Why we launched FinanceHQ

People are looking for better financial guidance. Against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, rising inflation, and a financial market cluttered with complex or opaque products, personal financial management can be stressful and challenging. More than 60% of Americans say their financial planning needs improvement, yet only a third seek the help of a financial advisor.¹ This anxiety is felt across the income spectrum, with 56% of millionaires reporting concerns about depleting their savings as they advance in age.²

Concurrently, there are hundreds of thousands of financial experts — specifically fiduciaries — who are eager to help but struggle to connect with individuals who could benefit the most from their expertise. Fiduciaries have a legal and ethical imperative to provide prudent financial advice, assist with wealth maximization, and help individuals plan for specific circumstances such as preparing a will, building a budget, or planning for retirement. In a crowded market, it’s difficult for a reputable professional to stand out. For established practitioners, word-of-mouth referrals may slow or diminish, and cultivating COI relationships takes precious time. In addition, new professionals working to establish an initial client base and firms looking to expand their existing practice need better support.

As the Head of Strategy & Operations for Advisors at Betterment, one of the earliest digital investment platforms, I witnessed firsthand both sides of this problem: individuals desperately looking to maximize their wealth and advisors who were all too eager to help yet struggling to connect with the right prospective clients. It became increasingly clear that a bold hyper-personalized solution was needed in the market, which is why I’m thrilled to introduce FinanceHQ.

FinanceHQ is a platform that connects individuals with trusted financial advisors and resources for a better financial future. I co-founded FinanceHQ with a team of industry veterans, including Amanda Cox, within Wilbur Labs. Wilbur Labs is a startup studio with a strong track record of building companies that solve big customer pain points. They have disrupted the status quo and built better solutions across other industries including insurance, employment, travel, pet care, and many others. 

At FinanceHQ, we seek to solve three problems:

• Our team has decades of experience working with individual investors and advisors. As an SEC-registered fiduciary, we always act in our client’s best interest.

• FinanceHQ helps cut through the overwhelming complexity of the financial industry to find trusted services and resources. All advisors in our network are fiduciaries and are rigorously vetted by the FinanceHQ team so individuals can feel confident in the advice and guidance they receive.

• We use custom-built technology to develop a holistic understanding of individual intent. This allows us to reach potential advisory clients of any age, demographic, or location, with a unique understanding of their current life stage and financial situation.

• As a financial headquarters, we are uniquely equipped to provide individuals with comprehensive support to shape their financial future, including introductions to expert advisors, resources, and tools while continually evaluating and onboarding new solutions to the platform.

• We provide a tailored experience — one that allows individuals to match with advisors who have deep institutional knowledge and experience in the exact fields and life situations that they’re looking for guidance on.

• We offer customized business solutions that address the advisor’s goals and seamlessly integrate with their existing workflows (direct integrations, call assistance, engagement campaigns, etc.) and specific client base.

While FinanceHQ is still in its beginning stages, we are already making an impact. Over the last several months, while in stealth mode, we have matched hundreds of millions in investable assets with trusted fiduciaries and served individuals across all age and income ranges — from those under 35 with less than $50,000 in annual income to retirees with millions in savings. This early traction demonstrates the importance of creating a dedicated platform where individuals can meaningfully connect with advisors and vice versa.

Looking ahead, the FinanceHQ team will continue to add trusted partners and resources from various financial service sectors and expand on the existing suite of tools and technology to reduce friction and complexity for individuals and advisors. Most importantly, we will aim to further our mission to empower individuals to help better shape their financial future.

Read the full announcement here.

1. “The Majority of Americans Say Their Financial Planning Needs Improvement, But Only a Third Seek Professional Help.” Northwestern Mutual, July 27, 2022.
2. “America’s Millionaires Are Suddenly Feeling Poor.” Wall Street Journal, December 9, 2022.