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Southwest/South Central Regional Finalist

Creating & Managing Wealth LLC

Irving, Texas

Christina W. Gears, President and  CEO

Editor's note: The DREAM BIG award, sponsored by Sam’s Club®, celebrates the success of small businesses and honors their contributions to America's economic growth. The Small Business of the Year, seven regional finalists, and 100 Blue Ribbon winners will be honored on June 14 during America's Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C.

Creating & Managing Wealth LLC provides money management to help its clients keep their spending in line with their goals. The firm has grown to $235 million of assets under management.

How did the company get started?

Christina W. Gears, while rising in the ranks of a national financial planning firm, always had her eyes on a larger goal: starting her own firm where clients would be served with an integrated life approach to money management.

In 1990, she founded Creating & Managing Wealth to break free of the “cookie-cutter environment.”  Twenty-six years later, Gears and her nine employees focus on solutions for their clients, ranging from managing financial portfolios to helping with their spending plans.

“We look at all aspects of a person’s life. Money touches everything. It’s not just about building a portfolio; it’s about supporting clients’ lives and meeting their needs,” Christina says.

She adds that business “is nothing but a series of resolving problems and crisis resolution. I learned very quickly that no matter what you think your title is, you are a problem solver. I teach that to every one of my employees.”

How does the company connect with the community?

The company has donated more than $40,000 to charities, and Christina serves on the board of three nonprofits, including the Texas Association of Business. She founded the Irving International Women’s Consortium, which celebrates diversity and provides scholarships for women looking to further their education.

 Christina, a cancer survivor, has served on the Cancer Treatment Centers of America board and wrote a book that chronicles her journey.

She has chaired endeavors with the Irving Schools Foundation, and more than $1 million has been raised to support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs.

What’s next for Creating & Managing Wealth?

As the business engages with an increasing clientele, Christina plans to hire three additional brokers so that the firm can continue to provide “red-carpet service” to its growing pool of clients. The company has plans to double its assets under management to $500 million in the next five years—with current brokers increasing their business 10% to 15% in the next year alone.