Many would say that starting a career in the financial services industry in 2001 during the throes of the dot-com crash is less than ideal. I would agree. Fortunately, I was naïve and excited to find something I considered more than just a job.

The ensuing 14 years had a profound impact on who I am today. They are why I broke free from the wall street wire-houses and discount-brokerage juggernauts where corporate boards and sales managers determine what's important instead of the clients. In fact, the client experience I’ve built was forged by those experiences.

After countless conversations with family and friends though, I finally shed the handcuffs of proprietary products and sales quotas. The idea was to build a practice from the ground up by rejecting the conventional attitudes of our industry. No more industry jargon. No more pie charts. No more Broker Speak. So, on January 5, 2015 I founded Canvasback Wealth Management. It was and continues to be a dream realized.

Just as the Canvasback story is a collection of experiences from the past two decades, so is the story of each member of our Canvasback family. You to have a story, and we love hearing each one. It allows us to better understand what has made you and your family into the people you are today. And if I want to be an effective partner and leader for my clients, what could be more important.

Oh...and why a duck? I don't remember when I first heard the term "canvasback" but what a better metaphor for our business. You probably remember that old saying about ducks always being calm on the surface but underneath they paddle like.... well, you remember. In today's world where sensationalized news is the norm and everyone claims to have the better mouse trap it's important for clients to keep calm and stay focused.