Asa part of our series called “Meet The Inventors”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Matt Reiner.
Matt Reiner is a CFA, CFP® , and partner at Capital Investment Advisors, a $2.8+ Billion RIA in Atlanta. Reiner is also CEO of Wela Strategies, a sister company to Capital Investment Advisors, and is the founder and CEO of Benjamin™ . Benjamin is an AI technology created by Reiner after seeing the gaps in technology used in his own firm. Reiner’s true passion is using his vast experience to coach other advisors across the country, helping them evaluate their firms’ practices and find the best strategies for future success. To reach Matt Reiner, visit www.MattReiner.com.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a bit about your “childhood backstory”?
Iwas extremely fortunate growing up. We grew up in Atlanta and had a very close immediate family. I have an older brother who is now my business partner and also my neighbor. We are fortunate to be very close today although that wasn’t the case growing up! My dad started our advisory firm, Capital Investment Advisors, when I was 10 years old. This was the time that I was just starting to really grasp everything that was going on in the world, so I always say that I grew up in the wealth management space. I’d always go to my dad’s office and just hang out. Wealth management was really the only profession I knew of other than professional athlete, but given my height and build, that wasn’t a likely option. I joke that while others were watching cartoons, my form of entertainment was CNBC! I played sports throughout my early years and then decided to go to Arizona State University for my undergraduate degree. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. I had grown up in one house and one part of town my entire life. I was comfortable there but hadn’t experienced independence or people with very different backgrounds. Going to Arizona State allowed me to learn a lot about myself, and I was able to make friends with a diverse group of people from all walks of life and from all across the country. I was fortunate enough to have a supportive family that allowed me to take this opportunity for 4 years. After college, I came back home and started working with my dad and brother in our family business. This all ultimately led to me starting Benjamin and takes us to where we are today.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
Henry Ford — “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.”
This is my favorite quote of all time. This is a quote that really explains how I go about life. I’m always thinking just a bit differently and am comfortable going against the grain. Not everybody sees it the same way. In my life, I tend to take the road less traveled by. I like to build and create things that are outside the scope of what people think they need. I like to be innovative, creative and think outside the box. I want to create the next “thing” that people never thought would be possible or seemed so utopian that it would never be reality. I’ve been that way my whole life, and sometimes it’s a challenge, because it’s easier to fine tune what is there rather than creating something that isn’t. But, that’s the stamp I’ve striven to put on this world since day one.
To read the entire interview click here.