WHAT KIND OF ADVISOR IS JASON?

As a wealth management advisor, Jason's primary objective is to empower amazing people to experience amazing lives. Understanding each person’s motivation, or “true north”, for planning is crucial to his method; he identifies where they stand financially, their current trajectory, and what trajectory they aim for. He analyzes five core pillars of their active financial story – to live, to protect, to grow, to optimize, and to impact. Then he revisits the purpose behind each area, using this as a driving force to guide them in the right direction. He finds joy in the creative process of tailoring strategies to an individual’s needs, and he acts as an advocate and accountability partner for his clients, emphasizing the “why” behind one’s financial plan and encouraging them to work toward their unique vision of success.

WHO DOES JASON WORK WITH?

Jason specializes in serving business owners, equity partners, and successful households with complex financial lives. Typically, they’re curious about potential improvements or oversights in their current plans, and Jason becomes a trusted partner who helps them maximize their success. With a background in education, he excels at meeting people where they are, educating them about their situation and opportunities, and helping them grow in meaningful ways. This focus on education ensures his clients not only receive tailored advice but also understand the purpose behind their financial decisions.

JASON THE BUSINESS OWNER

As the owner of Five Pillars Wealth, Jason wears many hats. He is attentive not only to the individual needs of clients, but to the overarching direction of the practice. He oversees the vision of the firm, and he works to ensure he and the team are actively furthering a common mission—to serve each client with excellence.

Five Pillars Wealth was built to serve those who value family and community, and he recognizes that these ideals begin with himself. He makes it a point to engage personally with his team, prioritizing intentional communication and making himself available whenever possible. His goal is to foster a culture of camaraderie where everyone is heard, recognized, and supported, whether he’s serving clients or collaborating with his team.

EDUCATION & DESIGNATIONS

• University of Virginia – BA in Psychology
• University of Virginia – Master’s in Education
• CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™
• Chartered Financial Consultant®
• Chartered Life Underwriter®

WHAT IS JASON PASSIONATE ABOUT?

Being involved in the community and serving others is incredibly important to Jason. He and his family are active participants in their church, and he has served on the board of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) in the Northern Virginia region. Jason and his wife Amanda have been heavily involved with fundraising and leadership for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. His firm is also involved with Alex’s Lemonade Stand, an organization dedicated to fighting childhood cancer. Near and dear to his heart, though, is his time spent with his family and participating as coach and #1 fan of his kids’ sports teams.

JASON IN REAL LIFE

Jason and Amanda, married since 2004, both work in the practice and are deeply committed to their family. Their eldest, Ethan, is a high school student who has played baseball for years and is now also working on his golf swing. Ella, their middle child, plays soccer and volleyball, and their youngest, Aly, practices martial arts as well as soccer (Jason is proud to admit she could easily take him in a match). With their busy schedules, Jason and Amanda prioritize special time with each of their kids, regularly scheduling daddy/daughter or mother/son “date nights.”

Like any good dad, Jason recognizes the importance of teaching his kids about great music, and he loves going to concerts or just jamming with them at home. They also love to travel, and they’ve been blessed to visit Europe and Mexico several years in a row (though they’re also happy to settle in for a movie together). When he has time, Jason likes to golf, and is a member of Westwood Country Club just down the street from the office.

WHAT DOES SEP DO & WHO DOES HE SERVE?

As a partner and lead advisor for Five Pillars Wealth, Sep spends much of his time cultivating relationships across the DC region and adding value to those he serves. Sep is focused on enhancing the financial trajectory of every person with whom he engages, and he enjoys building the firm while he helps others build their best future.

Many of Sep’s clients are specialized professionals, whether in the field of medicine, law, or finance. That said, Sep’s ideal client spans various stages of life: from young families just getting started to business owners navigating their growing pains to those seasoned households ready for retirement. If Sep and the team can help great people looking to do great things, he will.

SEP’S APPROACH TO ADVISING

Sep’s mission is to give people confidence about their financial picture. Where some advisors may focus solely on the numbers, Sep strives to go deeper. Rather than seeking a one-sided snapshot of a client’s financial story, he works to understand the full picture; he gets to know them for who they are in relation to their values, history, beliefs, and circumstances. He recognizes that finances can be a highly emotional subject, so he listens intently to his clients without judgement or expectation. In doing so, he learns what truly matters to them, and he makes sure their voice is heard throughout the planning process.

EDUCATION & DESIGNATIONS

• Bachelor’s Degree – University of Oklahoma
• Master’s in Legal Studies (MLS)
• Series 6 License
• Certification in Long-Term Care (CLTC®)

SEP IN REAL LIFE

Sep grew up in the D.C. area, where he and much of his family still live today. He attended Langley High School, where he played soccer and football. His soccer skills were also put to good use on the Division One team at Longwood University, where he graduated with honors. Family is incredibly important to the Harandis, and they enjoy what Sep refers to as an “open door policy,” where family members are constantly in and out of each other’s homes. When he’s not visiting family (and often when he is), Sep is usually spending time with his fiancée Kelly and their dog Chano, a German Shepherd/Husky mix. Together, they enjoy working out, hiking, traveling, trying new restaurants, or simply hanging out at home watching TV. Sep is also a big sports fan (hockey being his favorite) and he loves going to football, soccer, and hockey games.

WHAT DOES AMANDA DO?

Amanda serves as the Chief Strategy Officer for Five Pillars Wealth, developing and directing the growth strategy of the firm. Anyone who knows Amanda knows that she is a master at helping others by way of genuine connection and community. She has spent 20 years building deep, intentional relationships in the DC area, and as a result, she has become an incredible resource for our clients, many of whom are government contractors, c-suite executives, or business owners. And for clients of Five Pillars Wealth, Amanda continues to serve as a personal advocate and connector in the region. They are beneficiaries of the high energy and natural sincerity she exudes when she goes to work for them. Amanda ensures that Five Pillars Wealth brings the highest possible value and impact to our clients.

WHAT MAKES AMANDA GREAT?

When Amanda says she loves people, she means it. With her candid nature and relatable personality, she’s known for making instant friends. But her relationships are never just surface level; when she commits to someone, she spends time getting to know them, asking intentional questions, and listening so she can better understand who they are and how she can help. Whether she’s introducing someone to the Five Pillars team for planning guidance or recommending a friend for an industry award to highlight their success, she’s skilled at identifying exactly what someone needs and leading them to a solution.

PROFESSIONAL HISTORY

Amanda graduated from James Madison University with a double major in marketing and computer information systems. She spent several years in sales and commercial real estate working for some of the top producing teams on the east coast. While she loved the relationships she was able to build in these roles, the opportunity for her to join her husband in building a financial services firm and to have a deep and lasting impact on amazing people and businesses in the DC area was too great an opportunity to miss.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Amanda is incredibly passionate about volunteering in her community. For ten years, she served on the Board of Trustees for the National Capital Area’s Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). During that time, she spent five years as Vice President and three years as board Chair, during which time the chapter grew to become an $18 million campaign. Prior to that, Amanda was the top fundraiser and crowned Woman of the Year for the LLS National Capital Area in 2012, a campaign she also co-chaired for two years following. In 2014, Amanda and Jason teamed up to support the pilot of a Students of the Year campaign, an initiative of LLS that encourages high school students to raise money for cancer research. They co-chaired the DC campaign for 3 years, and saw it grow to a multi-million dollar fundraiser for LLS. Amanda has also provided significant fundraising for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) as a board member for an annual golf tournament. Amanda is an alumna of Leadership Greater Washington.

It’s also important to Amanda and Jason that they instill a sense of generosity and compassion in their kids, and they make it a point to volunteer together as a family. Amanda and their son Ethan are founding members of their local Young Men’s Service League, and each year, they complete 20 hours of service together alongside other mothers and sons across the nation.

PERSONAL LIFE

Amanda grew up in the DC area, where she now lives with Jason and their three kids, Ethan, Ella, and Alyssa. They’re all a little obsessed with the Buffalo Bills, and they spend a lot of their free time watching and playing different sports. Amanda became a true-blue baseball mom when Ethan took up the game, and she and Jason love cheering on Ella and Alyssa from the sidelines of a soccer field.

Family and faith rest at the center of Amanda’s life, and in addition to being actively involved in their church, their family is one of the lucky ones that truly enjoys spending quality time together, whether they’re vacationing in Europe, watching football, or volunteering in the community.

WHAT DOES LORI DO?

Lori serves as the Director of Insurance Operations & Services for Five Pillars Wealth, a role in which she expertly manages the onboarding of clients for various risk products including life insurance, disability, long-term care, and annuities. Her responsibilities encompass the entire client journey, from the application process to the finalization of the product. She believes in the power of personal, consistent communication, and she ensures that each client hears from her directly and regularly.

Lori is also instrumental in guiding clients through the financial details of significant life changes such as marriage, job transitions, or a death in the family. Her meticulous attention to detail ensures the team is always prepared with necessary information. They are dedicated to safeguarding client data, and a crucial aspect of Lori’s role is gathering and storing client information as securely as possible.

WHY IS LORI AWESOME?

Lori makes a point to understand clients personally, and she has a knack for connecting with people from all walks of life. In her conversations with clients, she draws on personal experiences, particularly her journey as a breast cancer survivor. Because of this experience, she can skillfully navigate personal and difficult conversations with grace and compassion. She often becomes a confidant as well as a financial support system, and she is committed to being accessible as she guides clients through the planning process.

INDUSTRY INVOLVEMENT

Lori actively engages in the Women’s Field Association at Northwestern Mutual, an organization committed to elevating women in financial services. This platform allows her to collaborate with fellow women in the industry, sharing ideas and strengthening their collective voice. She participates in trainings and study groups, and plans to become more involved in the association’s recruiting efforts in the near future.

WHAT DID LORI DO BEFORE JOINING THE FIVE PILLARS WEALTH TEAM?

Lori graduated from the University of New Mexico with a degree in marketing and business administration. She spent 12 years in commercial real estate, working as the marketing director of a shopping center before her family moved to northern Virginia. It was a chance meeting at a playground between her husband and the Tiedes that led to her joining the financial firm in February of 2016. Since then, she has continued to learn and grow with the practice, and she is proud to be part of a team that values family and serves its clients with integrity.

SO, WHO IS LORI, REALLY?

Lori and her husband Laz (who gets the award for “Coolest Job” as a former FBI agent) have been married since 1998. His career provided their family many opportunities to travel over the years, including a stint in the Dominican Republic where they worked out of the U.S. Embassy. Their daughter Triana is currently studying at the University of Dayton, and their son Lucas attends Moeller High School, where Lori is an active volunteer. Their faith is very important to them, and their family attends church every Sunday.

In addition to her role as a dedicated mom and wife, Lori enjoys devouring books of all kinds (she recently read Elon Musk's memoir, and as a die-hard U2 fan, found Bono's memoir particularly "awesome”). She is part of a women’s book club, where she enjoys making new friends and having another excuse to read. She is also an active member of the Peloton community, and she loves the inspiration the organization provides in addition to the great workouts. To relax, Lori likes to eat Cuban food, do puzzles and crafts, or even paint alongside the classic calming instructor, Bob Ross.

LIZ’S ROLE

Liz oversees the client experience for Five Pillars Wealth, ensuring a personalized approach tailored to each client’s unique needs. Beyond running point on pulling together all relevant financial information and details to capture the full context of the client’s financial story, Liz also pinpoints key priorities and needs to best enhance that story most efficiently. With a focus on the details, Liz can uncover opportunities of greatest impact for our clients both now and in the future.

Our clients will most likely engage with Liz in the initial client onboarding stages, during strategic planning engagements, on annual reviews, and throughout the year at client events. Liz is known for her professionalism and genuine care for people, and she loves knowing she and the team are making a meaningful impact on clients' lives.

In addition to her client-facing role, Liz directs the practice’s operations and marketing initiatives. She specializes in system development, client relationship management, and creating processes for both the team and client interactions. Her keen attention to detail and systematic approach ensures a seamless client experience and systems that empower our team to operate with increasing efficiency.

EDUCATION & DESIGNATIONS

• B.S. from James Madison University, Technical and Scientific Communications
• Life and Health Insurance License
• Series 7 License

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

Liz holds a bachelor's degree in technical and scientific communications from James Madison University. In 2004, she co-founded a real estate team with her husband in the DC area, which has grown to a thriving team who has now sold over 1,000 homes. Over the years Liz took a step back to focus on raising their three girls, which she balanced with part time efforts supporting their business in marketing, events, and outreach.

In 2021, Liz sought a pivot to a career in financial services, feeling (accurately so) that her skillset was complementary to the industry—in real estate, she had gained valuable experience building trust with people, educating them about the long-term impact of their choices, and guiding them through significant (and often unfamiliar) decisions. As a long-time client and friend of the Teide’s, she was excited to join a team that had their clients’ best interests at heart. Liz has her Series 7 and Life and Health licenses.

GIVING BACK

Liz is deeply committed to community engagement. She and her husband dedicated 12 years to the Washington Nationals baseball team serving as volunteer Chaplains, and she actively participates in all three of her children's schools. She is also a dedicated volunteer at her church, where she contributes to various initiatives, including the youth program and recent mission work in West Virginia. Her family actively supports the efforts of Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, currently through her oldest daughter’s student-led fundraising campaign.

PERSONAL LIFE

Liz and her husband Tim first crossed paths during college (which is also where Liz met Amanda) and have been happily married since 2004. They are the proud parents of three daughters: Charlotte and Hannah (both teenagers), and their youngest, Katie. All three girls are involved in church activities, play volleyball, and compete on the swim team. Not to be outdone by her daughters, Liz flexes her own athletic muscles on the tennis court. As a family, they like to travel, go to the beach, and walk their golden retriever Brinkley (the namesake of Tom Hank’s dog in You’ve Got Mail). Liz is also an avid reader, with a particular penchant for biographies and historical fiction.

WHAT KIND OF ADVISOR IS AIDAN?

As an Associate Financial Advisor, Aidan focuses on helping clients build wealth and reach their long-term goals. He relates his role to that of a chiropractor, showing clients where they stand today and where they could be with the help of a professional. By helping them realize what they could accomplish through intentional planning and wealth management, he helps them set actionable goals they can be excited about. From there, he supports clients on a practical level, opening and managing their investment accounts, facilitating planning meetings, and conducting regular investment reviews to monitor their progress.

His goal is to be a proactive partner his clients can count on; he’s in their corner, helping them navigate opportunities and make wise decisions with their wealth. He makes it a point to hold clients accountable to their planning, ensuring they have everything they need to accomplish their goals and maintain financial security, even when they face challenges. By monitoring and managing their financial world, he helps lift the burden off their shoulders so they can focus on enjoying life.

WHO DOES AIDAN SERVE?

Having grown up in a household where a strong work ethic was encouraged, Aidan understands the value of prioritizing one’s finances early in life. He loves working with driven people who are ready to take action and need the guidance of a trusted advisor to make it happen. Aidan especially enjoys serving military families, knowing that he can help serve those who have spent much of their lives serving others.

EDUCATION

• Bachelor’s Degree (Financial Analysis & Investment Management) – Virginia Tech
• Series 6 License

AIDAN IN REAL LIFE

Apart from financial planning and wealth management, Aidan is passionate about health and fitness and helping others pursue their health goals. He spends much of his free time weight training and doing whatever outdoor activities the season allows, be it hiking or snowboarding. He currently lives in northern Virginia, enjoys a cold plunge every day, and gives a good amount of attention to his boxer, Whiskey.