Meet Alexandra Demosthenes, CPA/PFS, CFP® | Senior Wealth Advisor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alexandra Demosthenes, CPA/PFS, CFP® and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alexandra, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was born and raised in Boca Raton Florida, but I had the unique experience of being raised in a multigenerational household with grandparents that immigrated from Cyprus and Egypt. My grandfather would share stories of the village he grew up in that had no electricity or running water, yet he dreamed of one day traveling the world. They made the brave decision to move to America for better opportunities, as so many have done throughout history. My grandfather eventually worked for PanAm, which allowed him to travel the world throughout his adult life. This greatly impacted my outlook on goal setting and confidently going in the direction of your dreams. It won’t do you any good to make excuses or blame others for the position you are in. If you want to do something with your life I learned you need to make a plan and take action. There may be setbacks, and you may need to pivot, but if you work hard and always keep moving forward you can accomplish a lot.

Please tell us more about your business. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today business-wise. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?

I’m a partner and Senior Wealth Advisor at a wealth management firm in Boca Raton, Florida. I understand that finances and money are confusing to a lot of people, and those topics can also carry a lot of emotional baggage. I’ve had multiple people tell me they would rather have their tooth drilled at the dentist instead of talking about their finances! This was very eye-opening to me because I have always been very interested in money and personal finance and find it very exciting and invigorating, but I have learned that my experience is not the norm. What sets our firm apart is our connection with our clients, and our ability to create a safe space where people can share a very personal part of themselves, their finances, and not feel intimidated or that they need to put their guard up.

I am most proud and excited to get to help individuals and families accomplish their goals and live their dreams. Of course, as CPAs and CFPs we know all of this technical knowledge that is going to maximize tax savings and investment returns, but the true value is helping someone uncover their values and dreams and use their money as a tool to achieve those things. I have had clients talk about goals in a meeting and they would say “I have never said this out loud before, not even to my spouse” and then they share something like a lifelong trip idea they have wanted to take. Creating a space for people to feel comfortable and open up, especially around money, which can have so many underlying emotional charges, has really given me purpose in my work.

The biggest lesson I have learned as a business owner is no matter what business you are in, it’s really about the people. This can be the people you work with, the people you hire, vendors and, of course, clients. There have been so many changes in technology since I have been working in the industry for the past 15 years, but none of it can replace excellent customer service and quality human interaction.  I am always on alert when I interact with other businesses and notice when I have great experiences and think about how I can replicate them, and notice when I have awful interactions, and plan on never doing things like that. With everything happening with AI, I think it will change a lot of industries, but if you have great communication skills and are always focusing on people first, I think there will always be a place for you.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I have two little boys, ages and 3 and 1, so if a friend were visiting the area I would recommend all the kid-friendly destinations since those are where I spend most of my free time these days! I would start with a day trip to Hugh Taylor Birch state park in Fort Lauderdale. It’s across the street from the ocean so you can get your beach time in, but also spend some time exploring the paths and attractions in the park. I recommend renting either a kayak or canoe to explore the waterways and stopping by the restaurant in the park called “The Grove” for lunch and a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie.

Another fun day would start with boat tour with BlueFoot Pirate Adventures in the Bahia Mar marina in Fort Lauderdale Beach. My little guy LOVED this interactive adventure which included a water cannon fight with a neighboring rogue pirate ship. Adults can enjoy the beautiful sunshine and admire the mega yachts and even pass by the cruiseships that are in Port Everglades. All the big and little pirates will have worked up an appetite, so head just a couple blocks up A1A to Coconuts, where you can enjoy their famous scoobies, delicious crab meat soaked in oil, garlic and red pepper, and finish it off with a ginormous ice cream sandwich, make sure you have some friends to share it with!

For a more luxurious experience I would end the trip by booking a couple of nights at The Boca Raton, the beautifully renovated hotel and club in you guessed it, Boca Raton. You can only use the facilities, including the restaurants, if you are a hotel guest or club member. I would start the day off at Sadelle’s for breakfast, enjoying their fabulous iced coffee and monster sized French toast. You can enjoy the rest of the days at one of their many pools, water slides, lazy river and splash pad. If the beach is more your thing, you can enjoy a private ferry boat to their Beach Club location just across the intracoastal. I’d recommend a waterfront lunch at Harbor House and ending their meal with the Tackle Box ice cream sundae, which includes five scoops of ice cream and a literal tackle box full of toppings, how fun!

Alright, so let’s jump right in! The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there a person, group, organization, book, etc that you want to dedicate your shoutout to? Who else deserves a little credit and recognition in your story?

I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my business partner, Art Canter. We have been working together since 2010. Not only have I learned an immense amount of technical knowledge from him about investments, financial planning and tax planning, but he has also taught me how to run a business and be an overall good person. He has a very strong work ethic that is motivational to be around. He has been an amazing mentor and I feel like when I have any questions, business or personal, he is there to share his experience or just riff ideas with. He has been a champion of me and my career since the first day we started working together. To work with someone that is very smart and successful and know they trust you and have confidence in you drives you to live up to their expectations.

Website: www.iapllc.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-demosthenes-cpa/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@alexandrademosthenes

Image Credits
Graciela Laurent Photography