Sports have been a big part of my life since childhood but when my athletic career ended shortly after coming out of college, I really didn’t know what I wanted to do professionally. I was fortunate enough to land a job at a boutique investment banking firm that specialized in underwriting California municipal bonds. I had a great experience there, and I learned a hell of a lot about municipal bonds, but I knew fairly early on that investment banking wasn’t going to be for me long-term.
After leaving that investment banking job, I found myself in my mid-20’s having what I lovingly refer to as “my quarter life crisis.” Without a clear picture of what was next, I moved to Spain to meet and spend time with my Spanish family. It was awesome but when those three months were over, I was still totally lost from a career standpoint. When I landed back in the US, I was offered an opportunity to work at a large bank broker-dealer as a “Licensed Financial Representative,” a.k.a. “Financial Advisor.” Holy crap – I learned very quickly that apparently being an advisor meant hitting sales quotas, being pressured by regional sales managers, and pushing the highest commission financial products to the bank’s customers. The job was about doing what was best for ourselves and the bank, not for the families we were serving.
The downside of the bank job was that I became sick about it. The bright side was that I finally found my passion – teaching everyone who would listen how to not get ripped off by the financial services industry!
Shortly thereafter I found myself in the fee-only RIA world learning how to do real financial life planning within a model that was fair and transparent. I haven’t looked back ever since. I started my own solo-advisory practice in Santa Monica, CA in 2015 and Five Oceans in 2020 – a company that exists to help people live more intentional, meaningful, and fulfilling lives by bringing clarity to every major financial decision and serving as trusted guides through life’s opportunities and challenges.
Today, I have the privilege of working primarily with founders, entrepreneurs, and families navigating significant wealth and complex lives. Whether helping someone prepare for a business exit, steward multi-generational wealth, or simply gain greater confidence about their future, my goal is always the same: to simplify complexity, protect what matters most, and help clients align their resources with the life they truly want to live. I’m incredibly excited about what we’re building at Five Oceans. We’ve assembled a team united by a simple belief: Exceptional wealth management is ultimately about people, not portfolios.
On a more personal note, of course I love spending time with my wife, Alexis and my sons Pierce and Xander. I still love sports and I’m a huge San Diego Padres fan. At the moment, the three extracurriculars I enjoy doing most are golfing, surfing and coaching Little League, but who knows what’s next!
