Aaron McDermott

I grew up in a blue collar family, with most of my family working at Boeing. And while I have a deep connection to hard working individuals, none ever thought about growing their future wealth or looking into what they could do to avoid many costly mistakes. I am the first person in my family to go to college and became an advisor to help individuals and their families invest in their futures.

Having graduated with a degree in Finance from Michael G. Foster School of Business at The University of Washington, I knew I wanted to join a team-driven financial advice firm that focused on teaching people finance: everything from the most basic meaning of the word, to the most advanced. 

I’ve always valued financial independence and know how difficult it is to navigate the financial world. Things like inadequate education of even basic finance are big barriers to so many people. No-one truly knows what tomorrow will bring, but if we start thinking about it today and create a personal financial plan, it gives us purpose and drive, so we can strive towards the future we desire. 

It is extremely difficult to follow a plan if you don’t have the directions. Finance isn’t something that’s widely taught and it’s difficult for people to understand, what with all the noise and jargon in our industry. My purpose is to help people break through these barriers, so they can feel confident knowing they’re on the right path.

My clients come to me needing advice and direction on what to do to ensure a successful future during and after their careers. Most are young professionals who are entangled with their work lives and want me to help them take advantage of everything available to them. This can consist of many things, such as stock options, investment allocation, investment taxes and so forth. 

Many have never had someone they can trust and who genuinely cares about their situation. They want an ongoing dialogue with me in order to understand their options, so they aren’t worrying or wondering what could possibly go wrong, or whether they’ll reach their financial goals.  I’ve succeeded in this industry because I am a genuine, down-to-earth person that people connect with. Although I am young, I’ve been through a lot in life, which further connects me to my clients. 

Working with WestStar is exactly where I want to be. We don’t just build wealth and security for our clients; we build confidence, clarity and a real understanding of what tomorrow can look like.

I have had four major surgeries related to athletic and sports injuries. I like to play golf in my free time. I am also a big Seahawks fan.