Element Wealth Management was built to serve clients, not shareholders. Led by experienced advisors Chris Held and Cortland Golightly, they help founders transition their practice without losing what made it special, including the relationships, the values, and the heart behind the business.
Discover how Element Wealth Management helps advisors protect their legacy and clients during the next chapter of their journey.
Element Wealth Management brings big-firm expertise to a boutique practice rooted in independence, integrity, and service. Founded in Walnut Creek, California, they serve clients across the West with holistic financial planning that aligns with real life. Whether it’s retirement income, tax strategy, or legacy planning, Element helps clients tie it all together.
With their LPL Financial affiliation, they deliver the scale, technology, and investment access of a major platform, all while keeping the personalized, advisor-led experience intact.
Meet the leaders behind Element Wealth, seasoned professionals who left the big firms to build something better, a client-first practice built on values and trust.
Managing Partner
Chris started Element after years at Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo. He brings over 20 years of experience and a commitment to personal, planning-driven service that puts the client’s goals first.
Managing Partner
A former division manager at The Hartford and advisor at Morgan Stanley, Cortland brings deep expertise in retirement income planning. His approach is warm, practical, and built around doing the right thing, especially when no one’s looking.
Element Wealth partners with advisors who want their clients treated like family, not numbers. If you’re thinking about stepping away or simply want more support without losing your identity, Element builds around your vision.
They’re best suited for advisors managing $25M–$150M in AUM who value a relationship-driven culture, financial planning excellence, and high-touch service. They serve clients in California and across the West, but values matter more than ZIP codes.
Element transitions are intentionally personal. Your team stays. Your clients stay with people they trust. Your values remain the foundation.
Behind the scenes, they take care of the operational load, such as paperwork, compliance, and onboarding, so you can focus on what matters: your people. If you want to stay on during the transition or exit entirely, they meet you where you are.
They don’t absorb what you’ve built. They also preserve and enhance it.
Element is built on trust, and they work hard to earn it every day. Here’s what clients say after moving their relationships to the team:
“I liked Shad right away — he’s local, approachable, and someone my clients can actually meet. BlueCrest says all the right things, and frankly, they do financial planning better than I ever did.”
Bob H.
Element offers the rare mix of independence, experience, and care. Advisors choose them because:
Sunsetters who want a partner that values people over production and trust over transactions find a natural fit with Element.
If you’re exploring your next chapter, Element is open to confidential conversations. Whether you’re ready now or just thinking ahead, they’re happy to walk you through the process with no added pressure.
They focus on California and surrounding Western states but will talk with the right cultural fit wherever you are.
CERTIFIED EXIT PLANNING ADVISOR
Evaluate your practice based on AUM, revenue, and overhead. Get insights & strategies for buyer expectations to boost value.
Understand your valuation in today’s market. Develop a clear strategy to optimize your practice and enhance valuation before selling.
Clean up your financials, improve client retention, and reduce inefficiences to increase the value of your practice.
Meet with 2-3 buyers we’ve sourced & hand-selected based on your preferences to determine the best fit.
We will lead you through the negotiation process to put together the best deal structure and ensure a smooth transiton.
Once the deal is signed, the real work begins. We help you navigate the handoff process to maximize client retention.
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