Bethany & Cedar Mill Living Sponsor Spotlight

Goran Ognjenovic is the founder and principal investment advisor of Independent Investment Advisors. He and his wife Danijela have lived in Oregon since 1998 and have been Cedar Mill residents since 2007. Danijela is also Goran’s business partner at Independent Investment Advisors, and comes from a background in Operations Management for a top global sports company. She is a business manager with 10+ years of experience. This business team duo are both Portland State University graduates and have two children; a boy and girl who both attend Findley Elementary School. Goran shares, “We are big fans of the NW lifestyle as we like to do a lot of outdoor activities. We spend a lot of time in central Oregon as we enjoy skiing, boating, hiking, biking, and more recently, golf!” Goran is also a soccer coach at Oak Hills Soccer Club.

Goran’s involvement with investing, active trading, and capital markets goes back to the dot- com era’s early days. Goran says, “Those were the first and exciting beginnings of online brokerages and the Regulation NMS (National Market System). I took on the challenge of learning financial markets and the responsibility of managing personal investments. I did this originally out of interest, passion, and intellectual intrigue. But also, because I wanted the flexibility to pick the most appropriate investments regardless of who the asset manager was. Those early days were full of trials, tribulations, steep learning curves, and lots of fun!”

For Independent Investment Advisors, what started as a personal investment journey evolved into a family investment office in the years that followed. Finally, in 2017, it grew into a professional practice. Today, Goran continues to view investing and working in the capital markets as a way to share his experience to financially secure and establish people he cares about. He loves that what started out as a personal passion has grown into an opportunity to benefit many and allows him to do what he enjoys in the process! “Financial markets are the first thing I look at in the morning, and the last thing I look at before going to bed. I invest, actively trade, develop, run market scanning tools, and love every minute of it – I truly can’t get enough!”

Goran also chose to become an independent fiduciary advisor, as he believes in complete transparency with no interest conflicts. He enjoys the challenge and freedom of finding the best investment options for a client’s unique situation without any pressure for recommending a specific product. As an independent advisor, he also takes advantage of many best-of-breed industry technology solutions, and loves the precision this offers each unique financial plan he works with.

Within the firm’s context, Goran works with a select number of clients, and manages their diverse set of investment portfolios. “Many of my clients are small-business owners. Working together, we have developed a wide range of financial investment solutions specifically focused on a small-business owner’s needs and expectations. I work with our business-owner clients on retirement planning, money management for their business, tax-efficient investing, estate investments, college savings for their kids, inheritance, trusts, and everything in between!” The investment needs of a small-business owner are slightly different from an average corporate employee, so Goran is excited to specialize in this area of financial literacy.

Independent Investment Advisors hopes that small-business owners in our community will consider this time-tested tip when it comes to planning for retirement. “Many small-business owners underestimate the importance of a standalone individual retirement plan separate from their business. The financial security offered by a separate individual retirement plan and investment account come with the additional perks of immediate tax deferral, a reduction in annual tax liability, and also protecting that asset from business liability. Whatever your long or short-term business plans may be, get a boost in the right direction with IRA or 401K options that truly harness your strengths. “Whether you need more flexibility, structure or a little of both, this critical step can ensure that you successfully reach true retirement security.”

Independent Investment Advisors

Goran Ognjenovic

Phone: 971.350.8068

Email: info@independentadvisorsnw.com