Hi! I'm Ryan.
Zelda and Mario Enthusiast
CPA
Financial Strategy Guide for Content Creators
I began my career in the financial services industry in 2015 at a large accounting firm working as a financial auditor. I became a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and worked with close to 100 different businesses, from startups to billion-dollar companies.
Both me and my firm, 1Up Financial Advisors, are based here in Raleigh, NC, but I serve clients locally and nationwide. I love the Raleigh area which is why I’ve lived here nearly my entire life!
Throughout my career, I LOVED the relationships I’d built with clients, but I knew the accounting career path wasn’t what I wanted long-term.
So I decided it was time for something new and moved to a corporate finance job at a large hospital outside Raleigh.
The same lesson was reinforced here too – I loved helping the people in the various hospital departments navigate complicated financial processes.
Meanwhile, in the midst of 2020 lockdowns, I started streaming on Twitch for fun.
I’d mention on stream that I’m a CPA…and much to my surprise people would come in just to ask me questions about money and finances.
I knew then that the creator industry needed some help.
Why did I choose Financial Planning?
If you want the full story, check out My Why.
I chose financial planning, and to work with content creators specifically, because I get to help people I truly care about in an industry that fulfills my core personal values:
- Connection
- Determination
- Ingenuity & Hard Work
- Authenticity
- Respect
I know how strenuous it was to take a chance and start a business.
And I have the same everyday struggles of self-employment and working from home by yourself.
One common thing I’ve heard from creators I work with is that, before they found me, they were turned away by an advisor who didn’t understand the creator economy or how they make money.
I get what you do.
Working with creators on multiple platforms and who produce various types of content gives me even greater insight.
I’ve helped creators build a plan to go full-time, start a business retirement investment account, budget income and expenses, and so much more.
1Up Financial Advisor’s mission is to financially empower content creators. To help you navigate a financial system that requires expert knowledge. To enjoy your income now, while securing yourself for the future. We meet you where you are in life for no shame, no judgment financial planning that will help you take your finances to the next level.
FAQ
Ryan is uniquely equipped to serve content creators, both personally and professionally. As a licensed CPA since 2017, he has worked with clients from startups to billion-dollar companies. He applies this expert knowledge and perspective now to working with content creators to grow their businesses and create solid financial lives.
The CPA Exam is extremely difficult and many in the finance and accounting fields consider the CPA license one of the most prestigious designations a professional can earn. It requires completion of 40 hours of continuing professional education every year to maintain.
In short, you can trust that I keep up on technical knowledge and ethical obligations of the field.
As a content creator for many years as well, Ryan understands the creator economy and what it takes to transfer this knowledge to our complex financial system. Ryan is a member of XY Planning Network, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), and the North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants (NCACPA).
Want to see his full resume? Check out LinkedIn.
While I give my best advice to creators, since I spend most of my time working with them, I do work with folks in other industries. That being said, it has to be a great mutual fit to work together. If I think there might be another advisor better suited to your circumstances, I’m happy to refer you.
A fiduciary is a person or organization that acts on behalf of another person or persons to manage assets. Essentially, a fiduciary owes to that other entity the duties of good faith and trust. The highest legal duty of one party to another, being a fiduciary requires being ethically bound to act in the other's best interests.
The fiduciary standard of care requires that a financial advisor act solely in the client’s best interest when offering personalized financial advice.
I am legally held to a fiduciary standard and take serious pride in this. Upholding this duty is a factor in every decision we make.
1Up is a fee-only financial planning firm. This means that we are compensated only through:
- Monthly financial planning subscription fee
- One-time onboarding fee
- Assets Under Management fee for investments we manage for you
Many financial advisors are compensated via commission on products sold to clients. We don't sell you anything because this creates conflicts of interest and can often lead to recommendations that are “good enough” for you vs. the best fit.
For more info on how we charge, check out our Services page.
Yes, 1Up is a solo practice. As a financial planner, risk management is always top of mind. If I get hit by a bus, there is a legal Business Continuity Plan in place and is reviewed as needed. I’m happy to walk through this with you.
You have access to your documents and investments at all times and do not need me to access them. If 1Up is managing your investments, this is with a third-party provider, Charles Schwab or Altruist. While we can manage your assets, we never have custody of your assets.
1Up recognizes that our relationships with current and prospective clients are based on integrity and trust. We work hard to maintain your privacy and to preserve the private nature of our relationship with you. We place the highest value on the information you share with us. 1Up will not disclose your personal information to anyone unless it is required by law or at your direction. We will not sell your personal information.
We want our clients to understand what information we collect, how we use it, and how we protect your personal information.
You can read our Privacy Policy, as well as more about the security policies of our providers linked below:
- RightCapital (financial planning)
- DropBox Sign (digital signature)
- Wealthbox (client relationship management)
- Google’s G Suite (email, calendar, file storage)
- Calendly (scheduling)
- AdvicePay (monthly payment processing)
- Snappy Kraken (all-client emails)
- QuickBooks Online (bookkeeping)
- Holistiplan (tax-return analysis)
- LastPass (password manager)
- Zoom (virtual meetings)
- Schwab & Altruist (client investment management)
