Vista Q&A with Michael Spector

What is your role in the firm as its CEO?

To set a positive vision and rewarding culture for the firm and live it every day.

What is your role in working with clients?

At Vista all clients are part of the Vista family and as such I make myself available to any client that has a need or concern that I can help with. Because I am a CPA and PFS with deep tax and stock option planning experience, I often get involved with clients that have a specific need in these areas.

What do you look for in your team?

By the time I get to interview a candidate they have already proven themselves technically and socially, so I am really focused on the cultural fit. This means they must be an “A” player, hard working, client focused and demonstrate emotional intelligence. At Vista one of our core values is to build deep and meaningful relationships with our clients and each other.

What makes Vista different?

We help our clients rise above the financial noise in the media and provide them with goal based multi-asset class investment solutions. When you combine this with our CFO services, the offering is very compelling and extremely rare in the market.

Another key differentiator is that our compensation model rewards client service and retention above all. Although we love getting new clients, at Vista existing clients come first. We never sell any products; we receive a fee from each client, which accounts for 100% of our revenue. We have built the firm in this way so that the interests of our clients and the firm are always aligned. This is very different from the compensation models of Wallstreet wealth management firms.

What do you love to do outside of work?

I love to travel, especially with my wife, two kids and family friends. Our favorite locations include Maui, Costa Rica and Europe. I have played competitive soccer most of my life and still love to play the “Beautiful Game”. World Cup (especially in Europe) is the greatest event on the planet!

Michael Spector co-founded Vista Wealth Management in 1999 and has been working in personal finance since 1993.

He has been instrumental in developing and delivering the firm's wealth management services. Michael is a CPA and holds the Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) designation.

Michael has been helping clients with their concentrated stock (10b5-1 plans), option (non-qualified and qualified (ISO’s)) and RSU planning needs since the mid 90’s. He has written and taught programs on the tax treatment of stock options to the employees of both private and public companies throughout Silicon Valley.

Michael is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and is licensed to provide investment advisory services in the State of California.