Our Story

I don’t believe that history repeats itself, but I’m sure that it rhymes. I don’t know whether humanity once traveled the open road in cars or soared through the sky in rocket-propelled aircraft and spacecraft on other planets. I don’t know how many people have walked the earth before us or what life was like in long-gone civilizations. Today, life carries this heavy feeling that we’re in a time of enormous change, and the rules of the world that follow won’t be the same as what we’re used to. As someone born in the 1990s, I think I share a sentiment with many of my peers: the world we were born into no longer exists. Many of the rules of the game—regarding education, economics, social life, the job market, and the path to wealth—seem more complicated and confusing than what we were taught.

At the same time, older generations, specifically the Baby Boomers, symbolize uncharted economic territory where the sheer size of their population will serve as the most significant stress test for governments, institutions worldwide, and the global financial system for years to come as they enter retirement. Meanwhile, a national debt and, more urgently, a cost-of-living crisis cast long shadows over the prospects of certainty, stability, and prosperity for everyone. In an era of doubt, confusion, and information overload, the need for guidance and cooperation becomes clear. Amid the winds of change, a sense of unwavering stability was ready to emerge. A vision of a company— a society of top professionals combining their expertise, diligence, and drive to become a beacon of clarity for today’s world— was born. That is the inspiration behind Common Cents Group Inc.

When I first started working for a wealth management and insurance brokerage on Wall St. in 2016, I was excited to learn and share the rules of money from an insider’s perspective, and of course, to become wealthy doing it. Many different types of people walked through the doors of my first office. From professional athletes to aerospace engineers, international business tycoons, small-town police chiefs, and elementary school teachers, I felt challenged and inspired to understand what made each of them tick. What were their concerns? What kept them awake at night? And what motivated them to push through their days and keep this freight train of civilization moving forward? My quest for knowledge soon outgrew the walls of that corporate office and led me on a solo journey to immerse myself in others' worlds. The next few years were tough on my finances and sleep schedule. Many faces came and went, and through much trial and error, I felt I had finally found the formula for success—both for myself and for my early client base. Life finally started to make sense. Then 2020 came along.

I had heard horror stories about the 2008 global financial crisis from my early days in the industry. My peers and I always considered the possibility that the next downturn could be just around the corner. After all, these events tend to happen in cycles. Little did I know that what was coming would fundamentally shake my understanding of how money works to the core, to the point that I would say I lost my faith in economics. I saw small businesses I had grown up with go under, while large corporations seemed exempt from COVID rules and the repercussions of the lockdowns. How was it that everyone was stuck at home, yet the stock market boomed? How did the Fed end up printing nearly $16 trillion, and why didn’t we turn into Venezuela, Zimbabwe, or Weimar Germany? Not to say we aren’t seeing significant consequences from that, but the core belief was that the show must go on; if things ever stopped, our way of life would end. It froze for about two years, and we’re still here. The new fundamental questions became: “What really is money, and how does it work?” and “What is the true meaning, reward, and purpose of labor?” Clearly, the old-school advice and shibboleths of investing and finance were out the window. I nearly lost my business while trying to retool for the digital world and develop a new philosophy for it simultaneously. Throughout all this, I held onto the vision of a financial wellness clinic where anyone could walk in or be invited in to address an issue or get a checkup on their financial health. A few more years in the trenches would finally provide an answer.

Today, Common Cents Group Inc. is a dream team of over 75 professionals from fields such as tax planning, law, wealth management, insurance, and business consulting who collaborate to serve our clients and build an ecosystem that considers all aspects of financial life. I recognize that the U.S. isn’t the leading soccer nation. Still, I like to see us as an all-star team—your proactive planning team at the forefront (me as your #9), supported by a midfield, defense, and goalkeeper in the form of our extended virtual family office. If that metaphor was lost on you, think of it this way: I—or whichever professional you connected with at our firm—acts as your primary contact, guiding you from beginning to end. At the same time, our team handles the complexity and ensures we cross the finish line. This approach helps ease any uncertainty about your finances, so you can focus on what matters most. We learned from 2008 and 2020 that money isn’t everything; in fact, it makes little sense to view it as such. It’s just one part of life that needs to be managed to keep everything else running smoothly. And it’s clear that the old approach—crossing your fingers and hoping your 401(k) won’t crash, or that the world won’t turn upside down when you need your money most—is no longer practical. We aim to move you out of the financial guessing game of musical chairs. No more hoping you’re not the one left standing when the music stops. Welcome to Common Cents Group Inc., where dollars make sense.