Cassandra Smalley, CFPĀ®, CFA

/in , , , , , , , /by

About Cassandra Smalley, CFPĀ®, CFA

Cassandra Smalley is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERā„¢ professional and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. She is on a mission to empower women to define and use their voices at the financial table to ensure they can enjoy a fulfilling, purposeful, creative, and joyful life.

Cassandra previously led a financial planning team that managed more than $500 million in assets. She has been recognized by Forbes and SHOOK Research as Americaā€™s Top Women Wealth Advisors 2020-2021, Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisor 2017-2020, Working Mother Magazine and Top Wealth Advisor Moms 2017-2020, among others.

Cassandra earned an MBA with a Finance concentration from the University of North Florida and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Florida.

After 15 years in the financial services industry, Cassandra felt called to publish a book based on her experiences. Her book, The Why of Wealth: Mastering the Steps to a Wealthy Mindset to Live a Joyful Life, centers on the challenges women face in building wealth and pivots obstacles into action by turning oneā€™s unique perspective into oneā€™s power to design their best life.

Today Cassandra is the Owner and CEO of her own financial planning and wealth management practice.

Cassandra is passionate about giving back to her community and is currently the Chair of the Leadership Development Committee on the Leadership St. Pete Alumni Association Board. She enjoys speaking to audiences about Financial Success as well as partnering with and coaching her clients to turn their goals and dreams into reality.

Cassandra is the proud mother of two young daughters, Addison and Meghan, and partnered in this amazing life with husband, Kevin Smalley.

Michael Green, CFPĀ®

/in , , , , , , /by

About Michael Green, CFPĀ®

In 2019, Michael and his wife Emily welcomed their first child, Luca into the world and were surprised to discover that he has Down Syndrome. Suddenly all of the careful planning and preparation that they had been doing, buying a house in a competitive school district and working towards Financial Independence, went out the window as they were faced with a very new and foreign set of challenges.

As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERā„¢ professional who worked with a few clients who had loved ones with special needs, Michael knew some of the basics on the financial planning front. He worked with his estate planning attorney to execute new estate planning documents included a Special Needs Trust and reevaluated life insurance coverage as now they were planning on caring for Luca beyond the typical college age. But that was only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the world of special needs planning.

After diving into the complexities of Medicaid Waivers, Social Security and state benefits, ABLE Accounts, Letters of Intent, and much more, it became obvious that there was not a consolidated resource for families in the special needs community to find important information pertaining to their financial futures. Three Twenty One was created to fill this need and work with families across the country who have a loved one with special needs to help them live their best lives and have peace of mind that their loved one will be taken care of no matter what.

Read Michael’s blog here: https://www.threetwentyone.co/community

Zhi Li, CFPĀ®

/in , , , , , , , /by

About Zhi Li, CFPĀ®

I am a big history geek (Church history fascinates me) Iā€™m always down for a great sport narrative (Derek Redmond, you’re an inspiration) and Iā€™ve been moved to tears by more Pixar movies than Iā€™d like to admit. (My wife still teases me about them). When Iā€™m not rooting for the underdog, or trying to get my daughter to enjoy books as much as I do, you can find me enjoying Saturday morning breakfasts with my wife.

If you have been considering financial planning, you have come to the right place. Our finances can be a source of shame and anxiety, but they can also be a source of so much joy when they allow us to do the very things that satisfy us – traveling, learning, spending time with loved ones, or supporting great causes, just to name a few. I have been on both sides of that coin. I know what itā€™s like to feel overwhelmed by ā€œfinance stuffā€ and would like nothing better than to do something, anything else. I also know the sense of satisfaction that comes when our ā€œfinance stuffā€™ is under control and working for the life we want to live to live instead of the life we are pressured to live.

I graduated with a degree in Accounting (Best decision of my life) and spent 11 yrs in the Financial Services Industry. As a lifelong learner, I am always eager to bring what I am continuously learning to improve peopleā€™s lives. I am inspired to help individuals and families reach joy in their lives by helping them discover their goals and walking with them to crush what they set out to do. My mission is to help you feel proud of your finances and in control of your life.

When we are working together, you can expect from me professionalism with a strong dose of humanity (finances do not need to be cold) and humor (finances do not need to be bland) You can expect humility, empathy, experience, and an eagerness to help you develop your financial wellness.

Corey Wiederholt, CFPĀ®, CPA

/in , , , , , , , /by

About Corey Wiederholt, CFPĀ®, CPA

Iā€™m Corey Wiederholt, founder of Trailpoint Financial Planning.

I believe that the steps you take today make the biggest difference in improving your life down the road, where I can guide you and help hold you accountable throughout your journey.

After graduating from business school, where I majored in finance and accounting, I began my career in Denver at a regional public accounting firm, earning my CPA license. I made the switch away from public accounting when my wife and I found out we were expecting our first bundle of joy, but I came to a stark realization. I may have excelled on the books, but I didnā€™t know nearly enough outside of the tax world.

I hit the books, pored over website after website, and listened to too many podcasts to count, but one thing was certain; personal finance and its many strategies is my calling. No more empty nights as a corporate accountant, stuck in the rat-race. I needed to show my now-trio of children the way, by sharing my knowledge with those in need.

I feel incredibly lucky to be able to call this my job, introducing me to so many stellar individuals of all walks of life. Born out of my love for making an impact on peopleā€™s lives, combined with what I do best ā€“ organizing financial lives, I take pride in being able to serve my clients in a distinct way; free of sales quotas and account minimums, with eyes fixated on whatā€™s best for you and your individual goals. I opted for a fee-only financial planning firm, meaning the only compensation I receive is from my clients. No commissions. No product-pushing. Just genuine partnerships.

To put it simply, selling you meaningless solutions is not my gig. I focus on a concentrated mission to help you achieve your financial dreams. My investment in my client base stems from many aspects, but mostly, I work to build a genuine rapport with a strong focus on younger professionals and families. A pivotal time, which will be instrumental in your financial success. I want to be the link between you and financial success, teaching you the ropes without a cloud of anxiety surrounding the topic of finances.

And when Iā€™m not navigating my clients towards financial success? You can usually find me enthralled in a book, captivated by a personal finance podcast, enjoying some time away from the world with my wife and kids, or exploring the mountains here in Colorado.

Matthew Ricks, CFPĀ®

/in , , , , , , , /by

Iā€™m Matt ā€“ the President of Haystack Financial Planning, a Registered Investment Advisory firm in New York. As a financial planner who focuses on people with disabilities and special needs, I have found the perfect way to merge financial planning with my passion for serving others.

I am a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERā„¢ļø professional and fiduciary that operates on a fee-only basis. I earned my MBA from the New York University Stern School of Business and earned a Finance degree from The Smeal College of Business at The Pennsylvania State University.

I currently live in New York City with my wife and our two sons., We enjoy exploring playgrounds, riding the bus and subway (pre-COVID at least), and searching for cool construction equipment. When not spending time with my family or running Haystack, you may find me walking one of the local golf courses, tapping a beat with my fingers (Iā€™m a recovering drummer), searching for the perfect grilled cheese, or contemplating my next home improvement project despite living in an NYC co-op.

Paul Fenner, CFPĀ®, ChFCĀ®

/in , , , /by

About Paul Fenner, CFPĀ®, ChFCĀ®, CRPS

TAMMA Capital founder and president Paul Fenner has the privilege of being the father of triplets and another daughter and having a beautiful and supportive wife. The first letter of each of their first names results in TAMMA. Paul and his family live in Metro Detroit, Michigan.

TAMMA was founded when Paulā€™s triplets were born. Paul saw firsthand how his own family struggled with financial anxiety, and the challenges and pressures it caused. This is one of the reasons why he chose to become an investment advisor and build his firm to help bring peace of mind to TAMMA families.

Paul has 22 years of wealth planning, portfolio management and tax preparation/planning experience; and equal years in business accounting, finance, and operations. He received his BA from Adrian College, and his MBA from the University of Findlay.

Giving back to our community is important to TAMMA. Paul is a board member of Camp Casey (a non-profit organization that provides horseback riding programs to children with cancer and rare blood disorders), a board member of the Adrian College Alumni Board, as well as volunteering with the Commerce Elementary School PTA.

Paul holds many up to date certifications important to expert portfolio management including:

Certified Financial Planner (CFPĀ®)
Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC)
Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), Series 65
Chartered Retirement Plan Specialist (CRPSĀ®)
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFAĀ®) Level II Candidate

Steven Kampschmidt, CFPĀ®

/in , , , , , , /by

About Steven Kampschmidt, CFPĀ®

Steven Kampschmidt is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERā„¢ professional dedicated to assisting individuals and families in their pursuit of financial freedom. After establishing a practice within Merrill Lynch, he had an increasing desire to service his clients in a way that was unavailable at almost all other firms within the industry. It was at this point that he opted to create something new, and thus Freedom Found Financial was born.

Steven also has his MBA in finance and economics from the Rochester Institute of Technology. He currently resides in Boonton, NJ with his wife Jessica, his two daughters Adeline and Evelyn, as well as his two dogs Meadow and Summer. He enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He also uses his free time training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, playing beach volleyball down the shore, and snowboarding during the winter months.

Taylor Venanzi, CFPĀ®

/in , , , , , /by

About Taylor Venanzi, CFPĀ®

Activate Wealth delivers comprehensive financial planning services to busy working professionals from their late 20s to early 40s. These professionals and families have a strong desire to enjoy their life and money NOW while keeping an eye towards the future. Given this unique stage of life, clients of Activate Wealth often want to:

1. Save Time
2. Simplify Complex Situations
3. Grow their Wealth

What you get when you work with Activate Wealth:

TIME
One of the biggest assets we covet as young professionals is TIME. When you work with Activate Wealth, youā€™re getting just that. Allow us to manage your financial checklist. Stop spending your time worrying about your finances and get busy living!

A PLAN
After all, this is financial PLANNING. We will work together to create a goal and action-oriented financial plan. This plan will allow us to hold each other accountable over time and is designed to evolve as you evolve. Your goals of today are not your goals of tomorrow. Activate Wealth is excited to help you navigate the inevitable changes you have ahead of you!

ACCOUNTABILITY
When you hire Activate Wealth, you are hiring an accountability partner. As you know, it is easy to lose sight of your goals from time to time. We will work diligently to establish your goals and hold you to them over time. Think of us as your personal trainerā€¦ but for your money!

AN ADVOCATE
As a fee-only financial planning firm, our interests are directly aligned with yours. It is our job and requirement to do what is in YOUR best interest. We will steer you away from poor financial decisions and help you consider things that you hadnā€™t before.

Rick Valenzi, CFPĀ®, CRPCĀ®

/in , , , /by

About Rick Valenzi, CFPĀ®, CRPCĀ®

We help young families conquer financial complexity.

With a successful career and a family comes financial complexity – that evil villain lurking in the shadows. Left alone, he can dismantle everything youā€™ve built. Try to defeat him and heā€™ll leave you confused, frustrated and overwhelmed.

You deserve a guide who can show you how to lock him up and throw away the key.

For over a decade weā€™ve helped young families conquer financial complexity through hands-on, full-service financial planning.

Our process is simple:
1) Determine if you need help
2) Create a plan together
3) Execute the plan together

By defeating financial complexity, youā€™ll eliminate your financial anxiety. Youā€™ll acquire confidence, gain clarity about your future and understand your finances better than you ever have.

Schedule your free introductory consultation today! –Ā http://ow.ly/UjTx30qa3Wf

Or check out our website for more details –Ā www.financialzen.com

Colin Chase, CFPĀ®

/in , , , , , , /by

About Colin Chase, CFPĀ®

Colin founded Mindful Money Financial Counsel in 2010 and has over 18 years of experience talking with people about money. Prior to founding the company, he worked at Fidelity Investments for 10 years in a variety of positions: service and trading representative, retirement investment specialist, investment representative, financial planning consultant, and Vice President Senior Account Executive.

He received an MBA with a finance concentration from Xavier University and a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Ohio University. Colin is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERā„¢ professional, and a Registered Investment Adviser. He specializes in providing holistic financial planning and investment advice to Chicagoland individuals and couples in their 30ā€™s and 40ā€™s.

Colin is an early riser, an Eagle Scout, and eager to lend a hand. He was born in Dayton, Ohio and lived in Waldorf, Maryland and Cincinnati, Ohio before moving to Chicago in 2003.