In 2008, while serving in the United States Air Force, I was deployed to the Middle East. Every day I watched while the Global Financial Crisis battered the stock markets. I always had a fascination with numbers and the stock market seemed like it would be a natural interest of mine. However, it wasn’t until then that I became really interested in learning about it.

Armed with some extra money and debt paid off, one of my first stops when I returned was to see a civilian on base. He was the guy people went to talk to when they wanted to learn about investing. We had discussions before, but this time my mind was made up. Things were going to change, and I was on my way to becoming a responsible adult just as I was turning 30.

Over the next three years, I learned a lot from him.  I wanted to help others the way he helped me.  Personal finance made sense, and while I loved serving my country, I wanted to share my knowledge with as many people as possible.

In 2013, I separated from the Air Force to move back home to Wisconsin to begin my financial advisory career. I passed the FINRA Series 7 and 66 and became a licensed Financial Advisor.

After a few good years of learning about the industry, I heard the mountains of Colorado calling and I accepted a position with a major financial services corporation. During this time, I learned more about personal finance and investing than I ever could have imagined. In addition to day-to-day work, I set out to earn the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation which would add to my knowledge.

All this time, my goal was to do personal financial planning. I wanted to help people navigate their unique situations to reach their goals. The experience I had working face-to-face with families solidified my desire to have my own practice.

Finally, in early 2023, I decided to take the leap and start my own Financial Planning and Investment Management practice. Eight Peaks Wealth Management was born.