We’re wealth, life and legacy optimizers

I’m a synergizer who’s skilled in solving problems and optimizing outcomes.

I’m here to provide clarity on where you’re currently at and help you identify what’s missing. Then, I’ll work with you to hand-select your optimal team and bring all your experts together in service of your vision.


Lan J Shaw

CFP®, CEPA®, financial planner

I’m a born problem solver. As an immigrant born in China whose family was displaced after a massive earthquake, I could have settled for what was then my reality, but instead I developed a hunger for exploring what’s possible.

With an undergraduate degree in systems engineering, I bootstrapped my way to an affluent American lifestyle with a global corporation, but I didn’t want my life to be about “arriving” at a destination, instead I kept looking for a way to evolve and embrace new opportunities as they unfolded. That’s what led me to wealth management where I realized my passion was helping clients with complex lives optimize their outcomes. I combined my undergraduate systems engineering degree with an MBA in finance. In my first decade as a wealth planner, I met many experts with a thorough grasp of their subject material.
Lawyers, accountants, insurance specialists, concierge medical doctors, charitable foundation specialists, and more. They all did good work but they carried out that work in silos.
The wealthy have complex needs that require a synergistic family office approach. At that time, a family office was only available to the ultra-rich.
I made it my mission to change that and started my own wealth management practice with all the tools, strategies, methodologies, and processes needed to make a meaningful difference in the lives of my clients.

I strongly believe my clients should not have to repeat themselves over and over to each expert on their team, rather they deserve to have someone managing that for them, bringing their experts together to help achieve consistently optimal results.

Meet the team

Lan’s background and awards

After being born in the communist country of China and living in a re-education camp at 4 years of age, to later enduring the 7.5 magnitude Tangshan earthquake of 1976 and consequently spending 3 more years of her childhood living on the streets, it may have been tempting to see life through a lens of limitation. Fortunately, Lan has always had a natural tendency to look for what’s possible rather than settling for what seemed probable, and to make possibility a reality. Her innate optimizing talent has brought miracle after miracle.

  • Lan:
    ● Was born in Beijing, China
    ● Survived a 7.5 magnitude earthquake, which left her and her family homeless
    ● Earned her undergraduate degree in Systems Engineering
    ● Excelled in her career, which opened the opportunity to visit America
    ● Became a global corporate executive
    ● Earned her MBA in England in just one year
    ● Moved permanently to California
    ● Transitioned to financial planning
    ● Achieved her CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM certification (CFP®) and her Certified ExitPlanning Advisor (CEPA®)
    ● Earned the trust of her clients through hard work and excellent service
    ● Left a large financial institution to cater to the custom needs of her clients
    ● Opened a virtual family office to optimally support her clients’ financial and lifestyle needs
    ● Five Star Wealth Manager award winner every year 2018-20222018-2022 Five Star Wealth Manager Award, created by Five Star Professional. The 2022award was awarded in October, 2022 based on data gathered within 12 months precedingthe issue date. 1155 advisors were considered, 90 advisors were recognized. Advisors pay afee to hold out marketing materials. Not indicative of advisor’s future performance. Yourexperience may vary.

    Click here for more award information.

Sarah Kelleher

Client Service Assistant
Sarah has long been involved in the financial advising field, having formerly held the FINRA Series 65 and Life/Health insurance registrations. She’s dedicated to serving VPW clients and uses her past expertise as a fund accountant to ensure diligence, attentiveness, and accuracy in client experiences.
Sarah graduated from Radford University with a BA in Business Administration: Finance. She also studied abroad at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, and brings the ease of a global traveler to her work. Sarah enjoys expressing herself through dance and acrylic painting, and grew up sailing, a
passion that she still enjoys today.

Samantha

Client Service Assistant

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Russ Alan Prince

Expert-in-Residence
Russ Alan Prince is one of the foremost experts on the private wealth industry and an international leading authority on family offices. He consults to the super-rich and family offices. Also, for select clients Russ provides personal wealth creation coaching.
He has authored more than 60 books including:

  • Maximizing Your Single-Family Office: Leveraging the

  • Power of Outsourcing and Stress Testing

  • Your Optimal Financial World: How Driven

  • Entrepreneurs Can Benefit from High-Performing

  • Virtual Family Offices

  • Everyone Wins! How You Can Enhance and Optimize

  • Business Relationships Just Like Ultra-Wealthy

  • Entrepreneurs