning, we specialize in providing clear financial guidance to small business owners and professionals with equity compensation. As a Fee-Only Fiduciary Firm, we prioritize your interests above all else, ensuring transparent, conflict-free advice that sets you on the path to success. Founded by Paul Carriere, our firm was born from the desire to break free from the conflicts of interest in the commission-based world. Our approach is straightforward – putting you in control. We're not just financial advisors; we're your partners in turning your goals into actionable strategies. With a commitment to comprehensive financial planning, we understand that success is more than just numbers. By understanding your unique aspirations, we tailor solutions that align with your vision for the future. No hidden agendas – just clear, honest advice. Carriere Financial Planning, where trust, transparency, and your financial dreams converge.

Dace Dekruif is a CFP® professional with 22 years of experience in financial planning and wealth management. He is the sole advisor at Silver Strand Financial Planning and also works as a financial planner with Blend Financial, Inc. dba Origin Financial. His prior roles include positions at PNC Investments and TCF National Bank. Silver Strand Financial Planning provides wealth management, investment management, and comprehensive financial planning primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm employs both passive and active investment strategies, offers discretionary and non-discretionary account management, and includes insurance consulting services without accepting commissions on those products.

Teresa Smith is a CFP® professional with 20 years of industry experience. She is currently with Origin Investment Advisory LLC and CeriFI, where she also works as a content developer. Her prior roles include positions at Financial Finesse, Johnson Bixby & Associates, LLC, Kms, and Waddell & Reed, Inc. Origin Investment Advisory primarily serves individual retail clients through a subscription model and employer-sponsored workplace benefit programs. The firm offers budgeting and forecasting tools, access to CFP® professionals, thematic Stock Bundles, and an automated index investing platform, using a rules-based, behaviorally informed investment approach without charging percentage-of-AUM fees.

Heath Hampton is a Certified Financial Planner® with 12 years of industry experience. He currently works at Origin Investment Advisory LLC and has held prior roles at LPL Financial, Facet Wealth, and as a self-employed advisor. Outside of financial advising, he serves as a fractional CFO and business operations planner at Family Specialty Care. Origin Investment Advisory primarily serves individual retail clients through a subscription model and employer-sponsored workplace programs, offering AI-driven advice and automated index investing. The firm employs a rules-based investment approach grounded in Modern Portfolio Theory and behavioral finance, and operates with a subscription fee structure rather than percentage-of-AUM fees.

Han Xue is a CFP® professional with four years of industry experience, currently serving as a financial advisor at Origin Investment Advisory LLC. Prior to joining Origin in 2022, Han worked at Gerloftin Wealth Advisors, Tembion Capital Management, and Ameriprise Financial Services. Han also served in the U.S. Army from 2014 to 2018. Origin Investment Advisory primarily serves individual retail clients through a subscription model and employer-sponsored workplace benefit programs, offering tools such as budgeting, forecasting, and automated index investing. The firm employs a rules-based, tax-aware investment approach grounded in Modern Portfolio Theory and behavioral finance, and uses a fee structure based on subscriptions rather than assets under management.

Terry Montano is a CFP® professional with eight years of industry experience, currently serving at Motus Wealth in Atlanta, GA. His prior roles include positions at Origin Financial, Facet Wealth, Capital Directions LLC, and TrueWealth Management LLC. He is contracted as a financial planner for Blend Financial, Inc., operating as Origin Financial. Motus Wealth provides personalized financial planning and discretionary portfolio management to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, estates, and family businesses. The firm employs a two-advisor team approach and bases its investment strategy on Modern Portfolio Theory, focusing on diversified, strategic asset allocation primarily through passive index funds, ETFs, and bonds.

Khwan Hathai is a CFP® professional with seven years of industry experience, currently advising at Origin Investment Advisory LLC since 2025. Prior to this, he worked at Epiphany Financial Therapy, where he provides financial education and coaching, as well as roles at Motley Fool Wealth Management, JP Morgan Securities, Morgan Stanley, and Citibank. Hathai is also the owner of Epiphany Financial Therapy, an investment-related business focused on financial therapy and education. Origin Investment Advisory primarily serves individual retail clients through a subscription model and employer-sponsored workplace programs, offering budgeting tools, access to CFP® professionals, thematic Stock Bundles, and an Automated Index Investing robo-style platform. The firm employs a Modern Portfolio Theory and behavioral finance-based approach, using rules-based portfolios and tax-aware implementation, and distinguishes itself by its AI-driven advice platform and a fee structure that does not rely on assets under management.

Mantas Tautkus is a CFP® professional with 15 years of industry experience, currently serving at Origin Investment Advisory LLC since 2021. He previously worked at Edward Jones from 2014 to 2020 and owns MT Financial Planning, Inc., an investment advisory firm. Origin Investment Advisory primarily serves individual retail clients through a subscription model and employer-sponsored workplace programs, offering budgeting tools, access to CFP® professionals, thematic Stock Bundles, and an Automated Index Investing robo-style service. The firm’s investment approach uses Modern Portfolio Theory and behavioral finance principles, employing rules-based model portfolios and tax-aware implementation, and operates on a subscription fee structure rather than traditional AUM fees.

Jane Mepham is a CFP® and holds a Series 65 license with five years of industry experience. She is the sole advisor at Elgon Financial Advisors in Austin, TX, and has previously worked at Blend Financial, Inc. dba Origin Financial and Northwestern Mutual. Outside of her advisory role, she conducts financial coaching workshops and speaking engagements. Elgon Financial Advisors is a fee-only independent firm serving individual clients, including high-net-worth individuals, with investment management, financial planning, retirement plan consulting, and estate-planning support. The firm employs a mix of passive and active strategies with discretionary portfolio management and places a notable emphasis on education through seminars and tailored services.