Jaclyn Mercer

Aaron Kirsch is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and founding partner of GreenUp Wealth Management. He works primarily with individuals and couples who are approaching or living in retirement, helping them design financial plans that support both long-term security and a fulfilling retirement lifestyle. Aaron began his career in financial services in 2001 at a major Wall Street firm and has since worked with clients across a wide range of life stages, both at large institutions and through his own independent wealth management firm. This experience informs his comprehensive approach to financial planning, which integrates retirement income planning, investment management, tax-aware strategies, risk management, and estate planning considerations. He is the co-author of The Rewarding Retirement Workbook, a resource designed to help people think beyond the mechanics of retirement and focus on how they want to live during this stage of life. Aaron’s work emphasizes aligning financial decisions with personal values, priorities, and legacy goals. Aaron holds himself to fiduciary standards and takes a client-centered approach to planning, helping individuals and families navigate financial decisions with clarity and confidence as they transition into and through retirement.

Charles Carty is the sole advisor at Carty Financial, Inc., an independent firm based in Thousand Oaks, CA. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 designations and has 27 years of industry experience. He has led Carty Financial since 2007. Carty Financial provides personalized, fee-only investment management and financial planning services to individuals, trusts, estates, small businesses, charitable organizations, and pension and profit-sharing plans. The firm operates primarily on a non-discretionary basis and emphasizes client approval for transactions, using a mix of individual equities, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds, and selective covered-call options.

Bruce Bassin is the sole advisor at Bassin, Bruce, an independent firm based in Thousand Oaks, CA. He holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 27 years of industry experience, including two years at Southeast Investments, N.C. Inc. Bruce Bassin is also a licensed insurance agent. The firm provides financial planning, third-party manager recommendations, and retirement plan consulting to retirement-plan sponsors, plan participants, and individual clients. It focuses on ERISA-style pension consulting and plan-sponsor fiduciary services, relying on referrals to sub-advisers rather than direct portfolio management.

Matthew Benson is a CFP® with 13 years of industry experience, currently serving as the sole advisor at Opes MVB Capital, LLC. His prior experience includes roles at Merrill Lynch, JP Morgan Securities, Morgan Stanley, and US Trust/Merrill Lynch. Outside of advising, he is a licensed insurance agent and engages in real estate investment and development on a part-time basis. Opes MVB Capital provides wealth advisory and portfolio management services primarily to high-net-worth individuals, focusing on portfolio allocation, real estate analysis, trust and estate advisory, tax planning, and charitable guidance. The firm emphasizes documented risk tolerances in tailored Investment Policy Statements and operates on a non-discretionary basis, allowing clients to retain final authority over transactions.

You deserve to feel financially empowered. The problem can be that you feel overwhelmed, overlooked or underserved in your financial lives. Terri understands. It’s why she has taken all her experience over a quarter-century of bull and bear markets managing billions of dollars for hundreds of people to create Zuma Wealth. Zuma Wealth is a firm by women for women. We’ve busted the myth that women aren’t interested in money and wealth topics. Many women thirst for knowledge and continuously seek out opportunities to grow and learn in many areas. Terri understands! Terri’s clients recognize the value of a trustworthy partner and seek her out because she offers support, understanding and an attentive ear. Importantly, she provides tailored advice and guidance so clients achieve their unique aspirations, never the one-size-fits-all that defines the industry. A renowned expert, Terri is a regular guest on CNBC and Bloomberg, and a sought-after industry speaker. She has been interviewed and quoted in hundreds of publications and lauded for making complex concepts simple. Her real world expertise is rooted in a suite of top financial credentials: the CFA charter, the CFP® certification, an MBA in Finance from Columbia University and an AB in Economics with Honors from the University of Michigan. Terri started investing when her father introduced her to the concept of compound interest and she learned she could make money in her sleep.

Vanessa Friedman is the sole advisor at She Wealth Advisors LLC in Woodland Hills, CA. She holds a Series 65 designation and has been in the industry since 2025. Prior to founding She Wealth Advisors, she was involved in a mental health services business, Awaken Therapy Center, where she provided administrative support. She also offers educational coaching and training related to investment strategy, market behavior, and risk management. She Wealth Advisors provides discretionary investment management for high-net-worth individuals, families, and small institutions, combining fundamental, technical, and quantitative analysis with dynamic asset allocation and tactical overlays. The firm also offers financial coaching and education services to both clients and non-clients.