Are you a leader at or founder of a startup? Do you run a professional services firm? Own a family business? Have real estate or other investments or a part of your compensation is carry in a fund? Are you an entrepreneurial-minded executive in a corporate role? Are you an artist? A freelancer? A franchisee? Do you have a side hustle…or two?

It can be hard to pin down one precise definition of who an entrepreneur is since they can take many forms. But one theme I see throughout them all is…

Someone who takes a risk to build something.

This is who I serve. Because I think building is beautiful – it inspires, creates jobs which impact livelihoods and makes the world better through new goods & services. It’s my mission to help you continue your journey. Why? I love the entrepreneurial story. Because when life presents obstacles, it’s stories of perseverance that inspire us to keep going – and one of the biggest wells of inspiration comes from entrepreneurs and their perseverance in pursuit of a dream.

Your entrepreneurial journey most likely has highs and lows – and it can have moments of stress on your personal finances. Entrepreneurs spend a lot of time on and may have teams to plan for their endeavors. However, when it comes to personal planning, you might be on your own and, with so many other commitments, you may struggle to prioritize it. This leaves many without clear goals or a plan for their own finances. And, as Fitzhugh Dodson said, “Without goals and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination.”

This is why I formed Olivehurst Advisors to serve entrepreneurs. I think this is one of the most important steps you can take and having a partner who is aligned in the process is vital (fee only, independent, fiduciary). Together, we’ll design your financial future, prioritizing what matters most to you and aligning your finances around those values. I’ll help bring clarity to your finances and how they intersect with your work to put you in control. Through it all, I’ll walk with you, listen to you and answer your questions to help you navigate choices.

Neil Portus, CFA, CMA, CFP®

I founded Olivehurst Advisors to serve entrepreneurs, professionals and their families and to help them pursue their financial goals.

As an entrepreneur, I’ve asked, “Am I putting myself or my family at financial risk by stepping onto the path of an entrepreneur and business owner?”

But putting together a plan has strengthened my resolve to take that entrepreneurial leap. It’s this experience that I want to share with others – to build and implement a plan that helps them pursue their goals and strengthens their resolve to step out on their own entrepreneurial and professional paths.

I bring experience as a CFO and Wall Street equity analyst & investment banker and have first-hand experience navigating some of the complex financial situations entrepreneurs and leaders may face as they launch, grow and sell their businesses.

As a CFO, I serve as a strategic and operational partner to CEOs, Board Members and leadership teams supporting their decisions on growth, risk, fundraising and allocation through to exit.

As a Wall Street equity research analyst, I covered consumer-retail stocks at Goldman Sachs in New York, where I helped to lead Zipcar’s $1.1 billion IPO, and consumer stocks at Barclays Capital & Lehman Brothers, earning a promotion to initiate coverage of the gaming technology sector. I began my career as an investment banker leading advisory & financing transactions totaling over $1 billion. In total, I have covered over 50 leading public/private companies as an investment banker and equity analyst/associate advising on IPOs, equity raises, block trades, mezzanine/high yield debt financings, mergers, acquisitions, restructurings, bankruptcy sales, fairness opinions and valuation analyses.

I am a CFA charterholder, Certified Management Accountant, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional, received my MBA from the University of South Carolina and majored in music business at Middle Tennessee State University near Nashville. In my personal time, I enjoy spending time with my wife and two young children, traveling, road cycling, playing the guitar and attempting diy home repairs.