If TCI were a neighborhood, I’d be the new guy on the block. That’s true of my actual neighborhood, too. In August 2024, I joined TCI as an Advisor, transitioning from a 13-year career at a large, national investment firm and moving to Flagstaff, Arizona, with my wife and our two dogs. Both changes marked a turning point in my life that allowed me to better align my career with my personal values while pursuing a deeper understanding of what “home” truly means.
Home, for me, is more than an address or the place where I rest my head at night. Home can be physical, like my house in Flagstaff surrounded by pine trees, or a comforting feeling, like knowing that I helped a client accomplish one of their goals. It can even be aspirational, something you’ve yet to discover but know in your heart you’re searching for.
When we’re truly “at home,” in a house, a community, or a career, we find ourselves free to focus our energy and time on what matters most. That’s been my journey over the past year, and it’s one that I’m honored to share with my clients as they pursue their own sense of home.
The Importance of Finding Home
My path to TCI and Flagstaff was shaped by deliberate choices to simplify and align my life with my values. After graduating from Northern Arizona University, I began my career in small business consulting, crafting strategies for start-ups. While I enjoyed helping others turn ideas into reality, I gravitated toward financial services, a field that married my love of numbers, budgeting and investing with my desire to develop relationships and make tangible differences in peoples’ lives.
This led me to Charles Schwab in Phoenix where I worked my way from broker trainee to Financial Consultant earning certifications, including Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC®) and Certified Wealth Strategist (CWS®). As my career progressed, I began to think about the future. There were aspects I enjoyed but when I pictured myself years down the road, it was in a different setting: a smaller firm, deeper, longer-term client relationships, more face-to-face interaction. When a major event happened in my clients’ lives, I wanted to be one of the first people they tell, a partner throughout their entire financial journey.
I began exploring my options, talking to many people, including a friend who suggested I look at TCI. In TCI, I discovered people who prioritize lasting relationships and offer the collaborative, in-person environment I’d been seeking.
At the same time, my wife and I were considering moving back to Flagstaff, a place that had felt like home since my college days. In Phoenix, we faced long commutes and scorching summers. We found ourselves visiting Flagstaff nearly every other month, drawn by its cooler climate, our close community of friends and access to our favorite outdoor activities. With family two hours away, it felt like the perfect balance of all the things that are important to us. So, we made the leap, buying a home and fully embracing the Flagstaff lifestyle.
When I feel “at home” in every aspect of my life, I find that the front door opens wide to possibilities, opportunities and growth. That sense of alignment between where I live, how I spend my time, and what I value most has shaped my perspective in powerful ways.
Lessons It Takes to Find Home
One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned on my journey is the importance of knowing not only what I want, but also what I don’t. For example, when my wife and I realized we wanted to live closer to nature in a community where we could actively participate and give back, we discussed our goals, agreed on our priorities and developed a plan to make it happen. By choosing a path that aligned with our values, we were able to find a home with intention and purpose.
Similarly, I support my clients in identifying what matters most to them, whether it’s family, financial security, philanthropy or personal growth and help them map and follow a path to achieve that. Of course, money plays a key role, but a large account balance is not the singular end goal. Instead, at TCI, we see wealth as a vehicle to help you get where you want to go. In essence, we’re creating financial plans that allow us to reach emotional goals together.
Guiding Clients Home
As an Advisor, my role extends far beyond numbers and investment strategies. I’m here to help clients define what “home” means to them, whether that’s financially, emotionally or physically. The process starts with understanding their unique backgrounds, beliefs and goals about money. In meetings, I start by talking to clients about their portfolios, and then we talk about their dreams, concerns and values.
What does money mean to you? What are your priorities as an individual or as a family? Where do you envision your life in the next 5, 10 or 20 years? These questions help uncover a client’s “money home,” the foundation on which we build a personalized financial plan to reach their goals.
Simplify, Prepare, Adapt
In both life and work, I have found three actions to be especially effective when aiming for big goals: simplify, prepare, adapt.
When I trained to hike the Grand Canyon or run a marathon with my wife, I didn’t tackle the whole challenge at once. Instead, I broke it into manageable steps, building strength and confidence over time. This same approach applies to financial planning. A well-built financial plan isn’t about one big decision; it’s the result of many small, intentional choices over time.
Next, it’s important to make working toward what you want as seamless as possible. For instance, I love playing racquetball but at the end of a busy day, even something I enjoy can feel like too much effort. I prepare for this by keeping my gear in the car so I can hit the court with minimal obstacles.
Similarly, I encourage clients to simplify their financial habits. For example, saving for a Roth IRA can be challenging if money sits in a checking account all year. It’s easy to spend that balance or hesitate to make a large, year-end transfer. Automating monthly contributions simplifies the process and helps clients reach their goals sooner.
Finally, it’s important to give yourself permission to change. When I look back on my life, I see goals that I reached, as well as goals that I didn’t. In many instances, this was because my goals changed, and that’s OK.
Financial planning, like life, is a process of self-discovery. Priorities evolve, circumstances change, so you have to make adjustments along the way. I’ve seen this firsthand in my own life and in my clients’ journeys. Transitions continually unfold, and I aim to be one of my clients’ first calls, whether it’s about a new car or a new job, getting ready to go to college or getting ready to retire, and everything in between and beyond.
Discovering What Home Means to You
As I reflect on my journey, I’m grateful for the changes that led me to the sense of home I have now. Every experience, even the warm summers and the distance from friends, helped clarify what I truly needed. It wasn’t a single decision but a series of choices, moments, and lessons that shaped my path home.
Home isn’t just a place. It’s the feeling of being where you’re meant to be, with the freedom to focus on what matters most. For me, that means community involvement, being close to friends, and helping clients find their own sense of home.
So, what does home mean to you?
