440-505-5588

jzarlinga@stratoswp.com

I’ve had various titles throughout my life and nothing beats the title of “Dad”.  But the term consistently and lovingly given to me by friends and colleagues of “old soul” also brings a smile to my face. Admittedly, I am an “old soul” in many ways, although I embrace technology, I still prefer and appreciate a face-to-face meeting rather than a phone call, text, or email.  I take great pride in being there and sharing in life’s moments, mysteries, triumphs, the good, the bad, and even the ugly with my clients.  I appreciate that I am often the first call when a client is thinking about retiring, selling their home or business, celebrating a wedding, or the miracle of a newborn grandchild.   I am honored to help guide my clients through whatever unfortunate circumstances they may be navigating so they never have to go it alone.  This level of relationship and communication is not something I take for granted. There is a mutual trust. The true value of relationships and caring for those around you is something I learned from my large Italian family, especially my parents.  Watching their interactions whether at church, the store, or just out and about, all people mattered to them and everyone was welcomed. Everyone.  No one was more important than another and I feel the same way.  I learned from their example and feel the same way about people and interactions in my life.  This dedication and passion for securing a safe and sound bigger picture is what led me to pursue a career and earn my livelihood in wealth management. These relationships become and are personal.  My clients aren’t just clients, they are friends with unique stories and needs.

This level of understanding, trust and dedication doesn’t come easily, despite my fun nickname. As a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) with over 20 years of industry experience, I pride myself on being a holistic advisor, able to deliver a full spectrum of financial services.  Having a diligent process of knowing and understanding the investments in a portfolio, recognizing the importance of liquidity and having regular communication are a few of the pillars to a sound investment process. By focusing on challenging the status quo and investing in a way that is simple to understand, I know my clients then become actively involved in charting their financial success. It’s a two-way relationship –the only way I know how to work. This collaborative approach to planning allows me to work seamlessly with attorneys and tax professionals and my trusted team to cooperatively assist in effectively managing and preserving their wealth.

Though I like being known as an “old soul”, and I stay true to living by my parents’ values each day, I am most proud of the relationships I have at home with my wife Sarah and our two children, Bella and Joey. Sarah and I work consistently to teach our kids the importance of caring for others, the responsibility we all have to give back, and the value of building meaningful connections. Happily, sometimes those connections extend to the golf course, watching live music, a Browns game, or making meatballs for a traditional family Sunday supper. This is what makes this “old soul” the happiest.