Growing up in a middle-class first generation immigrant family, my understanding of personal finance was pretty simple: saving is good, debt is bad.

Like many people starting out, I faithfully contributed a little bit of extra money from my $36,000 per year salary at my first real job to my 401(k) plan, just to watch that 401(k) balance get cut in half during the financial crisis in 2008.

My real introduction to investing came later through study group conversations with classmates in business school who worked in finance or seemed naturally comfortable discussing investment opportunities.

At the time, I didn’t really see myself as someone who could contribute to those conversations, but it piqued my curiosity. Many years later, after leaving a stable corporate career to start my own art business, I experienced firsthand how complex financial decisions become when you’re managing cash flow, taxes, retirement planning, career change, and family life all at once.

None of these moments seemed particularly important at the time. But looking back, the signs were always there. It just took me a few careers and life chapters to recognize them.

Life has also given me a broader perspective. Two kids, running a business, navigating layoffs, moving, and thinking about aging parents have taught me that good financial planning goes far beyond carefully modeled data on spreadsheets.

It's about making plans for a life that changes.

As financial planner Tim Maurer says, "Personal finance is more personal than finance." Investments, taxes, and retirement projections are all important, but behind every financial question is usually a life question that isn’t always solvable by math. That's the part that draws me to this work.

I could tell you about my education, certifications, and professional background, but those are easy to find on LinkedIn.

What matters more to me is trust.