Why financial planning?

I've always loved numbers and helping people. I was trying to find the right way to mix these two into a career and then my father passed away suddenly at the age of 63, just before he was about to retire.

This had a profound impact on me – he was so excited to start this next phase of his life and the next thing I know, I’m sitting next to my mother across the table from our family’s financial planner discussing estate settlement and life insurance proceeds.

Honestly, we had no interest in dealing with any of this. We were trying to cope with what just happened so suddenly. However, I vividly remember how we felt after leaving that meeting. We were so thankful that we had someone we trusted to help navigate the financial impact of this, so we could focus our mental energy elsewhere. 

This is why I love financial planning – I’m able to be there for clients through the good times and the bad times. I know what it feels like to have someone that understands your story, your values & your money and helps you make decisions to live the life you love.

My experience also taught me that tomorrow is never promised. We ideally shouldn't wait until "retirement" to do what we love. There is an art between investing in & experiencing life now, while still setting yourself up for financial security in the future. 

Financial planning is a beautiful combination of the technical side and the emotional & psychological of money. Every client has a different story, culture, values, etc. and the intersection between money & life is what drives me. 

What is Jake like outside of work?

My family & friends are very important to me. I’m an introvert, so I love spending quality time with people, but also need my alone time to recharge. My wife & I love to host people, especially for one of our famous lobster bakes. I’ll typically be the person cooking for everyone and petting the dogs.

My physical, mental & spiritual health are also very important to me. I’m the weirdo that does daily ice baths, red light therapy and anything else that can improve longevity & mental performance. My happy place is being outside – playing golf, pickleball, fishing, hiking and relaxing anywhere by the water. I love all sports and can be a competitive SOB.

My wife & I are huge travel lovers – we could talk for days about travel. We've traveled to all 7 continents with our favorites being New Zealand, Australia, Antarctica, Greece, Croatia and Italy. 

Why financial planning?

I’ve always been fascinated by money — how it shapes nearly every part of life, yet most of us were never taught how it works. It can create freedom and peace, or just as easily lead to stress and uncertainty.

If I were a dog, I think I’d be half Lab and half Border Collie. I’m drawn to helping others, but I also need something to chew on or I’ll start digging holes in the backyard. Financial planning is the perfect field for me because it brings both sides together.

What I love most, though, is being part of the conversations where people dream big and explore what they really want out of life. I feel lucky to sit with clients as they learn more about themselves, and I find myself learning right alongside them. That mix of technical problem-solving and human connection is what makes this work so meaningful for me.

What is Gage like outside of work?

Family is at the center of my life. Growing up in a big Basque family meant frequent gatherings with long tables of food and multiple generations together. That sense of connection still shapes the way I think about family and time today.

At home, most of my hours are spent chasing two wild little boys. Shoes are almost never on the right feet (though statistically it should be a 50/50 shot). Friday nights usually mean pizza and a movie together, and if you caught me meal prepping on a Sunday, you’d almost definitely hear some 70’s funk playing, with the boys jamming along.

I’m also an early riser. My mornings start with coffee and a book before the world wakes up — a quiet ritual that helps me reset and reflect. I’ve always needed something to chew on, whether that’s school, tinkering on a project, or just learning for the sake of it. That drive for curiosity and growth shows up in every area of my life.

These days I’m working on regaining balance in my life and trying to enjoy the present instead of grinding along and delaying gratification. When I get the chance, I feel most at home in the mountains — steady, still, and timeless. And someday, I hope to get back into riding dirt bikes, ideally with the boys riding right alongside.

Why financial planning?

This may be a surprise, but financial planning wasn’t always a dream job for me. I have an art background and when I was younger, I wanted to pursue that field. As I navigated the art scene, I saw that a “starving artist” was a real thing.  I quickly found that I couldn’t make a career or have a livable wage doing art, especially in a small town.  

I stumbled on financial planning, after having my second kiddo, Ella. I was approached by an old co-worker stating that they needed someone to scan files here and there at her husband’s office. Being a stay-at-home mom, I needed to get out of the house for a few hours of the day and jumped on the opportunity. It just so happened that the office he worked for was a large financial institution.  

As I worked through scanning, it just organically grew into a bigger role and taking on more projects.  As I dipped my toe into this new world, I decided that I really liked it. I needed to know more about it and watched as many webinars and trainings as I could until I got my FPQP® designation. Financial planning gives me the space to be creative and each person has a different story.  Getting to know people on such a deep level and knowing that I have made a difference in their lives is something that brings me immense satisfaction.

What is Launa like outside of work?

I have heard this saying and I think it rings true for me, “having a weird mom builds character.” I am that crazy, goofy mom. It makes my heart happy every time I make my kids laugh and sometimes that’s hard when you have a teenage boy who grunts at you most of the time and a pre-teen daughter with, let’s just be nice here and say that she has strong emotions. My husband is super quiet and reserved which makes me the polar opposite. You need to keep things interesting right?! 

I absolutely love hiking with my family! It’s so nice to shut off all devices, see pretty things and really bond as a family. My goal is to see the world and travel more. We have been to Hawaii a handful of times, hiked as much as we could, and I desire to do more of this with the kids while they are still at home.

I tend to give most of my time and energy to my family and pugs so on the rare occasion that I have free time, I get to paint.  My true love.  Because of the “on the go” lifestyle, I have developed an unhealthy relationship with coffee. I can probably drink my body weight in iced coffee. On the weekends and when no one else is awake, I have a dark secret of watching true crime documentaries.

Why financial planning?

As a couple’s therapist, money showed up a lot on my couch. Despite being married to a CFP®, I found myself coming up short when it came to helping these couples navigate their financial relationship from an emotional behavioral side. Whether it was navigating financial infidelity, estate planning differences, or disputes around financially enabling adult children, traditional therapy tools were not effective. I remember stumbling upon the Financial Therapy Association in 2019 and thinking “This is it! This is what I need for my couples…and myself.

Growing up, I was fascinated by romantic relationships. How did they work? Why do some succeed? Why do some fail? Equally, I was also intrigued by why people made the decisions they made; whether in relationships, with money, at work, etc. I would often wonder “why did they do that?” and “would they make that same decision if they knew what was behind it?”

In hindsight, I realize that this fascination was the makings of becoming a therapist. As I went through my studies, I learned that seeking to understand required more than a fascination, but a humble curiosity. My goal in working with clients is to lead with that curiosity in hopes that they will not only make new connections for themselves, but also feel seen and heard.

What is Ashley like outside of work?

Soccer mom and Cheer coach extraordinaire: Sports and extracurriculars is a big part of this season of life for me. Watching my kids play, compete, and learn life lessons that only sports can teach you is an indescribable feeling. Our weeknights and weekends are filled with games, tournaments, competitions, Starbucks, and the panic moments of “did you remember your___?” While this time with them is intense, it’s also short lived. The moment will come when I miss these days.

As a family, we love traveling and creating memories. Some of our favorite regular travel spots include Amelia Island, FL and Boone, NC (Go Apps!). Giving our kids the gift of travel experiences is very important to my husband Clayton and I.

Individually, I love gardening, dance parties (in my kitchen), singing, sitting on the beach with a drink in hand, and trying out new restaurants with Clayton.