Top Financial Advisor Shares Business Owner Strategies

Expert Interview: Journey Advisory Group

Recognized with 5 Stars on Newsweek’s List of America’s Top Financial Advisory Firms

Disclosure: Newsweek’s America’s Top Financial Advisory Firms 2026, published in partnership with Plant-A Insights Group, is an annual ranking that evaluated over 16,000 SEC-registered financial advisory firms. To be eligible, firms were required to have more than $20 million in assets under management, a minimum of three wealth advisers, at least five individual clients, at least two years of SEC registration, clean disciplinary records, and the availability of portfolio management services to individual investors. Firms were scored on asset growth (short-term and long-term), client base growth, credentialed adviser expertise, client-to-adviser ratios, and breadth of service offerings. The top 1,000 firms were recognized and assigned star ratings based on their composite scores. Journey Advisory Group received a 5-star rating for 2026. Firms do not pay to be evaluated or included in the ranking; however, the firm paid a fee for permission to use the logo when marketing the award. The full list and methodology are available at rankings.newsweek.com. 

Journey Advisory Group, recognized with a five-star rating on Newsweek’s list of America’s Top Financial Advisory Firms (2024-2025), is an independent, fiduciary Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) serving the Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, and Dayton regions. The firm provides comprehensive financial planning, tax-aware strategy, and in-house investment management through a personalized, client-focused approach. We sat down with Tyler Lang, Founder & CEO of Journey Advisory Group, to discuss how business owners can strengthen their personal financial health.

Q: Many business owners focus on revenue growth but may overlook personal financial planning. Why is it important to separate business finances from personal wealth management?

Tyler Lang: Business owners often pour everything back into their company, which makes sense when you are building something. But the risk is that your entire financial life becomes tied to one asset. If the business faces a downturn, your personal financial security is exposed simultaneously. At Journey Advisory Group, we work with business owners to create a clear line between business cash flow and long-term personal wealth through diversified investments, retirement accounts, and tax-aware strategies.

Q: Cash flow management is critical for merchants, especially those processing high volumes of transactions daily. What financial planning strategies should these business owners prioritize?

Tyler Lang: When you are processing a high volume of payments, it can feel like money is always moving, and that creates a false sense of security. The first priority should be building a personal liquidity reserve completely separate from business operating funds. From there, focus on tax planning. Revenue flowing through payment processing generates taxable events, and without a proactive strategy, you can face a larger-than-expected liability at year end. We also recommend establishing a retirement savings vehicle early, whether a SEP IRA, a solo 401(k), or another structure suited to your business size and goals.

Q: Many of BAMS’s clients are small to mid-sized business owners. When should a business owner consider working with a fiduciary financial advisor rather than managing finances independently?

Tyler Lang: There are a few inflection points where professional guidance becomes valuable. The first is when your business income begins exceeding your personal spending needs consistently, because that surplus needs a strategy. The second is when you start thinking about succession planning or an eventual sale. And the third is any time a major life change intersects with your business: a divorce, an inheritance, a partner buyout, or approaching retirement. A fiduciary advisor is legally obligated to act in your best interest, which means the advice you receive is not influenced by product commissions. Journey Advisory Group is an independent, fee-based advisory firm, so our recommendations are always aligned with what is best for the client.

Q: Technology has transformed both payment processing and financial advisory services. How does Journey Advisory Group use technology to serve business owners?

Tyler Lang: Technology has made it possible to deliver a level of service that used to be reserved for the largest wealth management firms. We use advanced tools to monitor portfolios, model tax scenarios, and stress-test financial plans against different market conditions. Our team also leverages technology to stay in proactive contact with clients rather than waiting for annual reviews. That said, technology is a tool, not a replacement for the advisor relationship. The most important decisions, whether selling a business, structuring an estate plan, or navigating a downturn, require the judgment that only a dedicated advisory team can provide.

Q: What is one piece of financial advice you would give to a business owner who is just beginning to think seriously about their long-term financial plan?

Tyler Lang: Start by understanding what you want your life to look like in ten or twenty years, independent of your business. That vision becomes the foundation for every financial decision. Too many business owners defer personal planning because the business feels more urgent, but the earlier you build a plan that accounts for retirement, tax efficiency, and estate considerations, the more flexibility you have. A good financial plan is a living framework that adapts as your circumstances change. The most important step is having that first conversation with an advisor who will listen before recommending anything.

To learn more about Journey Advisory Group and how their team supports business owners and families across the Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, and Dayton regions, visit journeyadvisory.group

Disclosure: Journey Advisory Group is an SEC Registered Investment Adviser. Any reference to or use of the terms “registered investment adviser” or “registered” does not imply that Journey Advisory Group or any person associated with Journey Advisory Group has achieved a certain level of skill or training. This material was prepared by First Page Sage on behalf of Journey Advisory Group and is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as a substitute for personalized investment advice or as a recommendation or solicitation of any particular security, strategy, or investment product.