Kelley Slaught, founder, owner and CEO of California Wealth Advisors, works every day to ensure that our clients are cared for and have their best interests put first. She’s carried this philosophy with her for years, and she never plans to lead with a different viewpoint.
“It’s simply the way I see my job. To me, clients quickly become friends, and as we’re all aware, friends are the family we choose. I want each of our clients to feel like family, and when we make decisions about their finances, we want them to feel like they get the type of service they’d want their loved ones to get,” Kelley says.
A Southern California native, everything started when Kelley studied at UC Santa Barbara in the late 1970s. As a business administration student, she quickly developed a passion for the world she was studying. It opened her eyes to the possibilities of the business and financial worlds, and she knew she had to pave a path that allowed her to help others reach their full potential. She also formed a close professional bond with a stockbroker in college, showing her how investments and markets can open doors for growth and set families up for a future of success.
After graduating in 1982, Kelley started her first job in the financial services industry with Dean Witter Reynolds. She learned how much love she had for not just the financial industry, but for clients and helping them reach their various goals and objectives. She eventually worked her way up to an advisor position, allowing her to work face-to-face in a much more personal capacity and truly develop the relationships she values so much.
“I love that I have the ability to help pre-retirees and retirees through the various phases of their lives. It’s so rewarding,” Kelley says. “My favorite part of my job is being able to give pre-retirees a timeline for when they can retire and begin to chase their dreams. I also love when my clients who are already in retirement come to me and tell me that they prepared themselves well enough to achieve their goals and use their free time however they please.”
Kelley takes great pride in her approach, providing custom service to each client based on their answers to questions, their timeframe, their risk tolerance, their goals and more. She knows that financial planning isn’t an overnight process. It often takes months or even years to get the proper plan in place, but she believes that the time is worth it.
“I give my clients the best of myself, both personally and professionally. It’s why I’m independent. I truly want to be able to assess every single option a client might have. Then, once I believe I’ve found the best fit, I explain my reasoning and put the power in the hands of the client, driving them to make the decision they believe is best for them.”
Furthermore, Kelley believes that her values and the way she treats clients shine even brighter in the more difficult times. While most may come to a financial advisor for the purposes of accumulation, Kelley’s actions in times of turmoil are what she wants to be defined by. She always aims to call every client, offering solutions and updates that may give them some semblance of peace of mind.
In her free time, Kelley enjoys playing golf and tennis, and she played both at a competitive level. She is a longtime athlete and takes great pride in honing her craft, but she also simply enjoys the chance to exercise and enjoy the beautiful Southern California weather. She’s also extremely active in her community, serving as a member of different organizations such as the Soroptimist club, which gave her the opportunity to coach high school swim and co-host the Santa Barbara Teen Sports Radio Show.
Radio is yet another passion of Kelley’s as she hosts her own radio show every Saturday at 7 a.m. and every Sunday at 6 a.m. on KNX 1070 in Los Angeles. Lovingly named “Kelley’s Bull Market News,” she saw an opportunity to shed a positive light on the financial industry. Her motto is, “There’s always something to be bullish about,” a slogan that transcends her radio show and permeates her life.
“I try to exude and radiate positivity,” Kelley says. “And it isn’t just about manifesting positive outcomes. I honestly believe that there is positivity in every scenario, and one of my favorite things about my role as an advisor, and even as a person, is finding the optimistic side of each situation.”
Though she has years of experience in financial services, Kelley did take a break in her career to pursue a different job: motherhood. She has three beautiful children and spent 25 years of her life raising them to be great people, and she couldn’t be prouder of everything they’ve accomplished. Now, each has carved out their own career path with college degrees in addition to personal accolades and accomplishments. Her youngest is an actress who studied in Paris and London and is currently pursuing a career in the film industry. Kelley feels so grateful to have raised such a driven, smart and creative family, and she considers the bond she has been able to build with her children her greatest accomplishment.
