Have you ever thought about your finances like an endowment?
Endowments are the pinnacle of investing because they follow a disciplined, long-term framework: clear goals, structured planning, and intentional decision-making.
Most people haven’t thought about their finances as endowments—and their advisors haven’t encouraged them to. Their plans are usually fine, but they aren’t built with the long-term discipline your family deserves.My role is to help clients move from the typical approach to a strategy that supports present needs and generational goals.
I work with families who value depth and comprehension in both planning and investing.
• Resilient across market cycles
• Risk-aware and intentional
• Grounded in your goals
Planning Services
As a CFP® practitioner, I begin with a comprehensive planning process as the foundation of our work together.
Whether it’s a one-time engagement or an ongoing relationship, the approach is the same: thorough analysis, disciplined planning, and guidance that helps you make informed decisions.
When you move from a typical “retirement plan” to a “family endowment” mindset, this is the level of guidance you want for the years ahead. Present- and future-focused, steady, and thoughtful—designed to support major financial decisions.
Investment Management
Investing shouldn’t be driven by attention-grabbing headlines or Vegas-like predictions. Family endowment investing requires discipline, a defined framework, and decisions anchored to long-term objectives.
As a CIMA® professional, I apply fundamental investment principles to every portfolio I manage—focused on risk awareness, consistent process, and alignment with your goals. Every decision is grounded in fundamentals and discipline, not speculation or market noise.
Most portfolios begin with a core discretionary strategy built for risk-adjusted outcomes and long-term planning. From there, we may incorporate satellite allocations including alternative or market-linked investments to help manage risk and broaden the range of potential outcomes.
This approach is goal-oriented and not focused on beating the market in the short term. It’s built to help you move confidently through full market cycles and major life transitions.
A Different Client Experience
- Planning comes before investing. We begin with your goals and a thorough understanding of your financial picture. No generic risk questionnaire.
- Investment recommendations come only after the planning work is complete and we’ve confirmed the right fit to work together.
- Once we’ve established your plan and investment strategy, we adapt and refine it as your life evolves and the world changes around us. Together, this builds an endowment-level mindset for managing your family’s wealth through shifting markets and across generations.
Specialized Services
Some financial decisions carry more weight, especially when business ownership, equity compensation, or major life transitions are involved. For clients with added complexity, I provide specialized guidance alongside comprehensive planning and investment management.
Common areas of focus include:
• Executive compensation strategy and optimization
• Business succession planning and liquidity event guidance
• Risk mitigation strategies including key person coverage
• Exit planning for entrepreneurs and family business owners
I have the experience and resources to help you navigate these and other important financial decisions as your life and wealth evolve.
About Brian Whatley
My practice is built around what I value for clients and what I see missing most: comprehensive planning, disciplined investment strategy, and clear, ongoing direction delivered personally and with precision.
A simple (yet rarely implemented) idea guides my work: treating family finances with the same discipline and intention that great institutions bring to their endowments.
That means clear planning, a long-term mindset, and guidance that connects the plan and the portfolio at every step.
As a CFP® and CIMA® practitioner, I have the education, experience, and knowledge to guide both pillars of your family’s financial strategy: planning and investing.
Brian S. Whatley, CIMA, CEPA, CFP
Senior Financial Advisor
First Vice President - Investment Officer
PIM Portfolio Manager
