Leading with Purpose and Passion at NAPFA

Bryan Wisda, CFP^® of Almega Wealth Management

As a dedicated financial planner and active NAPFA volunteer, Bryan Wisda, CFP^® understands the power of mission and connection. Bryan serves as the Membership Chair for the Western Board of Directors, where he manages and strengthens the NAPFA community, recruiting new members and ensuring people have opportunities to engage, collaborate, and grow.

Recently, Bryan led a Sunset Jeep Tour and CE event for the NAPFA Western Region, an exciting initiative that coincided with the NAPFA Spring National Conference in Phoenix. It was a fun opportunity for NAPFA members to combine adventure, community, and education while deepening connections with fellow advisors outside the traditional conference setting.

A Pivotal Career Moment

Bryan’s career in financial planning began on September 10, 2001, his first day at PaineWebber (now UBS). His job was simple: cold-calling potential clients with a research report about Pepsi stock. However, the events of the next day changed everything. “On September 12, nobody wanted to talk about Pepsi,” he recalls. “Instead, people were concerned how 9/11 would impact their retirement and financial futures. It was clear that people didn’t need someone to sell them stocks—they needed a trusted guide.”

In 2007, Bryan left PaineWebber to join a Fee-Only firm. He wanted to separate his clients’ best interests from the company’s sales-driven goals. “Clients could tell the difference,” he says. “Once they understood I wasn’t motivated by commissions, they listened more.” It was shortly after joining a Fee-Only firm that he joined NAPFA. After a brief sabbatical to fulfill a childhood dream of working as a law enforcement officer, Bryan returned to financial planning in 2021 after being injured in an on-duty shooting, and rejoined NAPFA. “I believe in the Fee-Only fiduciary model and mission to my core,” he affirms.

Bold Leadership and Strategic Planning

Today, Bryan primarily works with family stewards, guiding them with a leadership-driven approach. “Leadership means enrolling others into a bigger vision of what is possible and then serving as an accountability partner to help make that vision a reality,” he explains. In his role, Bryan focuses on proactive financial planning, including tax strategy, an area where technology plays a key part in his work. His go-to tools include Advyzon, which integrates CRM, portfolio management, trading, client portals, and more into one platform. Tools like Holistiplan, a software used for tax planning, used alongside RightCapital, help him provide highly proactive tax planning advice for clients.

Bryan’s firm recently acquired an accounting and tax practice, and the integration has been a game changer. “The growth we’ve seen in just a few months has been nothing short of amazing,” he says. “I’m incredibly excited about the possibilities this brings for our clients and the firm.”

For Bryan, volunteering with NAPFA is a way to extend his commitment to the industry and support the Fee-Only fiduciary model of financial planning. “NAPFA is an incredible organization with an amazing and dedicated staff,” he says. “But the volunteers make up the heart and soul of the organization and push its mission forward.”

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To connect with Bryan and learn more about his work, reach out to him at the next NAPFA event or connect with him on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bryanwisda.