Total Value of Policies: $1.2 billion

Background: Reva Azeez’s path to financial planning began working part-time at an Italian restaurant in Houston, Texas around 2004. She was 19 and studying pre-med at the University of Houston and had moved alone to the U.S. from China four years earlier. Azeez had made friends with one of the restaurant’s regular patrons, who happened to be a financial advisor. Still new to the country, Azeez started asking him questions about 401(k)s, retirement planning and the best classes to take in school. The advisor applauded her curiosity and offered to let her shadow him for a day. She showed up at his office the next morning and left with a part-time job offer. After graduating, she began building her practice as an independent financial advisor under MML Investor Services in December 2007, just as the financial crisis was hitting. Although people told her she was crazy, Azeez saw an opportunity in scared clients looking for answers. In 2010, she officially launched ROA Partners.

Competitive Edge: Azeez says being trained in classical piano as a child taught her how to make intimidating tasks manageable, turning complicated sheet music into something she could master with practice. She brings that same diligence and patience to financial planning, especially with families facing complicated or emotional decisions. Before making recommendations, she wants to get to the root of the problem. Her edge, she says, is not just building the plan but making sure clients actually understand it. Many clients tell her she is the first advisor they have ever understood. “I make sure that whatever I say, a grandmother and an elementary school kid can both understand,” says Azeez.

Building Relationships: Azeez serves more than 1,200 households, with clients coming entirely through referrals. She works primarily with family and professional service businesses, including law firms, medical practices and CPA firms. Many are multigenerational families thinking about legacy and succession, including whether to transition a business internally, sell it or prepare the next generation to lead. At ROA Partners, she works alongside her husband, Omar. Azeez focuses primarily on clients, while he focuses more on recruiting and hiring.

Investment Philosophy/Strategy: Azeez approaches financial planning like building a house, starting with a solid foundation before moving to more complex strategies. The foundation is understanding cash flow, how quickly money is being spent and the protections that keep a family business from being upended if an owner dies prematurely or becomes unable to work. Once that foundation is solid, she moves to the framework, investing excess income for the future through retirement plans and college savings. Azeez says most of her clients are now at the roof stage after decades of accumulating wealth, where the focus turns to tax strategy and estate planning. Today, her business is roughly 80% investments and 20% insurance, supported by an eight-person team in Houston.

Best Advice: Do what you love. “If what you do is your calling, you believe in it, you’re passionate about it and you have conviction for it. It not only makes the hard times worth it, and you won’t give up easily,” Azeez says.