Alix Kusler, CWS^®

Alix serves as partner and portfolio manager at Southwest Investment Advisors. She builds long-term relationships with clients and develops financial plans and strategies that allow clients to “outsource the worry” to the SIA team so that they can live the lives they want to live, knowing that their money is in good hands. As portfolio manager, she directs the portfolio team as they research, implement, and monitor investment portfolios specifically designed to help clients pursue their goals in an ever-changing world.

Alix joined SIA in 2009 after serving as a college ministries intern at a Presbyterian church in Fort Collins, Colorado. In her time at SIA, she has worn just about every hat in the firm from operations manager to financial advisor to portfolio manager and now partner.

Alix graduated Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Pepperdine University, where she seized the opportunity to study abroad in Florence, Italy. Yes, she still speaks (limited) conversational Italian, and yes, she still has an undying love of bold red wine, al dente pasta, and dark chocolate.

Alix holds FINRA Series 7 and 66 securities registrations, which are held through LPL Financial.

When she’s not in the office, Alix enjoys running with her handsome husband, singing at church, laughing with friends, and traversing National Parks with her two very active young boys. She is in a constant state of rearranging furniture, which she swears is a real hobby, and has recently renewed her long-lost love of reading, preferring historical fiction with an element of magic or mystery.

Q&A

What has been surprising to you about the field of finance?

When I was first hired at SIA, I didn’t know what to think of the industry – I thought finance was all about Wall Street “bros,” smarmy men in ties and goatees making the rich get richer. What I learned is that we help normal and wonderful people plan for their futures – no goatee required! Yes, what we do is research and numbers-based, but it’s so much more about the relationships we forge with our clients and how we help their money provide for them. We get to be an intimate part of people’s lives and families, and I don’t take that for granted.

What is your history with investing?

My college money was too aggressively invested and seemingly disappeared overnight after the dot-com bubble burst in the early 2000s. At that time, my parents had to come out of retirement to go back to work, I had to apply for as many grants and scholarships as possible while working my way through college, and after all that, I graduated with a business degree in 2008 during the worst stock market downturn since the Depression,  what we now know as the Great Financial Crisis – not a good time to be entering the job market!

This all gave me a healthy appreciation for the way not to do things. The way we invest at SIA may not be sexy, but it’s consistent. We’re not picking stocks or timing markets or following trends – I’ve seen how quickly that can go south. We are carefully investing our clients’ hard-earned retirement money (college money, legacy money), and we take that seriously.

What are some of your notable achievements or projects?

Putting cute animal pictures in the bathrooms. Kidding, but only kind of. There’s a lot to be said for atmosphere – think how you feel when you go into a stark doctor’s office and immediately get nervous. Talking about money can make people uncomfortable, and we want to do what we can to dispel that. When clients walk in our door, Annette offers them a smile and a beverage. She seats them in a conference room that has comfy chairs and photos of our team members’ families – an inviting atmosphere. So, when the designers told me we couldn’t put cute animal pictures in a professional office setting, we decided to do it anyway. It makes people smile. (Mike and Chad, if you ever read this, I am sending you all the hugs – and also an “I told you so” wink.)

Favorite musicians:

• John Mayer I don’t know why I love him so much; I always have and just do. His music has been a soundtrack to my life and makes me feel calm.
• Ryanhood Local folk rock storyteller duo with a phenomenal stage presence, look them up!
• Andy Grammer He’s our family favorite – such a positive voice! Our youngest son may or may not have fallen asleep at two of his concerts.

My favorite word in the English language is:

“Whimsical.” You can’t say it without smiling. Okay, at least I can’t. Seriously, just try it.