What is your role at Stavis Wealth Transfer Solutions and what does it entail?
 

I am a Co-Founder and the Chief Strategy Officer of Stavis Wealth Transfer Solutions. I have been working with the Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Deborah Stavis, for over 30 years  - ever since that one time she gave birth to me. 

Like any Founder in a quickly growing startup, I wear many hats at the company.  If I had to nail it down, I would classify my day to day role as Operations, Marketing, and tech nerd. Everyday is an adventure and I couldn’t love my work family and work home more!

Tell us a little bit about your path here, specifically your education and professional experience. 

Before joining Stavis Wealth and returning to my roots in Houston, I spent a decade in New York City. Three of those years were with the boutique investment bank Park Sutton Advisors, where I focused on business development, marketing, and tech integration. PSA specializes in RIA Mergers & Acquisitions. During my time, I gained insight into the broad national spectrum of what makes an RIA successful.  

During my time in NYC, I also co-founded StavisFilm with my brother Andrew, blending my passion for both finance and film. My experiences in New York strengthened my connection to home and allowed me to contribute to two very different, yet equally meaningful, family ventures. Two sides of a coin!

For me, what I do at Stavis Wealth is a fantastic way to apply the experience and skills I’ve learned from my time in both the financial and creative worlds on a daily basis. 
                       

One unique aspect of your experience is that one of your co-founders is a relative - specifically your mom!  Can you talk a little bit about the very different type of “work/life balance” that comes from being in business with family?

How much time ya got? Oh…that’s not nearly enough time…Darn, Ok, I’ll just give you the short of it! 

Startup life has ups and downs, and my mother and I have experienced every variation on the theme. At the end of the day, I can confirm that my mother is my hero in every definition of that word. While we have different approaches to work and life, that diversity of thought is exactly what has kept, and will to keep, our company thriving! 

I’ve never been one to believe in a strict work/life balance.  For us, family trips often double as business strategy sessions as we are all passionate about growth, both personally and professionally. However, we seem to have two modes as a family: either we’re plotting to take over the world, or we’re completely engrossed in a weekend-long TV binge session.

 I’m so grateful for the chance to stand by my mother’s side now, applying the experiences I gained elsewhere to our shared journey. It feels like everything has led up to this perfect moment to join forces.
 

What do you think it is that makes Stavis Wealth unique? 

What sets Stavis Wealth apart is our passion, our depth of experience, and the people at the firm, all of whom are dedicated solely to best serve our clients. I would be remiss if I didn’t also point out that we are a female founded, owned, and operated firm - which is definitely unique in the industry. Deborah Stavis is a phenom and there is nothing that can compare to the almost half-century of experience that she has under her belt. Her combined expertise in holistic wealth management and specialized insurance solutions is truly unmatched.

Additionally, we are willing to think outside the traditional box and integrate new ideas and technology into the work we do.  For example, an initiative I am particularly proud of at our firm is the podcast I oversee called, “The Legacy Lounge.”  Each episode of The Legacy Lounge features primarily Deborah (with a few guest appearances) interviewing industry leaders and other fascinating folks! Our company is always interested in bringing high-quality content to those who are interested in learning about the financial space, and the podcast is a perfect demonstration of that core value. It is exceedingly gratifying that my previous experience in the film world can impact our Podcast and Outreach directly. Interesting content with high production value is an asset that I think really is a differentiator for us and the firm!  

           

Enough about work - tell us a little about your life outside of the office? 

While I love our Stavis Wealth offices in Houston, I must admit the weather at my other “office” in Los Angeles is hard to beat. I mentioned my other family business, StavisFilm, owned by Andrew and myself, which is a full-scale production company with our headquarters located in the Hollywood Hills.

We do everything from pre- to post-production and are one of the very few publicly available Dolby Atmos-compliant studios to handle both music engineering and theatrical film releases.

Additionally, my brother and I have produced multiple passion projects in the TV/film space that are (fingers crossed!) nearing distribution. Excited to see how StavisFilm grows from here!

If I am not knee-deep in Stavis Wealth or StavisFilm, then I can likely be found somewhere on one of the four coasts or somewhere out in the ocean on our family boat, alongside my true boss, Ollie the Maltipoo.