Meet Brandon Clark

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brandon Clark and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brandon, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
Focusing on taking “failures” as an opportunity to learn AKA perseverance. Much of my work ethic today is rooted in my years as a competitive junior tennis player. I lost a lot: matches, points, tournaments, and it was often frustrating. But no matter how tough the loss, I had to bounce back. The next day meant getting back on the practice court, pushing myself to improve, and preparing for the next match. That resilience has carried over into my business life.

As a self-employed professional, setbacks are inevitable. Potential clients walk away, markets fluctuate, ideas fall flat. But I’ve learned not to dwell. Just like on the tennis court, I view each “failure” as a stepping stone, and then a chance to reflect, learn, and keep pressing forward. Perseverance isn’t about avoiding failure, it’s about embracing it, and then showing up again, a little wiser each time.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m part of a family-led wealth management and financial planning firm called The Clark Group Asset Management, originally founded by my dad in 2005. Our specialty is helping individuals and families prepare for retirement, and while we work in a numbers-driven industry, what truly sets us apart is our people-first approach. We are not a one-size-fits-all firm. In fact, we say “no” more often than we say “yes” when it comes to bringing on new clients. That’s intentional. We want to make sure we’re not only serving new clients well, but continuing to give our existing clients the highest level of attention and care.

For us, it’s about alignment, both quantitatively and emotionally. We look for clients who aren’t just a good fit on paper, but who also share our values and communication style. Chemistry matters, and we believe that relationships grounded in mutual respect and trust lead to the most meaningful outcomes.

When I joined the firm, we were already managing wealth for about 350 families, not tiny, but not huge either. Since then, we’ve grown thoughtfully and deliberately. We bring on about a dozen new clients per year, and we’ve nearly doubled our assets under management. That growth has come from both market performance and organic client acquisition, but always with intention behind it.

The journey hasn’t always been easy. Building a business within a family dynamic brings its own unique set of challenges. My dad and another long-time team member built the firm from the ground up, and they had some more traditional ideas when I first joined. Over time, we’ve all evolved and grown together. I’ve introduced new strategies like using social media, YouTube, LinkedIn, and paid digital outreach to connect with people in new ways. Those ideas took time to be embraced, but now they’re part of how we reach and serve more families.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that true financial planning is not just about the numbers. It’s about people. We’re dealing with their life savings, their dreams, security, and legacy. You have to understand their “why” before you can advise on the how. Roth conversions, tax strategies, asset allocation, all of that comes after we truly understand who they are and what matters most to them.

What I want the world to know, whether someone ever becomes a client or not, is that I genuinely care about helping people. When I launched my YouTube channel earlier this year, the goal wasn’t to get leads. It was to educate. I wanted to make complex financial topics more accessible, and to provide real value to anyone who needed it.

I’m a Certified Financial Planner™ and a Certified Private Wealth Advisor®, with advanced training from institutions like Northwestern and Yale. I don’t say that to impress anyone. I say it because not everyone has access to that level of education. And I believe it’s my responsibility to use that training to help demystify financial planning and empower others.

Whether I’m educating 100 people on YouTube or 100,000, I’m just here to help those who really need guidance with often what seems like complex financial topics

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I work in Dana Point, but live in a mountain town called Silverado Canyon. I would bring them to my place, and we’d go on a long hike in the area overlooking Los Angeles and Orange county. Gotta be careful for the rattle snakes though 🙂

Then we’d hit my favorite cove in Laguna Beach (fishermans), and do some snorkeling to see leopard sharks and garibaldi’s. Then, we’d go back to Silverado and go to my FAVORITE restaurant, Xacalli. It’s a mexican restaurant, but not the mexican you think. They have incredible lamb, branzino, and best mocktails (I don’t drink anymore) on the planet. I’ve been to restaurants all over the world, and this is hands down my favorite, and not just because it’s a 5 minute walk from my place!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Mentorship stems from two people, my dad who helped shape me into who I am, as well as helped steer me into the wealth management industry. In addition, Brian Levy, has been a mentor and coach to me. He started his business from nothing, with a baby on the way, and built it into a very successful firm. I’ve taken notes from him over the years and he’s been an invaluable resource. Also, no success of mine would be possible without my wife, Zailey Clark and my mom. They both support me each day and listen to my business pains and wins 🙂

Website: https://www.clarkgroupam.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarkgroupam/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-clark-cfp-401k/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@clarkgroupam