10 Financial Advisors to Know If You're a Founder
Kimberly Green | 2026-03-25
10 Financial Advisors to Know If You're a Founder The financial advice industry was built for a different kind of person. Someone with steady income. A 401(k) they contribute to each year. A portfolio that grows slowly and predictably. Founders don't look like that. Your income is uneven. Your net worth is often locked inside a company. You're making decisions — about how to pay yourself, when to take equity off the table, what the tax hit of a liquidity event looks like — that a standard wealth management model doesn't cover. These are the financial advisors on Sam's List who understand that problem. Founder-Focused Financial Advisors 1. Anthony Syracuse, CFP Location: Scottsdale, AZ | Fee: $7,500/year flat | Rating: 5.0 (5 reviews) Fee-only fiduciary who works with high earners and tech professionals. His "Return on Life" framework focuses planning on what founders actually want their wealth to do, not just how to grow it. Flat annual fee means no surprises as your assets grow. Find him 2. Capital Area Planning Group (Malcolm Ethridge, CFP, EA) Location: Washington, DC | Fee: 0.25%–1.5% AUM | Rating: 5.0 (2 reviews) The CFP + IRS Enrolled Agent combination is rare. Malcolm advises on financial planning and tax strategy without handing you off — critical for founders navigating RSUs, concentrated stock, and equity-driven complexity. CNBC contributor and author. His thinking is on record. Find them 3. Ian Weiner, CFP, CEPA Location: Serves nationally | Fee: 0.5%–1.75% AUM | Rating: 5.0 (1 review) The CEPA credential (Certified Exit Planning Advisor) means Ian works specifically with business owners in the years before a sale. Wealth preservation, tax reduction, and exit strategy are his core. The advisor to find before the term sheet arrives. Find him 4. Bull Oak Capital Location: Rancho Santa Fe, CA | Fee: $15,000/year flat, 0% AUM on first $1M Full-service advisory — financial planning, investment management, tax strategy, and tax prep — under a flat annual fee. No AUM percentage that compounds as your portfolio grows. A clean structure for founders who are actively building. Find them 5. Rodriguez Wealth Management Location: Newport Beach, CA | Fee: 0%–1% AUM Sergio and Elisa Rodriguez run a comprehensive planning practice with a specific commitment to first-generation wealth builders and diverse communities. Covers investments, tax, insurance, and estate planning under one roof. Find them Deeper: What Separates a Founder-Ready Advisor These questions will tell you faster than any credential or review: "Walk me through how you'd handle a client whose...
