Chris Nalley, CFP®

Is this whole money thing distracting you from what matters most in your life?

We all have to make financial decisions, and all these decisions and the massive amount of information they entail can leave you feeling confused or even overwhelmed. There are so many options and so much conflicting information: what do you do? This usually results in doing nothing; although you may do the right thing, but the mistakes are often costly. When I became an advisor, I had a vision of designing an easier experience to spare my clients from all the manipulation so they could focus on what is most important in their lives.  

And this is how...

It starts with getting clear about what money means to you: your thoughts and beliefs around money and how it affects all aspects of your life. Again, this can be overwhelming to even think about, and it is hard to know where to start.

That is where I come in. I can help you get absolutely clear about what matters most in your life, so the path I help you chart is aligned with who you are and where you want to go. Doing this for others has become a passion for me, ever since I started my journey to find this out for myself.  

My Story

It all started with my love for business, reading books like Rich Dad, Poor Dad and listening to stories about companies my grandfather and father helped turn around and grow. I grew up in a family of entrepreneurs, so I was always looking for ways to improve on what already existed and build something special.

I’ve always enjoyed history, current events and games of skill and chance like chess and fantasy football. The stock market and investing combined all these passions. I completed a few internships for an institutional equity research firm and received a job offer. I accepted the offer and eventually became the chief compliance officer and financial and operations principal.

Once I become passionate about something, I tend to dive in head first. I played every sport as a kid, obtained several industry licenses and read every book I could find about the topics that fascinated me.

I launched my first startup, WaiverWire.com, which offered tools for beginner fantasy football players to compete with and beat experts using artificial intelligence and financial modeling techniques (Modern Portfolio theory and Sharpe ratios). I also offered research tools for experts to use for their own analysis. I envisioned it becoming the Bloomberg of sports, but tragedy struck: I lost three family members, one of whom was my closest mentor and guide in life. At age 28, I was put in the position of an executor havening to settle a complex multiple estate. It took five years to settle, and I was forced to put aside what had been most important in my life, which was devastating at the time. In hindsight, the process changed my role in my family and led me to a deeper meaning in life; for that, I am truly grateful.

It was the biggest challenge I had ever faced, but it became the foundation of me becoming an advisor. I learned how to work with multiple generations, high net worth individuals and many different types of service industry professionals. So, I resigned from my position providing services to hedge funds and Wall Street firms to obtain a Certified Financial Planner™ designation and launch an independent advisory practice.

I’m extremely grateful that I made this decision because now I can work with families and businesses. I lead weekly collaborative calls between service industry professionals sharing best practices in an effort to learn, grow and help everyone become better. Together, we inspire and help our clients focus on what matters most in their lives by doing most of the uncomfortable work - which we happen to love.

Fun Facts

I love boating, delicious food and exploring the world with my wife Jenny, our daughter Pierce and son Beck.

I play golf, fantasy football and enjoy watching sports. Lately, I have been becoming more involved in diving.

Growing up, I enjoyed watching David Beckham play soccer. His exceptional skills on the pitch were nothing short of inspiring and his dedication to the game showed me that actions speak louder than words. In recent years, I've found myself drawn to the coaching of Mike McDaniel. His coaching philosophy reminds me that fostering meaningful connections can bring out the best in individuals and teams. He also has a fun way of going about it. Ray Dalio and Elon Musk have also captured my admiration for various reasons. Their unwavering commitment to radical transparency in their respective fields is a testament to their innovative thinking. Dalio's work in exploring the depths of human behavior and decision-making has reshaped how we approach challenges. Their relentless pursuit of exploration, from the depths of the oceans to the vastness of space, fuels my own curiosity and desire to push boundaries.

Kolbe score: 8-7-5-1 (I am high fact finder and high follow thru; strategic planning is my thing).

Myers-Briggs: INFJ-A (nothing lights up an advocate like creating a solution that changes people’s lives).

As for credentials, I graduated from the University of Central Florida with a bachelor’s degree in finance and minor in economics. I completed the Certified Financial Planner Certification Program (CFP®) at Florida Atlantic University. I have held the series 7 (General Securities Representative), 24 (General Securities Principal), 27 (Financial Operations Principal), 57 (Securities Trader), 63 (Uniform Securities Agent State Law) and 66 (Uniform Combined State Law) securities licenses, but only my series 66 remains active because its the only license required to be a fee-only fiduciary advisor.