EXPERT ON:
◉ Stress-free wealth planning and fiduciary financial strategies
◉ Family wealth education and raising financially confident children
◉ Money mindset, behavioral finance, and values-based decision making
◉ Retirement planning and long-term income strategies
◉ Financial organization, clarity, and simplification for high-earning families
◉ Teaching financial literacy through technology and real-world tools
◉ Aligning money decisions with life goals, purpose, and fulfillment
EXPERIENCE:
◉ Managing and overseeing nine-figure investment portfolios and public funds
◉ Advising families and entrepreneurs through market cycles and life transitions
◉ Building and scaling financial education platforms, media brands, and fintech solutions
Chad Willardson is the President and Founder of Pacific Capital, a fiduciary wealth management firm focused on helping families build clarity, confidence, and long-term financial freedom. He is a Certified Financial Fiduciary®, Accredited Wealth Management Advisor (AWMA®), and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC®), and a five-time best-selling author of Stress Free Money, Smart, Not Spoiled, Beyond the Money, Fit for Wealth, and Wealth Wired Differently. He is also the co-founder of GravyStack, an innovative banking app designed to teach kids real-world money skills.
Before founding Pacific Capital, Chad spent nine years at Merrill Lynch, where he ranked in the top two percent of more than 16,000 financial advisors nationwide. His passion for financial education is rooted in a simple belief: when people have the right tools and a clear plan, they can make confident decisions that lead to a meaningful and fulfilling life. Chad is known for helping families organize their financial lives, clarify their goals, and reduce financial stress so money becomes a tool, not a burden.
Chad is the co-host of The Smart Money Parenting Show, a top-ranked Apple podcast that reached number two worldwide in the Parenting, Kids & Family category. His insights have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Inc., Yahoo Finance, Investment News, NASDAQ, U.S. News & World Report, and Entrepreneur. A native of Southern California, Chad has been married since 2001 and is the proud father of five children.
