This article was contributed by Wealth Advisor, John Zachary.

At the time of this writing, the Olympic Trials are in full swing, and in a couple of weeks, the 2020 Summer Olympics will be broadcasting from Tokyo. I love watching the Olympics (and the U.S. Trials). In the age of the Internet, we can live stream any event that catches our interest.

I consider myself an athlete in my own right, but I will never be able to sprint, even for 100 meters, at the pace distance Olympic runners can lap a track. The not so graceful dive I learned as a child is nothing compared to the twists and spirals of high divers. My doggy paddle would be a pathetic splash next to the grace of Olympic swimmers. And I will surely never defy gravity like Simone Biles (though, few ever will).

But I do understand Olympic moments.

Part of my role at Pathfinder is to recognize the Olympic moments in our clients lives: marriages and milestone anniversaries, the birth of a child or grandchild, and of course, reaching the last day of a formal career with the confidence of financial independence. At Pathfinder, we love sharing those moments with our clients and celebrating the achievement of their life goals.

But the Olympics, and life, are not just about the victories: the underdogs fighting their way to the top, or the G.O.A.T.s proving again and again why they are the best. With every triumph, also comes defeat and heartbreak for others. You can clear every obstacle in the steeplechase, have a near perfect match, snag a Personal Best, or land the hardest combination of your life, and still fall short of the Gold.
 
Unfortunately, the same holds true in life. Although there are beautiful peaks, life inevitably brings sorrowful valleys: heartbreaking divorce, unexpected medical diagnoses, the tragic loss of a spouse or family member. Those moments are the ones when you rely on others to see you through.

That is why it is imperative to have a trusted team in place. In the moments that are full of life-altering decisions and emotional stress, the last thing you need to worry about is your financial life. When you find out you must have open heart surgery, we want to be the team that assures you that your financial life is in order so you can focus on strength and healing. When questions arise about a complicated equitable distribution, we want to be the team that sees you through to the other side. We want to be the shoulder for you to lean on when you are dealing with the worry of settling an estate.
   
At Pathfinder Wealth Consulting, our deepest passion is being your trusted team, guiding you and your family through the good times and the bad, both the Olympic moments and the heartache that unavoidably comes with life. We want to be the team rooting for you, and helping you achieve your greatest financial goals. If you are looking for a team of trusted advisors, who will always have your best interest in mind, give us a call at 910.793.0616 or visit our website. We are here to guide you forward.
 
 
Jason is a wealth advisor and founding partner of Pathfinder Wealth Consulting. He has been in the financial services industry since 1999. Jason was born in Dayton, Ohio, but grew up in Eastern North Carolina. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of North Carolina Wilmington in 1999 with a BS in finance and an MBA in 2003. Rob Penn, Jason’s business partner, hired him in 1999 and the two began a successful business relationship, highlighted by the formation of Pathfinder Wealth Consulting in 2005. Jason’s passion for the business begins with helping our clients, working with select families to accomplish their personal and business goals. Jason’s role also includes managing the overall firm, leading its growth initiatives, and enhancing operations. Jason resides in Wilmington with his wife, Ashley, and their daughter, Merritt. Ashley is a speech-language pathologist and owns Therapy Connections, Inc., a pediatric speech therapy company. Currently, Jason spends most of his free time with his family doing anything kid-related. He also plays average golf as often as possible, waits patiently for his invitation to Jedi training, and hopes that maybe this year he'll have more time for surfing, boating, fishing, and all the water activities that the family loves. Jason considers himself a lifelong learner and is always ready to try a new activity, travel to a new spot, or delve into a new subject.