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My Why

In August 2015, my life changed.

I spent 17 years fully committed to being a professional musician. Many see music as a risky career, assuming financial struggle is inevitable. I never believed that. After earning a Master’s in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas, I built a career playing with top artists, recording albums, and making a living as a performer—a goal I was proud to achieve.

My financial awareness came from my parents. My mom, who grew up poor, taught me to save. My dad’s business failure and our family’s bankruptcy in the late ‘80s showed me how to take risks and recover from setbacks. But in the summer of 2015, I returned from a tour to my $300-a-month rental in Dallas with just $67 in my bank account. I felt lost and exposed.

I told myself,

“I never want to feel this way again. And no other music professional should either.”

That moment forced me to change. I started studying personal finance. I read books, listened to podcasts, and applied what I learned. I focused on building assets and became more selective with gigs. Within two years, I increased my income, began saving for retirement, and bought my first property.

I saw how clarity around money creates freedom. The ability to choose your work instead of chasing it.

I began teaching financial literacy to musicians. Over time, I earned my CFP® designation and launched Motif Planning.

As the firm grew, so did my focus.

I realized the people who most consistently needed deep, ongoing planning were high-earning executives and creative professionals with complex compensation, equity, tax exposure, and big life decisions. They did not need basic budgeting tips. They needed holistic financial life planning.

Today, I primarily work with executives and creative professionals who want to build wealth intentionally and align their money with their values.

And I still support musicians. I offer pro bono planning sessions and financial education to artists facing hardship or navigating unstable income. That part of my story never goes away.

My mission remains simple: help ambitious people make smart financial decisions so they can build stability, create freedom, and focus on the work that matters most to them.

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