I grew up in foster care. I wrote about that beginning—and the person I had to work to become—in my memoir, Ruthless.

In my younger years, I pursued excellence on the ice. Then I enlisted in the U.S. Navy. I served as company commander, graduated with honors, and had the second-fastest mile time in my division. I went on to train to become a SEAL. A physical issue ended that path. It wasn’t a matter of ringing a bell.

I know what it means to sacrifice for something most people will never see. I also know what it feels like when the outcome is not the one you worked for. Later, as a trial lawyer, I spent the better part of a decade in court. My probate work brought me close to families navigating an emotional, expensive process after planning had been neglected or had failed them.

That experience brought me here. My work now is about helping people plan for the family, responsibilities, and assets behind their success—with the goal of keeping hard-earned wealth in the family for generations.