Emi Gjini

At Wysopal Wealth, we specialize in helping high-income professionals and former athletes manage the complexities of equity compensation and variable income. Our goal is to make sure your money works for you—today and for the future. We focus on creating personalized, values-driven financial plans that allow you to live fully now while planning for what’s next. I’m Brett Wysopal, a proud girl dad of two and a former minor pro hockey player. My experience in sports taught me discipline, focus, and resilience, all of which I apply to financial planning. After spending years navigating the world of equity compensation, I’ve made it my mission to help families simplify their finances, reduce tax burdens, and achieve their life goals. Our approach at Wysopal Wealth is rooted in personalized attention. We keep our client list small, ensuring every client receives the time and care they deserve. We dive deep into your financial situation, understanding your numbers, values, and what matters most to you. This allows us to tailor your financial strategy to your unique goals, whether that’s managing your equity, preparing for retirement, or planning a family legacy. Equity compensation is often the largest part of our clients' wealth, but it comes with complexities—ISOs, RSUs, stock options, and significant tax implications. Many people wait too long to make decisions about their equity, resulting in missed opportunities or unexpected tax bills. At Wysopal Wealth, we take a proactive approach, creating a strategy for when and how to execute your equity plans, minimize tax liability, and diversify your holdings. At Wysopal Wealth, financial happiness is the goal. We believe that money should support the life you want, and we’re here to help you make that happen.

Holistic financial planning for creatives, freelancers, small business owners, and independent thinkers. Indie Financial Planning is a woman-run, fee only financial planning firm with a background in arts and entertainment. We are licensed in Illinois and California. Before becoming a CFP® Professional, I spent over 20 years working in the independent music industry. I have a unique awareness of the challenges facing artists, creatives, or anyone looking to build a career or business not tied to a traditional 9-5 position. IFP caters to self-employed entrepreneurs or anyone looking to plan for a future on their own terms. I founded IFP as an alternative to a financial industry widely viewed as only serving the very wealthy. There are no investment minimums to work with IFP. We are an independent resource ready to partner with you when you are ready to take control of your financial life. Whatever your planning needs – from investments to budgeting – IFP will consider the many moving parts of your situation and work with you to build a plan based on trust. We focus on holistic planning and helping to educate you, so you are better positioned to achieve your goals. We treat planning as a partnership. We provide you with the tools and knowledge to take control of your finances. We offer advice and expertise to answer your questions and pursue your goals. Investment management and ongoing planning allows us to create a roadmap with clients and travel that path with them adjusting to changes along the way. After graduating from Pomona College with degrees in Economics and French, I moved from California to Boston for a change of scenery. There, I began working in a record store and eventually moved into sales and distribution for a small independent record label. I continued working in independent music when I moved to Chicago including 16 years as Head of Sales and Distribution for Touch and Go Records. When I left the music industry in 2009, I saw an opportunity to offer financial planning and investment advice to the many talented and creative folks in my circle of friends and others like them. Outside of work, I have a soft spot for animals including my 2 cats and 2 dogs all rescued from Chicago area rescues. The dogs arrived at the house as 2-week-old puppies along with their mama dog and 7 siblings during the 2020 Covid pandemic. If the pets give me the I still enjoy seeing live music and enjoy the many venues around Chicago.

The Work Stuff– My name is Ben Smith, and I am the Founder of Cove Financial Planning, a Certified B Corporation focused on comprehensive financial planning and Socially Responsible Investing. I believe that everyone, regardless of age, occupation, net worth, and investment experience, deserves a customized financial plan and the peace of mind that comes with it. Before starting Cove, I worked for several investment companies, and saw just how boring, complex and off-putting investing can be for many people. Traditional advisors also have a reputation for specifically catering to high-net-worth individuals with a singular focus on account size. My mission is to provide access to high-quality advice to a broader range of people who want to take control of their financial lives (and maybe have some fun in the process!) I also passionately believe in helping people blend Socially Responsible Investing into their long-term financial plans. I’m here to prove that you can Do Well While Doing Good! The Fun Stuff– I’m originally from Minneapolis and have since lived in Chicago and Milwaukee. My wife Kotryna works in investment banking, and while we aren’t at the office, you can find us hanging with our newborn daughter Frances (Francie) or debating nerdy investment topics over a home-cooked meal and a glass of wine. We are big believers in learning new things and staying active. Currently, she’s teaching me how to salsa dance (not going well) and speak Lithuanian (where she’s from), while we both sharpen our tennis skills. We’re proud owners of Apple Watches for the sole purpose of beating each other’s daily fitness activity (feel free to join the competition!) We also travel as often as we can, and we’re always looking for suggestions on places to check out in Europe when visiting her family. Above all else, we both believe that life is about balance. I hope that I can help you find your balance with money, and maybe make the world a little better place in the process. Visit www.coveplanning.com to learn more and get in touch!

Brett founded Impact Financial after spending nearly a decade working at some of the largest Registered Investment Advisory firms in the country. Brett held a variety of investment, tax, financial planning and business consulting roles, which contributes to his comprehensive approach that he maintains today. During this time, Brett saw that there was a need for services tailored to each individual/family, considering businesses/private assets and tax complexities as well as opportunity to add more meaning to investments through impact investing (aligning investments with values). Brett founded Impact Financial to offer this comprehensive approach and to help people make the impact they want, not only once they’ve accumulated savings, but before and while accumulating assets as well. Brett earned an undergraduate and master’s degree in personal financial planning from University of Illinois and Texas Tech University, respectively. After graduation, Brett earned his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM (CFP®) designation and his Certified Exit Planning Advisor designation (CEPA). In his free time, Brett loves to catch a Cubs game or great concert. Brett and his wife, Jenny, also love being outdoors on a bike ride, a run or trying to learn to sail. Brett and Jenny currently split their time between Boston and Chicago.

Colin founded Mindful Money Financial Counsel in 2010 and has over 18 years of experience talking with people about money. Prior to founding the company, he worked at Fidelity Investments for 10 years in a variety of positions: service and trading representative, retirement investment specialist, investment representative, financial planning consultant, and Vice President Senior Account Executive. He received an MBA with a finance concentration from Xavier University and a bachelor's degree in Business Management from Ohio University. Colin is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, and a Registered Investment Adviser. He specializes in providing holistic financial planning and investment advice to Chicagoland individuals and couples in their 30’s and 40’s. Colin is an early riser, an Eagle Scout, and eager to lend a hand. He was born in Dayton, Ohio and lived in Waldorf, Maryland and Cincinnati, Ohio before moving to Chicago in 2003.

We guide First Gen Wealth Builders to align money with purpose. When you’re a First Gen, the financial safety net didn’t exist. You built your own. We partner with individuals, families, and entrepreneurs who’ve built success from the ground up. Does this sound like you? You’re ready for guidance that feels aligned, not intimidating. Advice that honors where you came from and helps you build what’s next. Hiring a financial planner? That’s new territory. No one in your family has done this before. Success has evolved. The questions are bigger now — more strategic, more intentional. -How do I balance saving and investing for my family with still having the freedom to travel, be present and enjoy life? -How do we protect what we’ve built, legally, financially, and emotionally, in a system that wasn’t built for us? -How do I make smarter decisions around taxes, equity comp, and investments, without second-guessing every move? Enter FirstGen Wealth: A Financial Life Planning Practice - Independent - Fee-Only (one flat fee for financial planning and Investment Management) -Fiduciary 100% of the time - Virtual - Based in Chicago and work with clients nationwide (most clients are in CA, NY, NJ, WA, VA, GA, and TX) Meet Valerie Rivera, CFP®, Founder & Financial Planner: -CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with nearly 20 years of experience advising clients with $10–$20 million portfolios. Now using that same expertise to empower First Gen Wealth Builders. -Wife, mother, homeowner, and business owner bringing real-world perspective to every financial plan. - A proud First Gen who built her own financial safety net and reached Coast FI by 40. Passionate about tax planning, travel, and helping others design lives of freedom and purpose. Her six-year-old has already visited more than 15 countries, and I’m always planning the next four. -Culturally competent, inclusive, and a proud LGBTQ+ ally committed to financial equity and social justice.