Retirement

Meet Modern Wealth Management

By Chris Duderstadt

April 27, 2023

Meet Modern Wealth Management


Key Points – Meet Modern Wealth Management

  • Why “Modern Wealth Management?”
  • What’s New? What Isn’t?
  • Where Are We Going from Here?
  • 10 Minutes to Read | 23 Minutes to Watch

Meet Modern Wealth Management

In case you missed it earlier this week, we had some very exciting news to share! Barber Financial Group and Osiwala Financial Group are now Modern Wealth Management. This is a big announcement that the Modern Wealth Management team is excited about, but we also know that there might be some questions that you have about it.

Modern Wealth Management President and Co-Founder Jason Gordo joined Modern Wealth Management Managing Directors Dean Barber and Bud Kasper on America’s Wealth Management Show to help answer those questions. They’ll explain what Modern Wealth Management is, our firm’s vision, what you can expect, and more. We can’t wait to share more exciting news about Modern Wealth Management in the coming weeks. Our team welcomes the opportunity to meet with you to further explain how Modern Wealth Management’s financial planning services can help you get to and through retirement.

Meet Modern Wealth Management Co-Founders Jason Gordo, Mike Capelle, and Gary Roth

So, how did the idea for Modern Wealth Management come about and how was that idea executed so that Barber Financial Group and Osiwala Financial Group become Modern Wealth Management? We’re going to let Jason take the charge with answering that question. But to help set the table for answering that question, we’re going to share a little bit about Jason and how he got to know fellow Modern Wealth co-founders Mike Capelle and Gary Roth.

Discovering What Comprehensive Financial Planning Looks Like

Jason started entered the financial services industry in 2000 with a big Wall Street firm. At the time, Wall Street was going through an evolution from stock picking to managing money in separately managed accounts. The thing that eventually stuck out to Jason was that he and many others that were in his position were taught just enough financial planning to get a prospective client to want to do business with them.

“We would put the money in this account and charge 3% to manage the money. But it wasn’t really financial planning. It was just enough to get someone to say they wanted to do business with you. It was nothing compared to what the teams at Barber Financial Group and Osiwala Financial Group were doing with their teams of CFP® Professionals.” – Jason Gordo

Beware of “Fake Financial Plans”

The more Jason realized what comprehensive financial planning was all about, the more he wanted to offer the experience of it to as many people as possible. That led Jason to starting an independent advisory firm in 2008. It was an independent RIA that consisted of a team of CFP® Professionals and other financial services professionals. His clients really started to grasp the idea behind financial planning and that “it isn’t just a trick that a lot of advisors use to get you to invest money with them,” as Jason likes to say.

Unfortunately, Jason, Dean, and Bud have seen far too many people fall for that trick over the course of their respective careers. People are building what they refer to as “fake financial plans,” which is why Jason, Dean, and Bud are as passionate as they are about comprehensive financial planning.

“A lot of advisors think that a yellow pad, pen, calculator, and performance report is a financial plan. That’s not a financial plan. That’s an investment review meeting.” – Jason Gordo

Spreading the Good News About Financial Education

As Jason built that independent IRA in the late 2000s, Jason felt that the average American deserved access to good financial education. He was doing a lot of business with clients who were just like the clients with Barber Financial Group.

They were moms and dads, neighbors next door, and just hard-working people that had done well. They were farmers. He was in the Central Valley of California, so there were a lot of people in the agricultural equipment and services industry. The owners of those businesses that I was doing business with asked if Jason’s independent RIA could do 401(k) work for their employees. So, Jason and one of his business partners built an online financial planning suite.

“That’s really what started my tech company were these 401(k) participants that were devastated about market returns. Nobody was willing to help them because they were too small of a client to be helped. That’s what led to the development of our online tool. Ultimately, I was introducing my technology to folks while running my RIA and I met Mike Capelle and Gary Roth. So, I sold my investment management firm and technology firm to the business they worked for. Over the past decade, the three of us have really worked well together.” – Jason Gordo

The Formation of Modern Wealth Management

The trio of Gary, Mike, and Jason built that company out with a team of other executives and CEO. They ended up selling that business in 2019 and retired. However, they still stayed in touch with each other in retirement and realized how much trust they had in one another. They decided that they wanted to build something together, and that something culminated into Modern Wealth Management.

A lot of work has gone into getting Modern Wealth Management off the ground and running. And there is still much, much more work to be done. Once Mike, Jason, and Gary formed a vision for Modern Wealth Management, they knew they needed to find a platform firm that aligned with their financial planning ideals. Enter Barber Financial Group.

“Jason and I had a conversation about the firm he wanted to build and what he wanted to do for people across the country. He had known Bud and I for years because we had been in the same industry and ran in the same circles. Jason realized that we had already built a regional firm that does what we want to do on a national scale. So, he suggested that we partner up and work together.” – Dean Barber

A Mutual Understand of the Importance of Comprehensive Financial Planning

The more that Jason, Gary, and Mike talked with Dean, Bud, and Ken Osiwala—who was the founder and CEO of Osiwala Financial Group and now serves as Modern Wealth Managing Director—the more they all noticed that they could do something special. Jason admired how Dean, Bud, and Ken all used financial planning as a centerpiece of the relationship with their clients.

“One of the things that Dean and I recognized was that we needed to be as comprehensive on all formats of financial planning as possible. We needed to get all the right professionals in all the right seats and get them coordinated with each other. It’s really been a blessing for our business and for our clients as well.” – Bud Kasper

Just like Bud, Dean has always had the desire to help as many people as possible. Dean knew that he was only one man and that he needed a team to do that. Modern Wealth Management is giving Dean the opportunity to help even more people.

“With the formation of Modern Wealth Management and executive expertise that Jason, Mike, and Gary bring to the table, the objective is to bring real financial planning and the experience of having a CFP® Professional, CPAs, estate planning professionals, etc. working in conjunction with one another for other advisors’ clients as they choose to join Modern Wealth Management. We want to enhance what we’ve built through other connections and expertise that we’re already bringing to the table.” – Dean Barber

Modern Wealth Management’s Mission

When people have met Dean, Bud, Ken, and our other CFP® Professionals for the first time, they’ve probably noticed that they don’t jump right into wanting to know all about their financials. They first want to know about who you are and your goals. The financial planning approach that Barber Financial Group has used with the Guided Retirement System matches what Jason, Gary, and Mike had in mind for Modern Wealth Management. Here’s what you can expect to happen when you meet our Modern Wealth Management team.

“Our job as a firm is to understand what clients want their lives to look and be like. What are all the things you want to happen in your life? A lot of prospective clients first think that financial advisors are talking about financial goals and objectives. That’s not what we’re talking about. We’re asking how you want the path of your financial future to look. How do you want it to play out? Is it spending time with loved ones? Is it taking the trip that you’ve always wanted to go on? Those are the conversations we want to get in to?” – Jason Gordo

Confidence, Freedom, and Time

Our mission at Modern Wealth Management revolves around confidence, freedom, and time. We want to give you the confidence that you’re doing the right things with your money. We want to give you freedom from financial stress. And we want to spend time doing the things that you love.

We keep that mission in mind as we’re building financial plans. Then, we look at the investment management platform to make sure that we’re matching the best investment choices given your customized plan. The investments are powering your plan to be successful. Think of investments as a power generator to move you through life. We want to relieve you from financial stress and move forward with confidence as we’re guiding you through that process.

And again, retirement should be spent doing the things that you love. How can a financial services firm help you do that? Well, when you free yourself up of stress, you’re confidently moving through life and knowing that money is going to be there by having good financial management and strategies around you. At Modern Wealth, you have a team that’s thinking about all those things that are important—taxes, estate, investments, risk management—and how that comes together in building a financial plan.

You’re Much More Than a Number at Modern Wealth Management

Dean believes that one thing that happens with firms that don’t put their clients’ interests first and practice comprehensive financial planning is that clients just become a number. Modern Wealth Management has been designed with professionals that focus on those four important financial planning pillars we just mentioned so that you don’t just become a number. We’re committed to ensuring that your financial plan is personalized in a way so that you can achieve your goals.

“We are specific to the needs and targets that you have for yourself. Our job is to validate that what you’re doing is right and make the necessary suggestions so you can optimize your result. We carry through with that so that you can live the life that you’ve wanted to live.” – Bud Kasper

What’s in a Name?

We also want to shed some light on why the firm was named Modern Wealth Management. Simply put, it’s our goal to think and help you with your finances in a modern way. That goes back to what Jason was talking about from the beginning of his career where it was all about the investments versus what Modern Wealth Management was founded upon with comprehensive financial planning.

“The reality of it is what you shouldn’t even be discussing investments until your CFP® Professional and CPA have built your financial plan. They first need to have clarity in what you want to do. That way they can set that path so you can have the freedom to do what you want with the people you want.” – Dean Barber

Bud has another way of helping you understand what Modern Wealth Management is about. He wants you to think of a financial plan as a car.

“The investments are the fuel for the car, but you need to build the car first and make sure it’s on the right road.” – Bud Kasper

Speaking of investments, people need to understand that the investment world is becoming more and more complex. They’re constantly being impacted by everything that goes on in the economy, interest rates, and the political environment. Therefore, it’s critical for the CFP® Professionals to have the back up a team of professionals that are looking at investments and how they react in certain economic conditions. Then, they work together to help deploy that to each client.

Stay Tuned for More Exciting News from Modern Wealth Management

That brings us to some more exciting news about the composition of Modern Wealth Management. We can share some of that with you now, but make sure to stay tuned to get all the details in the next few weeks. Let’s hear what Jason has to say about the investment advisory team that we’re building.

“Dean and Bud both know all about investments. But they need to spend their time working with clients and understanding what they want life to look like and be like. They need to make sure their clients have the resources to live that life and understand what the future holds for them. They need to understand their gifting strategies and how much income they need in retirement. If they’re in meetings all day doing that work, how can they know what’s going on in the markets every second of the day?” – Jason Gordo

What You Can Expect from the Investment Management Team

Jason, Gary, and Mike know from experience what can happen by bringing on a team of investment management professionals to aid the financial advice that the CFP® Professionals deliver.

The goal is for that team to build investment models, deploy capital, and understand how sensitive those models might be to the mood swings of the market. Those investment management professionals will be geared to closely monitor the machinery of those individual underlying investments. That’s their sole obligation to the client is to understand how these underlying investments work together.

It’s kind of like a symphony. This is the conductor of the symphony. There may be an amazing play on stage, but then there’s the symphony down below in the pit. The conductor is making sure the flutes, horns, strings, etc. play when they’re supposed to while you’re watching this beautiful play above.

“That’s how our investment management team will be built and designed. You’ll have access to them and can see them. You can hear from them and talk to them. They’re there to make sure that the work that Dean, Ken, Bud, and all the teams of advisors have time to focus on your plan. The deployment of assets that is backed by the investment management team. Our director of investments is an exceptional guy. He’s someone that I’ve had a decade of experience with. You’ll be very impressed when you meet Modern Wealth Management’s director of investments.” – Jason Gordo

Start Building Your Financial Plan to See What the Modern Wealth Management Experience Is All About

When you have a team of CFP® Professionals, CPAs, estate specialists, insurance specialists, and now our investment management team working together on your behalf, it’s truly magical to see what happens. It’s time for you to meet our Modern Wealth Management team and see what comprehensive financial planning can do for you.

To learn more about how Modern Wealth Management can bring you confidence, financial freedom, and time to do the things you want to do in retirement, schedule a meeting with one of our CFP® Professionals. You can schedule a 20-minute “ask anything” session or complimentary consultation by clicking here.

Modern Wealth Management’s Industry-Leading Financial Planning Tool

You can also begin to see what comprehensive financial planning looks like for you by using our industry-leading financial planning tool at no cost or obligation. This is the same tool that our CFP® Professionals use. We’re giving you the opportunity to access it from the comfort of your own home by clicking the “Start Planning” button below.

Meet Modern Wealth Management

START PLANNING

We can meet with you in person, virtually, or by phone. Whatever form of communication works best for you will work for us. If you have questions before meeting with our Modern Wealth Management team, just let us know. We’re happy to address them.

“II’m super excited about our future as Modern Wealth. I’m super excited for what we can do for existing clients and new clients that want to hire us. The future is bright for Modern Wealth Management.” – Dean Barber


Meet Modern Wealth Management | Watch Guide

Introduction: 00:00
Meet Jason Gordo: 01:23
Creating Modern Wealth Management: 04:31
Why Modern Wealth Management?: 08:50
What Is Modern Wealth Management? 13:22
Our Team: 15:14
Our Service Goal: 19:12
Conclusion: 22:17

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Other America’s Wealth Management Show Episodes


Investment advisory services offered through Modern Wealth Management, LLC, an SEC Registered Investment Adviser.

The views expressed represent the opinion of Modern Wealth Management, LLC, an SEC Registered Investment Adviser. Information provided is for illustrative purposes only and does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice. Modern Wealth Management, LLC does not accept any liability for the use of the information discussed. Consult with a qualified financial, legal, or tax professional prior to taking any action.