Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Alves.
Mike Alves’s love for the financial services industry can be traced back to when he was a 14-year-old scholar in a seminary when he read “What they don’t teach you at Harvard Business School” by the legendary entrepreneur and business author Mark McCormack.
Eager to learn more, Mike started reading more stories and case studies where McCormack helped his clients achieve success and happiness.
Mike felt a growing need to make a difference in other people’s lives, which ultimately lead to founding Vida Private Wealth.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in international business administration from the University of California-Riverside in 2005, Mike accepted an offer to work with Morgan Stanley. A year later, he was recruited by Merrill Lynch, where he worked as a Wealth Management Advisor and Vice-President for Wealth Management until 2018.
In 2010, Mike attained the prestigious CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification, which one of the most respected financial planning credentials among consumers and the recognized standard of excellence in personal financial planning. He also holds the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor℠ and Chartered Life Underwriter® designations.
Mike gravitated to a career in Financial Life Planning, and in 2017, he decided to pursue a Master of Science degree in Advanced Financial Planning from Golden Gate University (expected graduation in 2020). He is a member of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society and Golden Key National Honor Society.
With a focus on giving back to his community, Mike is an ardent supporter of non-profits and charities, such as the Corazon de Vida Foundation, UCR Alumni Association. He has served on the advisory boards of the Latino Medical Student Association, the Latino Physician Advisory Board of the Los Angeles County Medical Association (LACMA), the LA Children’s Hospital corporate committee and the California Hispanic Corporate Council Leadership Institute.
In his free time, Mike enjoys golfing, traveling, reading, and wine tasting. He’s also very involved with his kids’ activities, which include soccer coaching, cub scouts, and school volunteering.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
After graduating high school in Portugal, I moved to California but had to work full-time while attending school full-time. I worked as a cashier (graveyard shift), part-time realtor. Once I graduated, I applied and was accepted a position with Morgan Stanley as a Financial Advisor. Soon after I was recruited by Merrill Lynch as spent almost 13 years there before starting Vida Private Wealth. Being young with little no contacts or family to help, it was challenging, to say the least as the wealth management industry requires a good network to be successful. The more wealthy friends/contacts you have, the better chances you have to become successful. Also, even though I was born in the US, I left to Portugal when I was six years old, so when I returned I felt an immigrant adapting to a new culture.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Vida Private Wealth is a leading independent financial services firm offering multi-family office, asset management, and financial life planning services to high-net-worth individuals and families.
We help our clients live their best life by providing unbiased, fiduciary advice to help our clients thrive and live a happy life. None of the services we offer are limited to propriety products or corporate constraints, and we are committed to finding the best possible solution for each client.
As a firm, our values are driven by a passion for family, health and fitness, financial independence, education, mindfulness, and making a positive impact on our clients’ lives.
Our services are rooted in the principles of Financial Life Planning, where we align our clients’ wealth with their values to live a purposeful, meaningful, and happy life.
We exist to add value and help our clients make values-based decisions in order to live a more meaningful and purposeful life.
Our clients can expect a high level of customized service, a “wow” experience that exceeds expectations, and an array of top wealth management and investment services at a reasonable fee. We are independent and sit on the same side of the table as you. We have a seamless proactive service process, which simply means we anticipate your needs before you even know there is a need. It means being bifocal, which requires paying attention to what is happening today and anticipating changes on the horizon.
We provide high-end multi-family office services combined with the soft skills of financial life planning and a high level of service comparable only to Ritz Carlton.
We generally serve families and individuals with a minimum of $10 million net worth who live or would like to live a purposeful and meaningful life.
We believe in values-based decision making and living a life with purpose and meaning. We are committed to making a positive impact in our community and Vida’s culture is based on unbiased, fiduciary advice to help our clients thrive and live a happy life. Our values show a passion for family, health, financial independence, education, mindfulness, and a positive impact in our clients’ lives.
Because our clients experience this high level of customized service, education, and communication, it is natural they become an extension of our family.
What were you like growing up?
Very outgoing, loved socializing and meeting new people. Always dreamed of returning to the US and becoming a successful business owner. I worked three summers in France and saved enough to buy a street bike (my 3rd motorcycle). I was into motorcycles since I was 11 when my brothers and I received a 3-gear Macal motorcycle that we shared and used to commute to my parents’ restaurant and help from waiting tables, cleaning, stocking, etc. I also attended the seminary (yes, the school where you attend to become a priest) and it was there I realized I wanted to become a business owner in the finance industry once I read the book “What They Don’t Teach You at Harvard Business School” by Mark McCormack. Once my parents sold the restaurant, I held odd jobs to support my love for motorcycles from pastry truck driver, to timberman, construction, fruit harvesting in France, etc.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.vidapw.com
- Email: team@vidapw.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vida_private_wealth/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VidaPrivateWealth/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikeAlves
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vida-private-wealth/?viewAsMember=true
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