Money has been at the core of my being since early on in my life. As an 8-year old, I started my own bank, convincing my parents and sister to open a savings account - and quickly learning that "investing" the bank's money in chewing gum and soccer player collection cards was not a way to keep the bank running for very long as the depositors came to access their savings. Not fun at the time, however, I learnt important lessons.

At 9 years old, I bought my first shares of stock and watched one of them triple over the following couple of years. Many years later, first riding the dot-com-bubble to unbelievable highs, then crashing down along with it, taught me that sound money and risk management must be the basis of all investing.

Financial concepts have always fascinated me and I seemed to have an easier time understanding them than most people around me. Knowing that, I wanted to make it my profession. I wanted to help others handle, manage, and invest, so they could benefit from my ease with a topic that scares many adults in today's world. At age 17, while sitting next to my Dad driving on the Autobahn to Munich, a vision came to me: By age 40, I would have my own investment management firm, and I would be helping people of all backgrounds improve their financial lives.

After high school, I entered into a bank apprenticeship in Germany and so my professional journey began. I went into it with a lot of idealism. Quickly, I found out the realities of being a financial advisor: Mutual fund sales targets came first, not necessarily client interests. After graduating with the vocational banking degree two years later, I went to college getting my BA (Honors) in European Business / Business Administration. It qualified me to move into corporate banking and my subsequent roles in Liquidity and Investment Advisory as well as Capital Markets Sales in major German commercial and investment banks. Fun times, but again: the pressure from management to sell cash and derivative products came first - any of that novice dealism had to go out the window, at great cost to my heart and soul.

Disillusioned by a rather simple currency trade with a large non-profit serving developing countries that took me no more than one minute on the phone and three mouse clicks to process, but "costing" the client's development project more than $10k (how many children could go to school for that in rural India?), I decided to quit the banking industry in September 2009. I wanted to finally start my own business - age 40 was only 9 more years away.

Consulting small businesses in currency risk management didn't really work out (even though, as of 2023, I am still serving a very good and loyal client I was able to acquire during those days), so I went with the flow. It brought me to coding automation software for day traders, with a 3-year stint as a professional cellist in a touring folk rock band in between (Yes, fun, indeed, but hard laborious work: We played over 400 shows all over the Eastern US in 2 of those years and barely eked out a living).

The programming business flourished and, with it, I stayed close to the financial markets and learned what kind of trading and investment strategy worked long-term and what didn't. I also started teaching: how to code such algorithms, and also how to trade successfully. That taught me what and how people want to learn - and about what motivators drive everyday investors into action. It comes down to fear and greed - and milder versions of them such as discomfort, risking too much with unrealistic expectations. Biggest learning lesson: money is so much more than just numbers on a bank account statement, it's full of emotions!

Age 40 came and went, until early 2023, I decided it was finally time to go back to the vision of the 17-year-old Cristof. It’s still here in my heart and needs to be lived.

So, in January 2023, I sat down for 3 months and studied virtually daily for the "Series 65" licensing exam to become a registered investment adviser. A registered investment adviser is an ideal type of financial advisor from the clients’ perspective: They charge a fee to the client, usually a percentage of assets under management/advisory or a flat fee. They do not get paid by sales commissions or other kickbacks from brokers or sponsors of securities like a no-fee financial adviser is likely to get.This way we actually recommend products that are best for your financial goals, not those that bring in the highest commission or kickbacks. Investment Advisers are not brokers, but do assist clients in dealing with them. This setup is as tailor-made for my idealistic vision as it gets: Like this, I can be on my clients' side, and have effectively eliminated the usual conflicts of interest that otherwise prevail. By law, Investment Advisers have to disclose any and all conflicts of interest, and have the fiduciary duty to put the clients' interests first.

In April 2023, I passed the exam, then worked on my registration paperwork and the founding of the advisory firm (with the diligent help of my caring wife Sophia - I couldn't have done it without her!). Pine Ridge Wealth LLC, entirely independent, as well as license to act as an Investment Adviser registered with the State of North Carolina, were the result. Since August 2023 we can advertise, onboard clients, and operate in their interest with strong fiduciary duties and highest ethical standards.

People with lots of money are already well served by the many other advisers out there, I believe. All investment adviser firms that I have seen, mention some kind of account minimum - be it $200K or $1M or something like that. What about the "everyday" people who arguably need help the most? How do they get to build their wealth and financial future? How do they get to build generational wealth and leave a legacy? How can they keep peace of mind while macheting through the financial jungle of today?

I decided to do things differently and not have a minimum at all. My mission is instead: helping everyday people (like my wife and I are ourselves) as well as small non-profits sort out their money (and money issues!), with investable funds of up to $500K, no minimums. My only condition: new clients have to have the dream and the commitment to grow their nest egg to $1M-$3M, an amount of capital that allows for a perpetual income stream of $30K-$100K annually, allowing most people to choose freely whether or not they want to go to work for the “Man”.

We'll figure out the means together: first planning for your debt-free and abundant life, then being there to hold you accountable and to help you invest for the long-term. My focus and specialties are simple yet powerful strategies that you can understand and sustain in the long run, so you can have the financial success and abundant life that you dream about and deserve.

With that said, enough about me. I'd like to hear from you now:

What is on your mind?

What is your story?

Where are you at and where do you want to grow to financially?

Get in touch and let's begin the conversation. Book a free 30-minute consultation call with yours truly here.