&
Brian Wee, CFP
When Brian Wee asks about your net, he’s
not talking hay or flies. He’s talking worth,
because a solid foundation to the business
of horses starts not with the seat and hands
but with financial planning. The registered
investment advisor has ridden with US Olympic
Gold medalist Leslie Howard, German
Olympic Bronze medalist Karsten Huck, and
California trainer Gry Mcfarlane. A second
generation Certified Financial Planner, he
returned to the family business of financial
planning with his dad as a mentor. Even with
modest success training and importing sale
horses, he was puzzled as to why it was so
difficult to be financially successful in the
horse business. High overhead, a scarcity
of clients, the culture within the horse industry,
the difficulty in scaling, can feel like
headwinds for professionals carving a living
out of working with horses. Meet a horseman
who helps others create as balanced
a financial outlook as a balanced seat.
HERS: What never got the chance to be included on your
résumé?
HIS: I worked for six months in Germany as a rider for one
of the toughest people I’ve ever met. He also ran a car
dealership and treated his horse business like a used car
lot. One time, he traded in his best horse for cash and 10
lower quality horses. It was my job to prepare these young
horses for sale- he had 12 horses under four years old who
had already had five different riders because there was a
revolving door. The average rider only lasted a few months.
It was a dangerous job, and I remember one day realizing
(when one of the younger horses was walking around on its
hind legs)- that my family and friends didn’t know exactly
where I was- and I wasn’t sure what my German boss
would do if he found me unconscious in the arena.
HERS: How old were you when you had your first paying job
and what was it?
HIS: When I was in elementary school, my friend and I used
to find golf balls, clean them up and re-sell them to golfers
for 50 cents. He lived near a golf course and it was a pretty
good little business.
HERS: On a scale of one to 10, how weird are you?
HIS: Great question. There aren’t a lot of half-Asian male
show jumping riders comfortable enough with their masculinity
to bump to Shakira and Taylor Swift so I would say I
feel pretty unique.
HERS: Give me an example of when you solved a difficult
problem.
HIS: When my wife and I moved from our 1-bedroom
condo in California to a 60-acre farm in Maryland with
three horses, a dog, and three-month old daughter we
found ourselves solving a string of problems, from financing
to career changes to logistics- not to mention an epic road
trip.
HERS: What’s your superpower or spirit animal?
HIS: We have a grouchy Miniature horse that we bought
deep in Amish country that pulls a carriage like a champ.
He is becoming my spirit animal. He’s angry when you
greet him in his stall but when he’s hooked to a carriage he
becomes an extension of my mind as we zip around the
property!
HERS: What is your favorite quote?
HIS: This is either madness or brilliance, by William Turner.
And, it’s remarkable how often those two traits coincide,
from Captain Jack Sparrow.
HERS: How would you describe yourself in one word?
HIS: Innovative.
HERS: If we’re sitting here a year from now celebrating
what a great 12 months it’s been for you, what do you
hope you achieved?
HIS: That my family and I will simply be very happy.
HERS: What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?”
HIS: The abundance of opportunity available to me. The
pressure of needing to provide for my family and two kids
under two years-old.
HERS: What would the closest person in your life say if I
asked them what is the one characteristic they totally dig
about you and the one that drives them insane?
HIS: My wife might say that she digs my can-do attitude.
She would probably complain about the pressure of being
married to such a perfect husband.
HERS: If you worked outside the horse world what would
you be doing?
HIS: I keep finding a way to stay connected to the horse
world. If I couldn’t be connected whatsoever I would
probably build houses. I love carpentry and building even
though I’m not very handy.
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