Mike's Financial Services Background
 
TD Waterhouse 
(2000 - 2001, Chicago)
Mike began his career in financial services as a stockbroker for TD Waterhouse.  He learned the mechanics of the markets and educated clients on trading techniques.  While at TD Waterhouse, Mike found an unidentified profit center for the company and helped design a program that is still helping the company accumulate new assets.   

Jackson National Life   
(2001 - 2003, Denver)
Mike worked with top financial planners in Michigan and Ohio through the bubble bursting and into the rebound in 2003.  He still maintains a lot of the relationships he developed with these financial planners and consults with them on a weekly basis.  Through his network he is able to utilize multiple solutions and ideas to form the best strategies for his clients. 

J.A. Counter & Associates, Inc.
(2004 - 2006, Minneapolis)
Mike worked with his one of his favorite mentors, Jim Counter, and his family's financial planning business from 2004 to 2006.  Mike joined JAC with a solid knowledge base about investments and overall financial planning.  Jim was able to build on that and teach Mike the intricacies of diversification, asset allocation, alternative investments, "buckets of money," estate planning, retirement and family planning.  It is safe to say that because of Jim Counter, Mike was able to fine tune his financial planning skills and ultimately take the step of opening his own independent financial planning firm, Innovate Financial, Inc. 

Innovate Financial, Inc.
(2007 - present)
On January 1st, 2007 Mike opened up his own firm, Innovate Financial, Inc.  He takes an approach with his clients that they need to build enough wealth in pre-retirement years to retire and keep up with both their lifestyles and the cost of living.  He offers various investment platforms and as an Investment Advisor Representative provides many of his clients with a managed money platform. 
Mike works with his clients for short, mid and long term strategies and runs his business by the Golden Rule. 

Mike's Personal Background

Mike and his wife, Kelly, daughter, Adilyn (born 6/4/2007), and dog, Eby, live in South Minneapolis near the Minnehaha Trail.  They like to make Adilyn smile, sleep for eight hours and spend as much family time together as possible.  Mike is an avid reader of both non-fiction and fiction, plays soccer in a Men's league, and tries to get in as much biking and tennis as he can. 
Mike received his BA from the Unversity of Iowa in 1998 and studied Japanese and International Business.

Go to www.finra.org and click on "FINRA Broker Check" for a overview of my professional background and conduct. 

Mike and Adilyn at her first Christmas.