How Benzina Was Founded

Financial planner, Filip as a young child (baby) trying to save his aging parents money when they first immigrated to this country.

Early in my life (catch me “clipping coupons”), I realized the importance of ongoing self development, being nimble to course correct when needed, and applying my passion to who can benefit from it most. This was something (subconsciously) instilled in me at a young age by my immigrant parents when they fled communist Romania in the late 80s to start fresh in the land of opportunity. Ultimately, this mindset was the driver for my journey, leading to who I am and the type of clients I support today.

As a teenage Bank Teller (my first job in high school), I knew I wanted to eventually sit behind one of the fancy desks as a Banker post-college. When I got there, the initial excitement faded and I reverted to sponge mode (a natural state for me - how much can I learn about a new topic as quickly as possible). My focus turned to investments since this is what the bank was “pushing” to clients. Although there were proprietary solutions available, I was not satisfied with this. I wanted to learn more about what went into stock/bond selection and its ability (or inability) to improve a client’s plan. As a result, I moved into a role at a Broker-Dealer where my primary responsibility was creating investment models and portfolios for each client. Although this was incredibly fulfilling, there was still something missing…

I thought to myself, “outside of investing, what else goes into the process of creating wealth?” Through this explorative process, I came across the CFP® (CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™) certification. This introduced me to comprehensive planning, which incorporates other aspects of a client’s life like savings, taxes, insurance and estate planning. Once I discovered this and started putting it into practice, there was no turning back. I knew this was the way I can most dramatically improve my client’s lives.

There were only a few more course corrections remaining at this point in my journey. For one, I was taking a comprehensive approach with mostly retirees. At that stage in life, the impact of planning doesn’t have enough time to compound (pun intended) to make a substantial difference. And so, I turned my focus to clients like you - mid career professionals with ample resources and a desire to understand how to best allocate them. After perfecting my craft on this end, I realized I wanted to do this on my own terms with far less people. This way, I can optimize quality service within every plan and interaction - enter Benzina.

Philip and his partner (spouse, wife) Stephanie on vacation in the southwest of the United States. Specifically in Arizona - they were spending time outside, hiking and being active in nature.
Filip Flip Filipe Phillip Philip Philipe Telibasa his wife Stephanie and his parents George and Aurora at the beach in Siesta Key, Florida watching the sunset due to good work life balance.
Philip and his wife Stephanie on vacation in Italy (they also went to Spain and France in the same trip) to spend time with family and make memories together.
Olivia, Filip's cat sleeping on his desk while he is working as a financial planner (advisor) with clients on a virtual (remote) Zoom call. Former Facet Wealth Senior Lead Planner.