Chad Willardson is a prominent figure in the world of finance, known for his expertise in wealth management and his entrepreneurial ventures. He is the President and Founder of Pacific Capital, a company dedicated to serving visionary entrepreneurs.
Early Career and Transition to Entrepreneurship
Before venturing into the world of entrepreneurship, Chad Willardson spent nine years at Merrill Lynch, where he ranked in the top 2% of over 16,000 Financial Advisors nationally. In 2011, he decided to leave the corporate world to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams. This led to the founding of Pacific Capital, aimed at serving visionary entrepreneurs.
“In 2011, I left the corporate world (big Wall Street Bank) to become an entrepreneur. I founded Pacific Capital to serve visionary entrepreneurs.”
ELEVATED: Coaching High-Net-Worth Entrepreneurs
Willardson is also the Founder and President of ELEVATED, a personal and professional growth company that offers coaching to high-net-worth entrepreneurs. At ELEVATED, he leads and mentors a select group of growth-focused entrepreneurs from around the world, guiding them to achieve breakthrough business and personal goals.
“I’m the Founder and President of ELEVATED, a personal and professional growth company that offers coaching to high-net-worth entrepreneurs on achieving financial and lifestyle freedom."
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One notable memory for Willardson was hearing from an ELEVATED member who achieved more goals in the first five months of the program than in the previous decade with other coaching groups.
Core Products and Features of ELEVATED
ELEVATED provides a community where visionary entrepreneurs feel understood, surrounded by like-minded individuals from all over the world. The program offers extreme accountability and a unique group dynamic. Membership is renewable annually and includes participation in 20 live group coaching sessions with Chad Willardson and other guest experts.
“ELEVATED is a community where visionary entrepreneurs finally feel understood. They’re surrounded by people just like them from all over the world. We offer extreme accountability and a group like no other.”
Challenges and Solutions in Building ELEVATED
One of the challenges faced by Willardson and his team at ELEVATED is that the entrepreneurs they work with are often busy and struggle with wearing multiple hats. To address this, the team provides weekly accountability coaching and small mastermind groups, fostering an environment of tailored feedback and collaboration.
“Because the entrepreneurs we work with are busy and often struggle with wearing multiple hats, it can hinder their ability to get the full ELEVATED experience. Our team has come to address this by providing weekly accountability coaching and small mastermind groups, fostering an environment of tailored feedback and collaboration."
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Members have noted significant improvements since joining ELEVATED. Daniel White, CEO of Daniel White Coaching, shared that his focus and results have multiplied 10x since joining the program. Emily Case of Case Study LLC mentioned that building relationships and connecting with growth-minded individuals within ELEVATED has been life-changing.
Target Market and Differentiation
ELEVATED aims to work with visionary entrepreneurs, including founders doing over $10-$100 million in annual sales, who are still pushing for growth. What differentiates ELEVATED from its competition is its approach to continuous support. Unlike other programs that meet quarterly or biannually, ELEVATED ensures entrepreneurs receive weekly accountability coaching and small mastermind groups, fostering an environment where elevated growth and success are inevitable.
“At ELEVATED, we aim to work with visionary entrepreneurs, including founders doing over $10-$100 million in annual sales, who are still pushing for growth."
“While other programs meet quarterly or biannually, our approach ensures entrepreneurs receive continuous support, tailored feedback, and collaboration opportunities, nurturing an environment where elevated growth and success are inevitable.”
Future Goals for ELEVATED
Looking ahead, ELEVATED is working to introduce more resources and strategies, including advanced business filters and frameworks, AI-powered productivity tools, and deeper personal growth initiatives. Willardson is passionate about helping entrepreneurs achieve not just financial success, but also a balanced and fulfilling personal life.
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“Looking ahead to the rest of 2025 and beyond, ELEVATED is working to introduce more resources and strategies, including advanced business filters and frameworks, AI-powered productivity tools, and deeper personal growth initiatives."
Pacific Capital: A Fiduciary Wealth Management Firm
Chad Willardson is the founder and CEO of Pacific Capital, a fiduciary wealth management firm. He is also the co-founder of The Draft Sports Complex and has been twice-elected as the City Treasurer of Corona, California. He manages more than $1.4 billion in investments through his businesses, offering specialized services to high-net-worth entrepreneurs.
FINANCIAL PLANNING FOR ENTREPRENEURS
Pacific Capital differentiates itself by being an independent fiduciary, which puts it in a category of approximately 5-6% of financial advisors in the country. To further stand out, Willardson created and trademarked a process called the "financial life inspection”.
The Financial Life Inspection
The financial life inspection is a comprehensive analysis consisting of a hundred checkpoints, providing clients with a score of green, yellow, or red. This process involves specific recommendations to convert each yellow and red checkpoint into a green one. Clients can implement these recommendations on their own, with their existing network, or through referrals from Pacific Capital.
On average, clients receive between 42 and 48 green scores, indicating that there are approximately 50 yellow and red scores to address. The goal is to help clients convert to 100 greens as quickly as possible, with the timeline varying based on motivation and action-orientedness.
Overcoming Obstacles to Financial Freedom
In his book, "Stress-Free Money," Chad Willardson discusses overcoming the seven obstacles to finding financial freedom. The first and most common obstacle among entrepreneurs is the lack of clear goals. Without clear financial goals, it's difficult to make informed decisions about one's financial life.
“And the first obstacle, which I find is common in most entrepreneurs with their personal financial life at least, is they don’t have clear goals. And so imagine deciding to go on a vacation, and you get your suitcase out, and you go to your closet, and you’re going to start packing. But there’s a problem. You don’t know when you’re going to leave. And you don’t know how long you’re going to be there and what you’re going to do when you get there. It’d be pretty difficult to know what to pack in the suitcase. Right. And so that’s, unfortunately, that’s how most people approach their financial life.”
Client Success Stories
Willardson shares examples of entrepreneurs who have benefited from Pacific Capital's services. One entrepreneur, who runs a logistics business that has grown significantly, stated that Chad Willardson and his team provided the support needed to maximize the benefit of a major liquidity event while still focusing on managing the core business.
“Chad Willardson and his team at Pacific Capital have given me the support I need, I needed to maximize the benefit of a major liquidity event while still focusing on managing my core business.”
Investment Advisory Services and Diversification
Pacific Capital offers two main services: the financial life inspection and investment advisory services. The investment advisory services, which include managing full-time investments and working with CPAs and attorneys, have a minimum portfolio value of $1 million. For clients with less than $1 million, Pacific Capital helps set up and manage investments at platforms like Vanguard, Schwab, or Fidelity.
The diversification of investments depends on the mix of asset classes, each with its own risk profile. The goal is to help clients achieve their financial goals without taking on too much risk. While most clients own a business and real estate, Pacific Capital focuses on managing their investment portfolios.
| Service | Description | Minimum Portfolio Value |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Life Inspection | Comprehensive analysis of financial health | No minimum |
| Investment Advisory Services | Full-time investment management and coordination with other professionals | $1 million |
The Importance of Character and Values
Chad Willardson emphasizes the importance of character and values in both business and personal life. He believes in treating people with respect, regardless of their position, and prioritizing family. This approach extends to his companies, where character is valued as much as skill.
“You don’t have to be selfish to win and get to the top,” he’d always say. I bring the same approach to my companies. We screen for character as carefully as skill, and we track how well teammates help one another, not just how they affect the bottom line.”
Willardson's experiences, from his early career to his current ventures, highlight his dedication to helping entrepreneurs achieve financial freedom and success while maintaining a balanced and fulfilling life.
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