Michael J. Waldron
Founder & CEO
Carmel Valley Financial Solutions was a concept developed years ago but incorporated officially in 2016. My journey began in 1998 when I went to a small college in Maryland to play baseball. That year my father unexpectedly passed away and changed my life forever.
“At the end of every hard day, people find some reason to believe.” – Bruce Springsteen
Growing up in a working-class family in suburban New Jersey, finding something to believe after losing your best friend was a challenge, but with the love and support I received I was able to put life into perspective. I lived financial hardships growing up and saw the stress it put on my family, and I took this inspiration as an opportunity to change my life, and hopefully eventually change the lives of others. From that day forward, as much as I loved athletics, I realized my ticket out would be a successful career in finance.
The University of Southern California had one of the best business programs in the nation, along with a network of successful entrepreneurs all over the world. I knew if I wanted doors to open that I would have make a huge financial investment into my future and graduate from a school of this caliber.
I was fortunate to get into the Marshall School of Business with a scholarship and graduated in the top of my class in 2003. The hard work had paid off as I started my career in Santa Monica, CA in the hedge fund industry with Coast Asset Management.
From there I moved back home to New Jersey and served as the Vice President of Operations for Robeco-Sage Capital Management, a multi-billion-dollar hedge fund located in New York City. Later I co-founded JMC Asset Management, an investment management firm specializing in advisory research services and offering U.S. equity portfolio management strategies.
“Talk about a dream, try to make it real.” – The Boss
Success on Wall Street unfortunately never formulated into the dream I had years ago. A career that was financially rewarding didn’t provide the impact on people’s lives that I was searching for.
However, I received a taste of what I was looking for in 2008 when my best friend decided to open up a fitness facility. Over the years I would help him from a distance, discussing operations and finances, while my entrepreneurial spirit began to grow. I then took on a larger financial role in the business a few years later and was able develop a niche in the industry by witnessing all the trials and tribulations felt over the years.
After successfully impacting multiple fitness facilities, in 2016 I finally decided to take the leap and leave the security of the hedge fund world to fully commit to my financial consulting business, the official start of Carmel Valley Financial Solutions (“CVFS”).
With CVFS I’ve been able to merge my career in finance and my passion in athletics and fitness, helping fellow entrepreneurs understand their finances, manager their risk, and secure their financial future.
If you would like to learn more about our services, please feel free to reach out using the below information. I would love to hear your story!
