Having a written financial strategy is a very good thing. Understanding it is even better.

A financial strategy is your roadmap toward reaching your goals. As we work together, I'll listen carefully so I can understand what is most important to you and your family. Maybe it's a lifestyle goal or your child's education. Maybe it's the retirement you envision or a philanthropic legacy. We'll lay it all on the table so I can build a strategy tailored uniquely to you.

Then I'll take the time to make sure you understand how the strategy I recommend can lead to success and why I've chosen investments I have. I'll use everyday language to make sure you're comfortably in-the-know about your money and your investments. The more you understand, the better equipped you'll be to make decisions that arise and to avoid the emotional tug of simply chasing returns.

My entire professional career has been in the financial business. During the tech bubble burst of 2000, I was working with a discount brokerage firm. I watched as too many people who had tackled investing on their own found themselves in dire straits. I decided to help them prepare for their goals and potential setbacks from a more holistic vantage point. So I opened my Edward Jones practice in 2001.

I've always been motivated by financial independence. My first big purchase was a pair of skates when I was 16. My parents would have paid for them, but I wanted the independence. I went on to buy my first bike, my first car and my education at university where, probably not surprisingly, I studied economics. The taste of financial independence is sweet, and today I help others achieve it for themselves.

Outside of work, I lead a pretty active lifestyle. I golf in the Summer, curl in the Winter and run from time to time. Even my travel, which I make a priority, is activity-related – hiking and exploring the culture in places like Africa, Argentina and Peru.