Jodie Barnes

You deserve simple, straightforward financial advice that you understand and trust. I’m the son of two master plumbers. When it came to plumbing, “master” is the right word. They were good at what they did. And, like all contractors and tradesmen, their business went through highs and lows. When times were good, we took amazing vacations and enjoyed life together. When times were tough, like going through bankruptcy to avoid losing everything, we had to bear the burden. This is a story told all too often, and it’s why I started Forthright Financial Services. I received a Bachelors Degree in Accounting, Masters Degree in Taxation, and a Certification in Financial Planning on my way to becoming a Certified Financial Planner® professional. I worked for 4 years at a CPA firm, where I became the lead tax associate for individuals and small partnerships. I switched careers to my original passion and worked for a great financial planning firm for 5 years. While there I became the director of financial planning and helped create and implement the entire financial planning process. Throughout my journey, I helped my dad in many different ways. After my dad passed away, I left my job and started my business with the mission to help other hard-working business owners, like him, understand their finances in order to minimize taxes, maximize cashflows, increase profits, and grow their business efficiently. As a contractor, your business and your personal financial situations are so connected that I believe you need special advice to address both of those areas simultaneously. That special guidance is exactly what we provide. Straightforward advice for all circumstances, goals, and seasons of life – that’s always a phone call away. If you’re ready to offload the stress and worry around your money and your business, now and for when your working days are done, let’s talk. Also help with: Small Business help Family Business Planning Self-Employed Individuals & Consultants planning Tax Planning Charitable Giving Business Planning Holistic Financial Planning Entrepreneurs Startup Founders Retirement Planning Cryptocurrency Financial Life Planning & Financial Coaching Family Financial Planning Social Security Optimization Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y/Millenials, Gen Z Christian Business Owners

Vint Stevenson is the principal advisor at Stevenson Advisory Services & Investments, an independent firm based in Weatherford, TX. He holds a Series 66 designation and has 23 years of industry experience, including prior roles at Regal Investment Advisors LLC and Securities America. Outside of finance, he owns and educates through Stevenson Firearms & Ammo, a firearms and gunsmithing business. Stevenson Advisory Services & Investments offers discretionary investment management and standalone financial planning to individuals, high-net-worth clients, trusts, and estates. The firm employs a combination of fundamental and multiple technical analysis methods, managing a small client roster with tailored investment programs and quarterly account reviews.

Joshua Brooks doesn't just manage money—he orchestrates financial victories. As founder and lead Certified Financial Planner® at Exponential Advisors, he's built his practice on a simple premise: veterans deserve financial strategies as disciplined and effective as their military training. With over two decades of military service and now serving as an Army Reserve chaplain in the 490th Civil Affairs Battalion, Joshua understands both spreadsheets and sacrifice. He's counseled soldiers through deployment stress and guided families through financial storms, discovering that the same tactical thinking that wins missions can demolish debt and build lasting wealth. At Exponential Advisors, Joshua deploys AI-enhanced financial artillery to hit every target: investment growth, risk management, tax efficiency, and legacy planning. He treats market volatility like enemy fire—anticipated, analyzed, and neutralized through superior positioning. His blockchain expertise and analytical prowess transform chaotic markets into navigable terrain. Joshua's communication cuts through financial fog like tracer rounds through darkness. He translates complex concepts into crystal-clear action plans, whether he's explaining why a Roth IRA beats traditional savings like air support beats ground assault, or demonstrating how Bitcoin fits into a diversified portfolio like special forces complement regular infantry. Every financial plan becomes a strategic operation with defined objectives, measurable outcomes, and adaptive protocols.

Todd Vandenburg is a financial advisor at VanDenburg Capital Management with 21 years of industry experience. He has held roles at SCF Investment Advisors, SCF Securities, and Independent Financial Group, and has operated VanDenburg Financial and Insurance Services since 2004. Outside of advising, he serves as a director of the H&R Peters Family Foundation and is an author with book sales since 2014. VanDenburg Capital Management provides discretionary investment management and financial analysis to individuals, trusts, and high-net-worth clients, focusing on business owners, executives transitioning to retirement, and families of emerging wealth. The firm uses proprietary model portfolios and offers services including alternative investments and management of assets held away, with a notable integration of insurance services alongside investment management.

Michael Babbin is a CFP® professional with 26 years of experience in financial advising. He is the principal at Western Reserve Wealth Management LLC, where he has worked since 2021. Prior to that, he spent a decade with LPL Financial LLC and Redwood Financial Network. He is also a licensed insurance agent. Western Reserve Wealth Management provides discretionary portfolio management, financial planning, and pension consulting services to individuals, including high-net-worth clients, as well as pension and profit-sharing plans and business entities. The firm manages approximately $35 million across about 30 client relationships, employing asset-allocation-based ETF strategies and combining fundamental, quantitative, and technical analysis with modern portfolio theory.

Ralph Smith is a financial advisor with Nautical Star Financial Group LLC, holding a Series 63 designation and 19 years of industry experience. He has been with Smith Capital Management since 2014. In addition to his advisory role, Smith offers term and permanent life insurance policies as part of a separate insurance business. Nautical Star Financial Group provides investment advisory and portfolio management services primarily to individual and high-net-worth clients. The firm manages approximately $38.5 million across a small client base and operates with a three-advisor team.