When Christian Stearns talks about money, he doesn’t just mean dollars and cents. For the Conte Wealth Advisors financial planner and former Air Force pilot, investing is inseparable from purpose. “I’ve never been able to do a job without feeling there was a greater mission involved,” he shared in a recent interview with Equities.com.
With a background spanning environmental education, government service at HUD, international sustainability consulting in New Zealand and a decorated military career, Stearns brings a rare level of personal alignment to his work. Today, he specializes in helping clients reflect their personal values—whether environmental, social, or faith-based—through thoughtful financial planning and investment management.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
Paula DeLaurentis: You’ve had a truly mission-driven career — from the Air Force to HUD to international sustainability work. How did that path lead you into financial planning?
Christian Stearns: After retiring from both the military and HUD, I returned to Florida to care for my parents, both of whom had Alzheimer’s. I needed a career that allowed flexibility but still aligned with my passion for sustainability. A friend who was a financial advisor opened my eyes to the potential of finance as a force for positive change. I realized quickly that the private sector would be essential to solving the kinds of sustainability issues I worked on in the public sector.
At first, I joined a firm focused on military and federal retirees — but they weren’t offering anything around values-based or sustainable investing. So I earned my CFP designation, joined Cambridge as my broker-dealer/RIA, and began shaping my practice around ESG and impact investing.
PD: How do you approach values-based investing with your clients?
CS: I see investing as becoming a part-owner in a business. So I ask: Do you agree with how that business treats its employees? Its community? The environment? For me, values-based investing isn’t about pushing my beliefs onto clients. It’s about uncovering their values and making sure their portfolio reflects them.
I had one client who spent weekends planting trees, volunteering with environmental charities. When we reviewed his holdings, we realized some companies he was invested in were actively harming forests. That disconnect hit home. If your investments are working against your values, it undermines everything else you’re trying to do.
PD: What tools do you use to bring that alignment to life?
CS: A big part of it is First Affirmative Financial Network. They’ve partnered with YourStake to offer what I think are some of the most advanced mindful investing portfolio construction tools out there. I use their AffirmativESG platform and the Values-Aligned Direct Index Solution to help create customized portfolios for clients based on over 50 impact preference categories — from fossil fuels and animal rights to renewable energy and corporate behavior.
Within AffirmativESG, I can choose between strategies like the Custom Sustainable Investment Solution, multi-manager accounts or managed mutual funds. That kind of flexibility allows me to build truly client-specific portfolios that reflect not just financial goals but deeper impact goals as well.
PD: So many advisors avoid these conversations. Why do you think that is?
CS: Part of it is education. Advisors often wait until the product conversation to ask, “Do you want to sustainably invest?” But that’s too late. It has to start in the planning conversation — when you’re talking about goals and values.
Money’s just a resource. I always tell clients, “I’m not here to grow the biggest stack of money — I’m here to help you meet your goals.” If your goal is to do good in the world and you’re invested in companies that contradict that, there’s a clear disconnect.
PD: Conte Wealth Advisors has a high-touch, personalized model. How do you balance ethical responsibility with long-term performance?
CS: I’ve found that when clients believe in what they own, they’re more likely to stay invested during downturns. That’s one of the most important factors in long-term performance.
There’s also data showing companies with strong sustainable investment practices often outperform over time. If you treat your employees, customers, and community well — and make products that solve real problems without causing harm — you’re probably going to succeed.
PD: What’s the biggest misconception you hear about values-based investing?
CS: That it’s politically driven. I really work to avoid the politics. Every client has values. My job is to discover theirs, not to project mine.
The real misconception is that mindful investing is about pushing an agenda. In truth, it’s about providing more complete information. In capitalism, free and accurate information is essential. If investors knew a company was facing a billion-dollar environmental lawsuit, they’d likely avoid it. Sustainable investing data gives us tools to avoid those risks — while also supporting companies doing the right things.
PD: You’ve brought younger advisors into your practice. Are you seeing generational differences in how they approach this work?
CS: Yes — and no. Younger advisors often want to focus on sustainability, but many still don’t know how. Even students at universities built around sustainability lack a clear understanding of how values-based investing works in practice.
That said, younger advisors are more focused on relationships. They see themselves as educators or life coaches, not just asset managers. They’re experimenting with subscription models and looking for ways to serve clients who might not have much to invest yet. The challenge is making that approach financially viable in an industry still largely built around AUM-based fees.
PD: You come from a military and government background. How has that shaped your perspective as a financial advisor?
CS: In the military and at HUD, everything was driven by mission. That’s how I approach my work today — I need to feel there’s a purpose behind what I’m doing.
That mindset resonates with many of my clients, especially those from military backgrounds. They want to make sure their money is aligned with their values. For them, this isn’t about political statements, it’s about mission alignment.
PD: Looking ahead, what’s your vision for Conte Wealth Advisors’ role in advancing values-driven advising?
CS: My hope is that more advisors within the firm start having these conversations. As tools improve and client demand grows, the impact piece becomes more tangible.
There are different levels of this work, from simple screens to full-blown impact strategies. I’d love to see us move toward showing clients the actual outcomes their investments are supporting. That’s when values-based investing becomes real — not just a product, but a force for change.
To learn more about Christian Stearns visit: contewealth.com
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