About UsHelping Families and Business Build Clarity & Confidence
Dedicated Financial Planning Since 2009
Strategic Financial was founded on the belief that comprehensive financial planning should be accessible to everyone. We serve clients throughout Missouri, nationwide, and internationally with the same level of personalized attention that major wealth management firms provide to their top-tier clients, without the asset minimums or corporate feel, and more focus on you.
- 15+ Years Combined Experience
- 100% Independent
- 21+ States Served and Internationally
MissionOur Mission
Providing Clarity. Building Wealth. Empowering Life’s Possibilities.
We believe everyone deserves access to sophisticated financial planning. Our mission is to empower clients through education, transparency, and personalized strategies that help them achieve their financial goals, regardless of where they’re starting from.
PartnershipHow Our Partnership Works
Relationships Built Around You
Every client relationship begins with understanding your unique situation. We’ve designed our process to be thorough without being overwhelming.
Step 1: Free 30-Minute Discovery Call
Your first conversation is totally free with no commitments. This is your opportunity to ask questions, share your financial concerns, and see if we’re a good fit for each other. We'll discuss what type of relationship makes sense, whether you're looking for ongoing comprehensive planning or help with a specific transaction, and what the costs would look like. Complete transparency from day one.
Step 2: Comprehensive Planning Process
For planning clients, we schedule 4-6 one-hour meetings to build your financial strategy. We'll provide a detailed checklist to help gather information about your assets, debts, insurance policies, retirement accounts, estate plans, and goals. Don't worry if things are disorganized or incomplete. We'll help you collect and make sense of everything. By the end of this phase, you'll have a customized financial plan that addresses your specific circumstances.
Step 3: Implementation and Ongoing Support
We help you implement your plan, then stay with you for the journey. At minimum, we'll meet annually to review your progress, adjust for life changes, and keep your strategy aligned with your goals. Many clients choose to meet more frequently, and we're always available when questions arise or circumstances shift.
Education
Empowerment Through Education
Guidance & Understanding
Our goal is to educate you so you can make confident decisions. Some clients prefer to understand every detail, others trust us to handle the complexity and just want the bottom line. We adapt to your preference.
Transparency & Honesty
We’re upfront about costs, clear about any conflicts of interest (and we structure our business to minimize them), and honest when we don’t know something.
Personal Attention
We take pride in finding creative strategies tailored to your specific situation. We stay current on tax law changes, investment research, and planning techniques so we can serve you at the highest level.
Integrity in Every Relationship
We include both spouses in planning conversations. We don’t judge where you’re starting from. We return calls promptly. We do what we say we’ll do. The relationships we build are the foundation of our business.
Our Team
Meet Our Team
Justin Bates
Founding Partner and Financial Advisor
Stacy Davis
Founding Partner and Financial Advisor
Aaron Sloan, MBA, ChFC®
Founding Partner and Financial Advisor
Gage Smart
Financial Advisor
Craig Wright, CFP®, ChFC®, MBA
Founding Partner and Financial Advisor
Ready to Get Started?
Schedule a free 30-minute consultation. No pressure, no obligation, just an opportunity to ask questions and see if we’re the right fit for your financial goals.