Interview

His journey into crypto began with curiosity and conviction. After watching a debate between Peter Schiff and a Bitcoin advocate, Jake began shifting his stock market gains into utility-focused digital assets. Frustrated by the lack of professional guidance in the space, he built his own team of vetted tax, estate, and wealth experts. That team eventually became a client-first platform now serving more than 1,500 investors and managing over $50 million in digital assets.

From early adopters to legacy-minded families, Jake’s clients turn to him for more than investment strategy. They rely on him for structure, transparency, and long-term protection in a fast-evolving space. His Texas-rooted, values-driven approach continues to reshape what wealth management looks like in the digital era.

Q: What sparked your interest in digital assets, and how did you first get involved?

In 2020, I had been out of the market for a while. When everything dipped, I saw an opportunity to re-enter. I bought stocks like Facebook, Amazon, Tesla, and Google, and watched them recover. But as prices returned to levels that had kept me cautious before, I began thinking about how to protect those gains.

That led me to explore other assets, such as real estate, gold, silver, and eventually, cryptocurrency. The real turning point came when I watched a debate between Peter Schiff and a Bitcoin advocate. It helped me understand the real value behind digital assets and the potential of blockchain networks. From there, I dove in completely. I focused on networks with practical use and made investments in 13 different asset classes. I moved the money I had made in the stock market into crypto and, thankfully, my timing worked out during the growth period of 2020 and 2021.

Q: As your investments grew, how did you manage the financial and strategic side of things?

My background in finance gave me a good starting point, but I also leaned heavily on what I had learned from reading. Robert Kiyosaki’s advice about building a financial team, such as attorneys, CPAs, and advisors, really stuck with me. I wanted to make sure I did things the right way from the start.

I contacted over a hundred firms across the U.S., looking for professionals who truly understood digital assets. Eventually, I built a team of 15 experts in tax, accounting, and wealth planning. Every one of them focuses on crypto. I also started sharing what I was learning online—how to reduce taxes legally, protect your assets, and structure things properly. That led to conversations with family offices, which turned into consulting opportunities.

“In Texas, relationships can some­ times be valued even more than money. There’s a certain way the world works here.”

Q: How did those efforts evolve into the business you run today, and who is it for?

Over the past two years, we’ve built out the wealth management arm of the business. I couldn’t find a platform that offered what I needed, so I created it. Now, we work with high-net-worth individuals who either already have exposure to crypto or want to enter the space in a strategic way.

The best way to describe what we do is this: we built a private client platform that works like Schwab, but for digital assets. It’s designed for people who want to manage their crypto wealth securely, efficiently, and with expert guidance. 

Q: How has the culture and business environment in Texas influenced the way you build your company and serve ultra-high-net-worth families?

Texas is centrally located, which makes it a convenient hub. It’s just a couple of hours from either coast, so travel is relatively easy for clients who want to visit. But beyond geography, growing up here has shaped a lot of who I am. There’s a strong “people first” mentality. In other parts of the country, I’ve seen people get upset if you hold the door open for them. Here, it’s expected. Helping your neighbor and building real relationships is a big part of the culture.

In Texas, relationships can sometimes be valued even more than money. There’s a certain way the world works here. It’s often about being part of the right circles, and Dallas definitely reflects that. There’s a strong presence of real estate and old money, and a lot of business happens through country club culture. Proximity to wealth and being in the right rooms matter. If you can offer real value and build trust, you can succeed and help others succeed as well.

That mindset is central to our company. We aim to align values with our clients and consistently deliver more value than we take. That cooperative spirit, the desire to help your neighbor, is something I’ve found deeply rooted in Texas, and we try to carry that into everything we do.

Q: What shifts do you see coming in the wealth management industry over the next five years?

I think alternative investments are going to play a much bigger role. Historically, portfolios have focused on liquid assets like stocks—things you can trade easily if you need to. But some of the top-performing assets have been in alternatives like private equity, real estate, and even crypto, which, despite being highly liquid, is still categorized as an alternative.

As more assets move on-chain, I believe we’ll start to unlock liquidity from capital investments that have traditionally been illiquid. That’s going to change how people think about portfolio construction. For example, a wealth manager might start allocating more toward early-stage startups, or include direct real estate holdings rather than relying on REITs or structured products.

People are looking for lower fees, greater upside, and more flexibility. As digital infrastructure continues to evolve, everything becomes faster, cheaper, and more accessible. That shift is going to pull alternative investments into the mainstream. Wealth managers will need to be ready to meet clients where the future is headed.

Q: Many people, especially those in their fifties or sixties, still hesitate when it comes to crypto and blockchain. How do you explain the value of these technologies to more traditional investors?

Our average client is between 45 and 75 years old, so we deal with this mindset often. These are people who have built successful careers and accumulated wealth, and now they want to make smart, meaningful decisions about it. They value trusted advisors who can bring expertise in digital assets, just like they would expect from their traditional financial teams. 

For someone new to the space, I usually start with relatable examples. Think about common online payment platforms. Most people have used one to send or receive money. When you receive funds, you’re often given two choices: pay a fee for instant access, or wait two to three days for a free transfer to your bank. That delay makes it clear how slow and outdated traditional systems can be.

Crypto eliminates that friction. It enables instant, cost-free value transfer. When people realize that blockchain can make transactions faster and cheaper—not just for them, but for banks, businesses, and institutions—it starts to make sense. Framed that way, it moves away from the image of speculative, risky internet money and becomes a practical innovation.

Q: How do you support high-net-worth individuals who want to invest in digital assets or shift away from traditional markets?

We work with clients who already have significant exposure to crypto, as well as those just getting started. For people looking to make their first move into digital assets, we have certified financial planners and licensed advisors who help them navigate that shift responsibly. Often, it’s about creating a hedge within their broader portfolio.

Where we’ve really found our niche is helping those who already hold a large portion of their wealth in crypto—especially those managing it themselves. Many of them are using cold wallets or exchanges, which come with risks and complexities. If something happens to them, there’s often no backup plan, no recourse, no one to help their loved ones.

We fill that gap by providing institutional custody. It’s like having a private vault for your digital assets, so your heirs can access them if necessary. Clients can document their crypto holdings and their asset inventories, and know that their assets are safe, protected, and accessible in the event of an emergency. The space is still evolving, but we’re focused on building infrastructure that makes crypto wealth easier to manage, more secure, and future-ready.

Q: You’re very intentional with your presence on social media and the way you present your personal brand. In today’s environment, especially with AI making it easy to fake voices and images, how important is personal branding?

Personal branding is one of the highest forms of leverage you can have as an entrepreneur. People do business with those they know, like, and trust, and your brand shapes that perception. If you have a channel and share what you know, you can build that personal connection with people at scale. Content, as a form of leverage, is forceful. You can film one video and reach millions of people who resonate with your message—and that might lead them to do business with you. 

If you’re not using your social media and personal brand to position yourself as a leader in your industry, you’re missing a massive opportunity. I think the challenges with AI are just beginning. We already have to report hundreds of fake accounts impersonating me on various platforms. It’s a serious issue. Verification, like blue check marks, isn’t enough. I believe we’ll eventually see something like decentralized identity or patented likeness protection, especially for creators and entrepreneurs with large followings. I expect that kind of technology to emerge in the next couple of years.

Q: You’re a member of BA. What has your experience been like, and what would you say to someone considering joining?

I’ve joined a few masterminds before BA. While I did get value (mostly through the people I met), the structure was different. In those groups, the organizers would often bring in outside experts to speak. That can be useful, but what really stands out about BA is that the community itself is the value.

The people inside the group are thought leaders. They’re the ones speaking, sharing exactly what they are doing in real time, and breaking it down into actionable steps. Whether it’s AI, blockchain, robotics, investments, or more traditional topics like marketing and personal branding, the level of insight you get is practical and immediately applicable.

It’s the most impactful group I’ve ever been part of, and it’s played a major role in accelerating my growth.