Tyler Conley, 32, has already made an impact in the community.
He has worked with Larson Wealth Management for nine years as a financial adviser and Certified Financial Planner focusing on retirement and special needs planning.
He is the past president of the Rockingham Rotary Club, which he joined in 2019, and is active in the Clover Hill Bucks in the Rockingham County Baseball League, which he has been a part of since he was a junior in high school.
Living in Broadway his entire life has given him a better sense of culture in the Shenandoah Valley.
“You better understand who folks are,” said Conley, who was named to the Daily News-Record’s 10 Under 40 list by the newspaper’s editorial board. “What they value, and how to have conversations with them.”
Conley found his purpose in life in high school when a friend introduced him to the world of financing.
“I thought, ‘Oh, this is what it all is,’” Conley said. “This is understanding the stock market and trading stocks. But as you get into it, it’s so much more than that. It’s relationships and how to make decisions based on everyone’s individual circumstances.”
He graduated from Bridgewater College with a business major focusing on finance and accounting.
Conley said he strives to make connections to help individuals and families.
“Not everyone agrees on everything,” Conley said, “so you try to bridge the gaps where people disagree. Fundamentally, we’re all trying to achieve the same things, better our lives, do well for the people around us, and take care of our families.”
His dedication to helping with special needs planning is rooted close to home.
“I have a special-needs brother,” Conley said, “so that, by nature, I’ve been exposed to what it means to plan when you have a special-needs family member. It’s turned into my niche to help clients with kids, siblings, or whoever they want to help out or plan with to understand better what needs to happen on that front.”
Conley said his ability to do his job well comes from the burden and benefit of being hyper-focused on details. He explains that it’s a technical job where you must understand how everything fits together and make the right decisions.
“The hardest part is coupling it,” Conley said. “You’re also trying to get the true and honest answers out of what they really want out of life, so you’re trying to take the technical aspect and merge it in with the soft skills of, ‘How do I have conversations that are meaningful,’ so we can make real decisions that can impact you in a positive way.”
Conley believes in facing challenges head-on.
“Being an athlete helped,” Conley said, “it’s the nature of it. When things are going sideways, you really just try to step up when you can.”
His biggest support has been his family, the coaches throughout high school and college, and his boss at Larson Wealth Management, David Larson.
“It’s about finding the right people to help guide you along the way,” Conley said.
