Today we’d like to introduce you to Tommi Harris.
Tommi, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I have had an interest in the stock market from a very young age, and that interest manifested into a career. My focus at the beginning was more on the mechanics of how markets operate efficiently and monetary economics. Today, my focus is on behavioral economics, specifically, behavioral finance. When advising individuals and families, I seek to understand what drives them personally and how they relate to money. Through open dialogue, I am able to provide advice on all topics related to their finances. I guide them along the way to make better financial decisions, and I invest in them so they may have the opportunity to experience growth in all aspects of their financial life, as I have had. My focus is to be more mindful, enhance the client experience, have deep and meaningful client relationships, and for clients to experience better financial well-being.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My journey to build a client-centered advisory firm. When I first began my career as a financial advisor, I joined a large broker-dealer, a place known for its resources and brand. It was an excellent training ground and offered an early foundation. As I grew in the role, I began to notice that the firm’s philosophy didn’t quite align with how I envisioned serving clients. Much of the focus was on products and performance metrics rather than people. I wanted something more personalized. I believe that advice should start with understanding clients as individuals, not just numbers.
That belief led me, along with a fellow advisor who shared similar values, to take a leap. Together, we co-founded our own registered investment advisory (RIA) firm. It was a pivotal moment- not just because it was at the onset of the great financial crisis, but a chance to design an advisory practice built on trust, independence, and a true fiduciary responsibility to our clients.
Over the next fifteen years, I experienced growth both personally and professionally. Building a firm from the ground up meant wearing many hats: advisor, leader, and strategist. I took pride in developing client processes and long-term strategy. Watching the firm evolve from a small practice to a thriving RIA was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.
Yet as the years went on, I found myself drawn to an even deeper calling. I began to notice that many clients came to me not just for financial advice, but for clarity, confidence in their decision-making, and peace of mind. Their concerns were rarely about markets or performance alone; they were about life transitions, fears, habits, and the emotions tied to money. I became increasingly fascinated with behavioral finance and how our past experiences and beliefs about money influence the decisions we make.
That insight sparked a new vision for the kind of firm I wanted to build, one that not only managed wealth but also helped people understand their relationship with it. I wanted to move beyond traditional financial planning into a more holistic, goal-based approach that viewed money as a tool for living a meaningful life.
After fifteen years with the firm I helped grow, I made another leap. I founded my own registered investment advisory firm, one fully dedicated to putting clients’ goals, values, and well-being at the center of every conversation. Our philosophy is simple: lead with the client’s best interest first, rooted in trust.
Today, my work blends the analytical side of financial planning with the human side of decision-making. We focus on education, empowerment, and intentional planning, helping clients align their financial lives with their purpose and values. It’s a deeply personal approach that feels authentic to who I am and the kind of culture I want to be a part of.
Looking back, every step: from the large broker-dealer to cofounding my first RIA, and now creating my own and building a team, has been part of a journey toward greater alignment with my values. Financial Planning is about that human connection in helping people make confident, informed decisions that bring them closer to the life they envision. And that’s the work I am most proud to do today.
As you know, we’re big fans of Ecos Wealth Advisors. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Ecos Wealth Advisors is a registered investment advisory firm.
We recognize that each financial journey is unique, offering tailored, holistic goal-based guidance for every life stage. Our experienced team provides professional advice to navigate your finances confidently. Our mission is to cultivate a financial ecosystem that supports individuals at all levels of financial wealth and places importance on family and community.
Personalized financial planning, with a comprehensive approach to retirement planning, tax optimization, business planning, estate planning, risk management, and education planning. We conduct thorough assessments of clients’ financial situations, goals, and risk tolerance to create customized strategies to help them thrive financially.
Ecos Wealth Advisors does this by listening first. The client’s values and goals shape every decision. Then we design a roadmap to match the client’s life, not someone else’s. As their financial goals and life evolve, so does their financial plan, as we are by their side the whole way.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Luck is one of those concepts that we all recognize, yet rarely define the same way. Much of what we call “luck” often comes down to how we perceive events and how quickly we are able to move forward from them.
Two people can experience the same situation and label it entirely differently. One might call it bad luck: the other, a hidden opportunity. The difference is not the outcome; it’s in the story they tell themselves about it. When something doesn’t go as planned, it’s easy to feel unlucky. But those who move on quickly, who don’t linger on disappointment, often find themselves creating the very opportunity that others call “luck”.
In that sense, luck is less about circumstance and more about perspective. The more resilient you are, the “luckier” you tend to seem. People who rebound quickly, who see setbacks as temporary and lessons as valuable, tend to stay in motion, and motion attracts possibility. Meanwhile, those who dwell on misfortune often get stuck in place, reinforcing the belief that luck isn’t on their side.
I believe luck is not as random as it seems. Maybe it’s a reflection of how we engage the world, how we frame experiences, how quickly we recover, and how willing we are to keep showing up.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ecoswealthadvisors.com
- Instagram: @ecoswealthadvisors
- Facebook: @ecoswealthadvisors
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ecoswealthadvisors
- Youtube: @EcosWealthAdvisors
