Mike Ross

I began in the financial advice business in June of 1987.  That’s right, 4 months before the Crash of 1987.  This informed my philosophy that if you manage the risk, the returns will take care of themselves.  I was 27 at the time and had just finished my short career as an Air Force flight crew member (a navigator.) after having graduated from the United States Air Force Academy.  I still feel like those Air Force years created in me habits that remain to this day.

In 1997 I began managing stock portfolios for a management fee instead of charging commissions.  (Note: I still have my first client for whom I was a portfolio manager.)  We have learned many things over the years about how to do this and keep people invested during tough times. To this day we are adopting new approaches based on new tools we acquire.

In the 2000s I was involved in starting two non-profits for the sole purpose of improving mine and my peer’s portfolio management skill sets.  Over the years I have sat on multiple non-profit boards as well.  These group activities have also formed my attitude about the benefits of collaboration.  With many clients, investment management is a collaborative journey.

It was in the 2010s that I moved to San Jose and became engaged with the high tech culture of the area. This also helped me understand more about applying technology as well as business creativity and working with another type of client—the IT worker in an expensive real estate market.  I also went through more intense education on taxes, which is another area I can provide input to clients and collaborate with their tax experts.  This helps with real estate and business investments.

In the 2020s I went independent.  While our day-to-day activities have really not changes much, this move has given us the flexibility to consult and provide clients with a wider variety of problem-solving. It also allowed me to charge clients flat fees instead of asset-based fees, allowing me to look at their problems even more objectively.