Interview with Tyler Lang, CFA, CEO of a 5-Star Newsweek-Recognized Financial Advisory Firm, on Financial Planning for Business Owners

Disclosure: Newsweek's America's Top Financial Advisory Firms 2026, published in partnership with Plant-A Insights Group, is an annual ranking that evaluated over 16,000 SEC-registered financial advisory firms. To be eligible, firms were required to have more than $20 million in assets under management, a minimum of three wealth advisers, at least five individual clients, at least two years of SEC registration, clean disciplinary records, and the availability of portfolio management services to individual investors. Firms were scored on asset growth (short-term and long-term), client base growth, credentialed adviser expertise, client-to-adviser ratios, and breadth of service offerings. The top 1,000 firms were recognized and assigned star ratings based on their composite scores. Journey Advisory Group received a 5-star rating for 2026. Firms do not pay to be evaluated or included in the ranking; however, the firm paid a fee for permission to use the logo when marketing the award. The full list and methodology are available at rankings.newsweek.com. 

We recently sat down with Tyler Lang, CFA, Founder and CEO of Journey Advisory Group, a fee-based fiduciary Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) serving the Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, and Dayton regions. Journey Advisory Group was recently recognized with 5 stars on Newsweek’s list of America’s Top Financial Advisory Firms for 2026, a ranking that evaluated over 16,000 SEC-registered firms.

At Byzfunder, we work with thousands of small and medium-sized business owners focused on growth, and we know that growth decisions do not happen in a vacuum. How a business owner funds expansion, manages cash flow, and plans for the future are deeply personal financial questions. We wanted to hear Tyler’s perspective on how business owners can think more holistically about their financial lives.

Q: Tyler, many of our readers are business owners reinvesting heavily in growth. What is the most common financial planning mistake you see them make?

A: The biggest mistake is treating personal finances and business finances as the same pool of money. When a business is growing, it is tempting to pour everything back in, but that often means retirement contributions get delayed, insurance coverage lapses, or there is no personal liquidity if the business hits a rough patch. The owners in the strongest position build a personal financial plan that runs parallel to their business plan, so one does not constantly cannibalize the other.

Q: When a business owner takes on short-term funding to fuel growth, how should that factor into their broader financial picture?

A: Any time you take on business funding, whether it is a line of credit, a merchant cash advance, or bridge financing, you need to understand how repayment will affect your personal cash flow. Many owners draw a salary from the business, and if a significant portion of revenue is going toward repayment, that draw could shrink temporarily. We help clients stress-test scenarios: what does your retirement trajectory look like if your owner’s draw drops by 20% for six months? That kind of modeling removes the guesswork.

Q: At what point should a business owner bring in a financial advisor rather than managing things on their own?

A: There are common inflection points: when your business revenue crosses a threshold where tax planning becomes complex, when you are thinking seriously about retirement timing, or when a life event like a divorce or the loss of a spouse changes the picture entirely. These are moments where the interplay between business and personal finances gets complicated, and having a fiduciary advisor who is legally obligated to act in your interest makes a meaningful difference.

Q: How does Journey Advisory Group’s approach differ from what a business owner might get at a larger national firm?

A: We are independent, family- and employee-owned, and we intentionally keep our client-to-advisor ratios low. That means your advisor actually knows your business, your family situation, and your goals. We also have in-house investment management, a CPA on staff for tax-aware planning, and team members with credentials spanning CFA, CFP®, CTFA, and CPA designations. For a business owner, that depth matters because the questions you face rarely stop at investments; they span tax implications, estate considerations, succession planning, and risk management all at once.

Q: What is one piece of advice you would give to a business owner just starting to think about getting their personal financial house in order?

A: Start by separating what you know from what you are assuming. Most business owners have a general sense of where they stand, but when we sit down and map it out, there are almost always gaps: an outdated beneficiary designation, an insurance policy that no longer fits, or a retirement account that has not been reviewed in years. The first step can be a single conversation where you lay out the full picture and identify what needs attention. That clarity alone can be transformative.

To learn more about Journey Advisory Group and their approach to financial planning for business owners, visit journeyadvisory.group.

Disclosure

Journey Advisory Group is a fee-based advisory firm and SEC-registered Investment Adviser. The firm is compensated directly by its clients for investment management and financial planning services and does not receive commissions on investment products. In certain cases, clients may choose to purchase insurance products through an affiliated insurance agency, Journey Risk Solutions, LLC. When applicable, commissions may be earned on those insurance products. Clients are never required to use the affiliated agency. All fees are fully disclosed and reviewed before any engagement begins.

Newsweek’s America’s Top Financial Advisory Firms 2026, published in partnership with Plant-A Insights Group, evaluated over 16,000 SEC-registered financial advisory firms on asset growth, client base growth, credentialed adviser depth, client-to-adviser ratios, and breadth of service offerings. Journey Advisory Group received a 5-star rating for 2026. Firms do not pay to be evaluated or included in the ranking; however, the firm paid a fee for permission to use the logo when marketing the award.

This interview is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a solicitation, or a recommendation to buy or sell any securities. Past performance is not indicative of future results.