About Destry Witt
Destry Witt, of Vancouver, Washington, is an independent, state registered investment advisor. From aspirations that begun as a child watching his father make real estate deals on the dining room table, then as a business student at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon, Destry has built himself into a successful financial services entrepreneur over the last 30 years.
Beginning with his undergraduate studies in Business Administration, at SOU, Destry joined the Stock Market team and started an internship with US Bank that evolved into a position as a marketing assistant that provided him the experience necessary to land a job at then one of the largest brokerage firms on Wall Street, Dean Witter Reynolds. At Dean Witter, Destry learned the business the hard way, competing for a position in the firm without the benefit of the firms elite training program.
During this time Destry recognized the demand from the investing public to participate in Initial Public Offers, a market which was previously limited to primarily institutional brokers and their institutional clients such as hedge funds and mutual funds. An opportunity came to light to become involved in the pending Starbucks deal in 1992. A regional brokerage firm from Florida reached out to Destry with the offer of stock in the Starbucks deal should he join their firm. From there, Destry realized that he would be able to turn his career into an independent state and has never looked back.
During his MBA graduate program at Washington State University, Destry began to further expand on his career. He began to think how companies would differentiate themselves from their competition and he decided that his companies would be based on how individuals make their decisions.
With the financial services industry becoming more and more supported with technology, Destry Witt understands the importance of being able to compete on price. The increased evolvement of technology and the Internet has nearly phased out the commission aspect of the financial services industry. Destry believes that if you’re not competing on cost, you’re simply not competing.
Increased government regulations have encouraged lower fees and prices for different services as well as a mandate that took away incentive for companies to provide liquidity. Where a company lacks in liquidity, they see a spike in volatility. In 2018, there were two 20% corrections that occurred within a few weeks of each other compared to 20 years ago where those corrections would have taken months to happen. This increase in government regulations combined with ever-evolving technology leads the future of financial services to be nearly all AI driven with computers buying and selling at indiscriminate prices.
As a result, Destry created products through his businesses that solve a very specific problem that investors encounter. Essentially, potential clients and customers are able to search for the problem that they’re trying to solve, similar to a Google search. This helps keep the personal touch of an investment advisor thriving without phasing out the inevitable technology that is seemingly required in the daily operations of the financial services industry.
To learn more about Destry Witt’s entrepreneurial spirit, insights, perspectives, and views on the future of the financial services industry, be sure to check back often for the latest news and updates!

- Southern Oregon University (BS Business Administration)
- Washington State University (MBA Business)

The Importance of Leadership Training
Leadership is an essential skill for any person to have. Understanding what leadership is, how it differs from management, and cultivating leadership abilities can help career development. Tasks such as leading an organization or being a manager require different...

Is Entrepreneurship an Art?
Entrepreneurship is an art because it combines a creative mindset and the ability to create something innovative. The most successful entrepreneurs make it look easy and fun, but it’s not always a breeze. Starting your own business or career is one of the most...

Why Entrepreneurs Must Take Risks
If you want to be a successful entrepreneur, you must be willing to take risks. This may seem like a scary proposition, but it is actually the key to success. Here are reasons why any entrepreneur must take risks: Risks Force You to Come Up with Innovative Solutions...

How to Identify Business Opportunities
In today's marketplace, entrepreneurs have endless opportunities to strike out independently. All they need is a great idea and the willingness to make it happen. However, it can be challenging to know where to start when looking for new business opportunities. Here...

Business Leaders vs. Business Managers: Key Differences
Have you ever considered the difference between business leaders and business managers? At a glance, they might seem like the same thing. Both probably direct people who work under them, carry extra responsibilities and have more influence in the overall operations of...

Traits of Successful Healthcare Business Leaders
Leadership can take on many forms depending on the context. Different contexts will require different traits for success as a leader. Working as a business leader in healthcare, for example, requires other skills and qualities than working as a small business leader....

How Entrepreneurs Can Improve Their Business Skills
Entrepreneurs aren’t born; they’re made. With the right mindset and willingness to learn, anybody can become a successful entrepreneur- and if you’re already a successful entrepreneur, there’s always room for improvement. Here are some ways entrepreneurs can improve...

What Makes An Entrepreneur, An Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs are a special breed. Not everyone can form a business out of nothing and then watch it succeed. It takes many different traits to make up that kind of person, and this blog will outline just a few of them. These are the characteristics that make...

How Entrepreneurs Can Keep Their Businesses Green
Destry Witt details how entrepreneurs can have their businesses go green.

Impactful Lessons From Successful Entrepreneurs
Destry Witt gives you some important lessons from some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs.