1926 E. Fort Lowell Rd Suite 100
Tucson, AZ 85719
Contact Us
Mon - Thurs: 9:00 - 5:00 AZ
Fri: 9:00 - 3:00 AZ
1926 E. Fort Lowell Rd Suite 100
Tucson, AZ 85719
Contact Us
Mon - Thurs: 9:00 - 5:00 AZ
Fri: 9:00 - 3:00 AZ
For Tucson business owners with $500K+ in revenue or $250K+ in personal assets who are building toward—or preparing for—their next chapter
Fee-Based Fiduciary
20+ Years in Tucson
Tucson-Based
Transparent Fees
You’ve built a successful business through relentless focus and calculated risk-taking. But the financial playbook changes dramatically when you start thinking about life after the business. The aggressive growth strategies that worked in your thirties and forties don’t serve the same purpose in your fifties and sixties.
Most business owners face a tension that employees never encounter: the very asset that generated your wealth can also trap it. When 70%, 80%, or 90% of your net worth exists in a single entity—one you can’t easily sell, can’t diversify, and can’t liquidate without major tax consequences—you’re facing a completely different financial challenge than planning for retirement with a 401(k).
Here’s what keeps Tucson business owners awake at night:
These aren’t just business problems—they’re personal wealth challenges that require a different kind of strategy, one that treats your business as part of your wealth, not all of it.
True success means your business works for you—not the other way around. It means having the freedom to choose when and how you exit, knowing your personal wealth is secure regardless of business performance.
Before working with us: Your business consumes most of your attention and nearly all of your net worth. You’re constantly wondering if you’re saving enough or paying too much in taxes. Market fluctuations feel personal because your wealth isn’t diversified. You’re not sure if sale proceeds will be enough to fund retirement, and you don’t have a clear timeline or strategy for the transition.
After implementing a comprehensive plan: You have a clear roadmap for wealth extraction that minimizes taxes and builds personal assets outside the business. Your exit strategy has a timeline and target valuation. You know exactly how much you need from a sale to fund the retirement you want. Your personal portfolio grows independently of business performance, reducing concentration risk. You work with your CPA and attorney as part of a coordinated team. Most importantly, you shift from feeling trapped by the business to seeing it as one component of a diversified wealth strategy.
Unlike advisors who focus only on investment management, we create comprehensive strategies that address the unique challenges business owners face.
Business Exit & Succession Planning
We help you think through timing, structure, and valuation optimization for your eventual transition. Whether you’re considering family succession or a third-party sale, we coordinate with your advisors to ensure your exit plan aligns with your personal financial goals.
Tax-Efficient Wealth Extraction
How you take money out of your business matters as much as how much you take out. We work with your CPA to optimize owner compensation strategies and take advantage of Arizona’s favorable business tax environment. The goal is to build personal wealth efficiently while your business continues to operate.
Personal Wealth Building Outside the Business
Reducing concentration risk means creating investment portfolios that aren’t dependent on business performance. We help you establish retirement accounts designed for business owners and build diversified portfolios that grow your wealth independently of company cash flow.
Risk Management & Asset Protection
We identify gaps in your risk coverage and help you think through strategies that protect personal wealth from business liability. We coordinate with attorneys on estate planning for business interests.
Retirement Income Planning Post-Exit
What happens after you sell? We create strategies for converting exit proceeds into sustainable retirement income, coordinating withdrawals with Social Security and other income sources.
Cash Flow Coordination
Should you reinvest profits or build personal assets? We help you balance business growth with personal wealth accumulation, creating a framework for decision-making that serves both needs.
Related services: Retirement Planning | Retirement Income Management | Wealth Management
A successful local business owner came to us with approximately $500,000 in retirement accounts but faced a problem that their success had created: the accounts were split between two separate investment advisors, and despite good income and disciplined saving, they couldn’t get a clear answer on whether they were actually on track for retirement.
The fragmentation created serious blind spots. One advisor would recommend one thing; the other something completely different. Neither could see the complete picture, which meant nobody was properly balancing risk across the entire portfolio or coordinating tax implications. The breakdown became impossible to ignore when one advisor wanted to make portfolio changes—not to improve the client’s situation, but to move assets into commission-based products that would trigger significant taxes. That advisor actually instructed the other advisor not to make any changes that year because they were planning their own product recommendations.
We consolidated everything under Ironwood’s fee-based fiduciary structure and inventoried every account and holding to see the complete financial picture for the first time. We identified tax inefficiencies and risk imbalances neither previous advisor had addressed. Then we built a comprehensive financial plan—assessing retirement timeline and income needs, modeling tax projections, and coordinating portfolio strategy with their business priorities. As a fiduciary, we’re legally required to act in the client’s best interest, with compensation aligned to portfolio growth rather than product sales.
They avoided unnecessary tax triggers from commission-driven recommendations and reduced total advisory costs through consolidated management. For the first time, their portfolio was properly balanced across all accounts with appropriate risk for their timeline. Most importantly, they confirmed they were on track to retire at their target age—clarity they’d sought from both previous advisors but never received. As they shared with us: all the pieces were finally working together.
Read the full story:
See if this describes your situation:
You own a business generating $500K+ in annual revenue
Most of your net worth is tied up in your business
You’re 5-15 years from a potential exit or succession
You’re paying significant taxes but unsure if you’re optimizing correctly
You want to build wealth outside your business but don’t know where to start
You need coordination between your CPA, attorney, and financial advisor
You want a clear path from business owner to financially independent retiree
If you checked three or more boxes, you’re exactly the type of client we specialize in helping transition from business success to personal financial freedom.
Fiduciary Standard for Business Owners
We’re legally bound to put your interests first. No product sales pressure—especially important when exit proceeds and business transitions are at stake.
Coordinated Planning Approach
We work with your existing CPA and attorney, not against them. Many business owners appreciate having an integrated strategy rather than conflicting advice from disconnected advisors.
20+ Years Local Tucson Expertise
We’ve built relationships with advisors who specialize in business transitions. Our local presence means we understand the Tucson market and can connect you with the right professionals.
Fee-Based Structure Aligned with Your Goals
We benefit when your wealth grows, not when we sell you products. Our compensation model creates alignment rather than conflict.
Risk-First Investment Philosophy
After you exit, protecting those proceeds matters more than chasing aggressive returns. We focus on keeping you financially secure rather than taking unnecessary risks with your life’s work.
Ideally five to ten years before your target exit date. This timeline allows for value optimization, tax planning coordination, and ensuring your personal finances are positioned for the transition. Waiting until shortly before limits your options significantly.
While every situation differs, many business owners benefit from diversifying a portion of their net worth outside the business. This reduces concentration risk and ensures retirement readiness isn’t entirely dependent on exit proceeds.
No. We work collaboratively with your existing advisors. Our role is investment strategy and wealth planning; we coordinate with your CPA on tax considerations and your attorney on legal structures.
That’s actually a good position to be in. The earlier we start, the more options we have for tax optimization, wealth extraction, and positioning your business for maximum value.
Unlike bank-affiliated advisors who may be incentivized to sell proprietary products, we’re independent fiduciaries. Our focus is solely on your personal wealth strategy and what serves your goals.
You’ve built something valuable. Now it’s time to ensure that value translates into the personal financial freedom you’ve earned.
Our Business Owner Wealth Review helps you understand exactly where you stand and what steps you need to take for a transition that happens on your terms. We’ll look at your current situation, identify opportunities for tax-efficient wealth extraction, and create a roadmap for reducing concentration risk.
There’s no pressure or obligation. Roughly one in four business owners we meet with, we tell them they’re doing well and don’t need us yet.
Ready to build wealth that outlasts your business? Let’s start the conversation.
