Investment Advisor & Founder
Matthew Gagnon, CFA®
Hi, I’m Matt – a father, Christ-follower, and Dallas-based advisor with 15 years’ experience helping people build and preserve wealth.
I’ve spent my career helping people pursue financial goals using straightforward investment solutions. Since 2007, I’ve worked with over 2,000 advisors and managed over $25 billion in client assets.
Through my work with advisors nationwide, I’ve witnessed firsthand how sound financial guidance can transform lives.
Unfortunately, money is a taboo topic in our society, so many of us learn financial lessons the hard way. I’d like to change that by increasing financial literacy in our communities.
It’s my hope that emphasizing a simple philosophy and approach for money can help people build wealth, achieve peace of mind, and live life to the fullest without money worries.
What I’ve Learned
The best investors I’ve met believe that while money can seem complicated, the fundamental principles – like diversification and living below your means – are actually quite straightforward.
When things get complicated, come back to the objective: what are you trying to do and how can we do that most efficiently?
This is the approach I bring to my work today, helping both advisors and individual investors achieve their financial goals through straightforward, evidence-based investing.
The best investment strategies balance sound basis and methodology with clear communication. It doesn’t matter how brilliant it is if you can’t explain it in simple language. How can you implement what you can’t explain?
If you’re planning for life’s milestones and would like a second pair of eyes on your plan, I’d love to help. Send me a message using the form below and I’ll be in touch. 🙏💵🙌
My Career Path
Starting in 2009, I was fortunate to be mentored by the Chief Investment Officer of an advisory group in my hometown of Denver, Colorado. Working at Peak Capital gave me a strong foundation in both the art and science of portfolio management.
Peak Capital was acquired by a larger firm in 2011 and I moved to Dallas in 2012, where I earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. I joined United Capital Financial Advisers’ investment team in 2014 and gained experience in tax-efficient investing, and options strategies while supporting high-net-worth clients.
As a Portfolio Manager at United Capital, I was proud to be part of a brilliant team who built the investment platform from zero to $8 billion in four years. I helped design and manage ETF strategies used by advisors nationwide, which grew to over $1 billion in size at the time of my departure in 2018.
As a Senior Investment Analyst at Avantax from 2018 – 2023, I found my true passion: translating complex investment concepts into simple strategies. Whether presenting to prospects or supporting new acquisitions, my goal was to help advisors improve clients’ financial lives using effective and understandable solutions.
During the pandemic, my passion for simplifying financial concepts led me to start blogging, culminating in the launch of Financial Empowerment in 2023.
Have a question? Let’s Talk.
P.O. Box 250261
Plano, TX 75025
info@empowermenttools.net
