About Us

Our Process

A Clear Path Forward.

Three meetings to understand your financial life. A written roadmap that’s yours to keep. And a team to help you put it into action if we decide to work together.

Phase 1

Discover

Meetings 1–3
Before you become a client
Phase 2

Decide

Meeting 4
Building the partnership
Phase 3

Deliver

Meeting 5 & beyond
Your ongoing wealth management relationship
Select any step below to explore what we’ll discuss and what you’ll take away.
1
Step 1 · Meeting 1

Exploratory Call

Let’s find out whether we’re a good fit.

We start with a conversation about why you reached out, what you’re looking for, and whether we’re the right fit for each other. No statements or lengthy paperwork required.

You leave knowing what working with White Cloud could look like.
2
Step 2 · Meeting 2

The Life Audit

Understanding your life before analyzing your money.

Ninety minutes focused on your family and the life you’ve built. We explore seven areas to understand what matters, what you own, who you rely on, and where you want to go.

  1. 01Values
  2. 02Goals
  3. 03Relationships
  4. 04Assets
  5. 05Advisors
  6. 06Process
  7. 07Interests
You leave with a clearer picture of what you want your wealth to accomplish.
3
Step 3 · Meeting 3

Gaps & Opportunities

Your written roadmap. Yours to keep.

We connect what we’ve learned about your life with our assessment of your financial picture. You’ll see where things are working well, what may be missing, and which opportunities deserve attention.

We look through three lenses:
Investment Consulting
Your portfolio and its purpose
Advanced Planning
The broader wealth picture
Relationship Management
Connecting the right people

Your Gaps & Opportunities Roadmap

What we see. Why it matters. What could be improved.

The written roadmap is yours to keep, whether or not you hire us.

An Informed Decision, Not a Sales Pitch.

By this point, you’ve seen how we think, the opportunities we’ve identified, and the value we believe we can bring. Now we decide together whether to move forward.
4
Step 4 · Meeting 4

Mutual Commitment

Deciding whether to move forward together.

We review our proposed relationship, including the investment approach, services, responsibilities, and fees. You decide whether we’re the team you want helping manage your wealth, and we make that commitment together.

Outcome: A clear decision with expectations understood on both sides.
5
Step 5 · Meeting 5

The Advanced Plan

Turning opportunities into action.

We translate the opportunities into a coordinated plan of action. Together, we prioritize what matters most, identify who needs to be involved, and establish the next steps.

Your Advanced Plan

What we’re going to do. Who will do it. When it needs to happen.

The Advanced Plan can include investment implementation, tax strategies, wealth protection, estate and legacy planning, and charitable giving.

6
Ongoing · Step 6

Progress Meetings

Keeping your plan moving as life changes.

Your financial life doesn’t stand still, and neither should your plan. We meet regularly to review progress, reassess priorities, monitor investments, and coordinate decisions with the professionals serving your family.

Outcome: Ongoing execution, accountability, and adjustments as life changes.
Our Services

Wealth Management Is More Than Managing Money.

Your financial life doesn’t exist in separate pieces. Your investments, taxes, estate, family, and business decisions are connected. We help you bring them together through three essential services.

Service 01

Investment Consulting

Managing your investments with a purpose.

Your investments should serve your life, not the other way around. We build and manage portfolios based on what you need your money to accomplish, how much risk you can reasonably take, and when you’ll need access to your wealth.

The goal: An investment strategy that supports your financial plan, rather than a portfolio built around a product.

What’s included

Investment StrategyPortfolio construction and asset allocation
Investment PolicyA written framework for investment decisions
Risk ManagementAligning risk with your financial needs
Tax-Aware InvestingConsidering tax consequences and account placement
Income & LiquidityPlanning withdrawals and available cash
Ongoing OversightMonitoring, rebalancing, and adjustments
Service 02

Advanced Planning

Looking beyond your investments.

Some of the most important financial decisions happen outside your portfolio. We help identify opportunities, understand the trade-offs, and coordinate strategies across four areas of advanced planning.

The goal: A coordinated financial plan that considers the bigger decisions affecting your family, not just your investments.

Explore each area to see what it can include.

Wealth Enhancement

Keeping more of what you earn and build

We look for opportunities to improve your financial position through thoughtful tax, income, and cash-flow strategies.

  • Tax mitigation and planning opportunities
  • Retirement income and distribution planning
  • Roth conversion and tax-bracket strategies
  • Business-owner compensation and exit planning
  • Cash-flow and debt management
  • Coordination with your CPA on tax strategy

Wealth Protection

Safeguarding what you’ve worked to create

We identify risks that could disrupt your family’s financial security and help coordinate strategies to manage them.

  • Life, disability, and long-term care insurance reviews
  • Asset protection considerations
  • Liability and risk exposure reviews
  • Estate document and ownership coordination
  • Business continuity and succession risk
  • Preparing for unexpected financial events

Wealth Transfer

Passing wealth with intention

We help you think beyond transferring assets to transferring values, responsibility, and opportunity to the people who matter most.

  • Estate and legacy planning coordination
  • Trust and beneficiary reviews
  • Lifetime gifting strategies
  • Family wealth and inheritance discussions
  • Business succession and ownership transition
  • Preparing heirs to receive and manage wealth

Charitable Giving

Making your generosity more meaningful

We help align charitable intentions with tax-aware strategies and a longer-term vision for the difference you want to make.

  • Donor-advised fund strategies
  • Qualified charitable distributions
  • Gifts of appreciated securities
  • Charitable trust considerations
  • Family philanthropy and giving plans
  • Legacy gifts and charitable estate planning
Service 03

Relationship Management

Keeping everyone working toward the same goals.

Great advice is only valuable when it gets implemented. We help connect the people, strategies, and decisions that shape your financial life, working alongside the professionals you already know and trust.

The goal: Fewer disconnected decisions, better coordination, and a plan that continues moving forward.

You & Your Family
White Cloud Wealth Management
Your coordinating advisor
Attorney
CPA
Insurance
Specialists

What’s included

  • Coordination with your CPA, attorney, and other advisors
  • Introductions to specialists when needed
  • Tracking action items and follow-through
  • Regular progress and review meetings
  • Proactive communication as circumstances change
  • A central point of contact for financial decisions
Our Story

Built on Family. Guided by Values.

Our roots run deep in Idaho, but the values that guide us were shaped long before White Cloud Wealth Management began.

Idaho’s White Cloud Mountains
Our Namesake

The Spirit of Independence

Named after Idaho’s White Cloud Mountains, our firm reflects the independence and perspective that inspired its founding.

In 2019, after 12 years of serving clients, Sean West stepped away from traditional financial advising to build something different. He wanted the freedom to move beyond selling financial products and focus on what truly mattered: helping people make thoughtful decisions about their entire financial lives.

That spirit of independence continues to guide White Cloud today. We believe financial advice should begin with understanding people, not selling products.

Sean West
Founder, 2019
Jacob Nye
Joined 2023
Zach West, SPHR, Wealth Management Advisor
Zach West
Joined 2026
A Family Business

More Than a Name on the Door

What began with Sean has grown into something even more personal.

In 2023, Sean’s nephew, Jacob Nye, joined White Cloud, followed by Sean’s brother, Zach West, in 2026. What started as one man’s vision has become a family business built on shared values.

We grew up learning the importance of integrity, hard work, caring for others, and putting family first. Those lessons shape how we work together and how we serve the families who trust us.

Our family is at the heart of our business. Helping you care for yours is at the heart of what we do.

Three generations of a family walking together along the beach at sunset
Matching Assets With Values

A Lesson Passed Down Through Generations

Some of our most important lessons about wealth came from our grandparents.

Years ago, they purchased a condominium on the beach. On paper, it was a real estate investment. But to our family, it became something far more valuable.

It became a gathering place where children, grandchildren, and eventually great-grandchildren could spend time together, strengthen relationships, and create lasting memories.

Our grandparents understood something that continues to guide us today:

The purpose of wealth isn’t simply to accumulate more. It’s to make possible the things that matter most.

That beach condo may not have been the investment that maximized their financial returns. But it was an investment in what they valued most—their family.

We believe great financial planning begins the same way. First, understand what matters. Then, align your financial resources with those priorities.

Because when your assets support your values, wealth becomes more than something you have. It becomes something that makes your life richer.

Your Wealth. Your Values. Your Life.

The goal isn’t simply to grow your wealth. It’s to use your wealth to grow what matters most.

Our People

Founder, Wealth Management Advisor

Sean West, CFP®

With over a decade and a half of experience guiding clients toward financial freedom, Sean West is committed to helping business owners, families, and individuals make work optional in retirement. Specializing in retirement income and tax planning, Sean believes that every financial decision should be grounded in financial science, time-tested principles, and a thorough planning process. His approach is built on transparency, trust, and a genuine commitment to his clients’ peace of mind.

Since starting as a financial advisor in 2007, Sean has worked as a senior advisor, steering clients through ever-evolving financial landscapes with clarity and confidence. Under his leadership, White Cloud has become a go-to destination for those seeking to build, preserve, and protect their wealth. Sean is a CFP® Certified Financial Planner and did his studies through Boston University's College for Financial Planning. Prior to becoming an advisor, he received his bachelor’s degree in business management from BYU Idaho.
Sean believes in building long-term relationships with clients by listening and truly understanding what clients value. By understanding and seeing the whole picture Sean ensures each client is empowered to make prudent financial decisions about their future.

Outside the office, Sean’s passion for planning extends to his love for adventure and the great outdoors. He’s an avid backpacker, hunter, skier, and water skier, never missing a chance to reconnect with nature. A true family man, Sean is happily married to his wife, Kim, and together they enjoy making memories with their four children. Sean enjoys serving in the church and community. Whether exploring mountain trails or enjoying a cozy family night in, Sean finds joy in every moment, on and off the clock.

Wealth Management Advisor

Jacob Nye, CFP®

With a passion for financial planning and a commitment to serving others, Jacob (Jake) Nye helps clients navigate life’s financial complexities with clarity and confidence. As a
CFP® Certified Financial Planner, Jake blends technical expertise with a personalized, relationship-centered approach—ensuring that every recommendation reflects what matters most to each client.

Jake joined White Cloud in 2023 after graduating from BYU–Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in finance and completing a financial planning minor. His path to financial advising began long before college. Growing up in a military family that moved often, Jake learned early how to connect with people from all backgrounds and developed a deep appreciation for stability, service, and meaningful relationships. No matter where he lived, the Treasure Valley always felt like home, shaping his desire to build lasting connections within the community he loves.

At White Cloud, Jake and Sean work as partners in planning, each bringing unique strengths to the firm. Jake leads the next generation of financial planning at White Cloud, combining thoughtful analysis with a talent for turning complex topics into simple,
understandable strategies. Whether optimizing tax planning, designing retirement income systems, or building resilient investment portfolios, Jake’s goal is always the same: to help clients feel confident and empowered in their financial journey.

Faith plays a central role in Jake’s life, guiding how he serves clients, his community, and his growing family. Outside the office, he finds joy exploring Idaho’s mountains and rivers, white-water rafting, hunting, reading, and spending quality time with his wife, Maddy, and their children. Whether in the outdoors or at home with his family, Jake is driven by purpose and grounded in a desire to uplift those around him.
Zach WestZach West with his wife Jenelle and their six children
Wealth Management Advisor

Zach West, SPHR®

For more than 20 years, Zach has helped people navigate some of life’s most important decisions. As a senior business and human resources leader, he partnered with employees, business owners, and executives in organizations ranging from small businesses and venture capital firms to global Fortune 100 and 2000 companies. Whether helping individuals navigate career decisions, advising leaders through complex business challenges, or developing long-term workforce strategies, Zach earned a reputation as a trusted advisor who listens first, builds lasting relationships, and genuinely cares about helping people succeed.

Those same principles naturally led Zach to financial planning. He believes every client deserves thoughtful guidance, honest conversations, and a financial plan built around what matters most to them. Zach is especially passionate about helping business owners and entrepreneurs think strategically about both their businesses and their personal financial futures. Drawing on years of experience advising leaders on workforce planning, organizational strategy, and long-term decision-making, he enjoys helping clients align today’s business decisions with tomorrow’s financial goals.

Outside of the office, Zach enjoys spending time with family and friends and making the most of the outdoors. He is also an avid handyman and an aspiring sourdough baker who enjoys tackling new projects and perfecting his latest loaf. Zach and his wife, Jenelle, have six children and love spending time together playing games, watching movies, discovering great food, and seeking out fun outdoor adventures.
Client Service Specialist

John Robertson

John joined White Cloud in 2024 after a distinguished 20-year career with the U.S. Department of State. His assignments took him from Washington, DC to such diverse locations as Nepal, Australia, Egypt, Peru, the Netherlands, and Afghanistan.
John earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and a Juris Doctor (JD) from the University of Texas at Austin, equipping him with a strong foundation in law and public policy. Later, he pursued a Master of Arts (M.A.) at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, where he deepened his knowledge in international security and strategic planning. This combination of academic credentials and field experience uniquely positions him to approach challenges with a broad, analytical perspective, making him a valuable asset to White Cloud and its clients.

Outside of his professional life, John is an outdoor enthusiast who takes full advantage of each season. He is an avid skier who enjoys the thrill of winter sports, and during the warmer months, he can often be found hiking scenic trails or cycling through new routes. His love for the outdoors fuels his energy and focus, qualities he brings into his role at White Cloud.

As part of the White Cloud team, John is committed to delivering service that is both personable and efficient. His approach to client care emphasizes responsiveness and thorough attention to detail. Whether you are a new client or have an established relationship with White Cloud, John ensures that your needs are met promptly and professionally.

Our Fees

A Smarter Approach to Wealth—Because We Care

Our personalized approach ensures that every aspect of your financial life is strategically planned, so you can move forward with confidence. One simple, transparent fee covers comprehensive financial planning, investment management, tax planning, retirement planning, and estate planning—all designed to maximize your wealth and minimize stress.

At White Cloud Wealth Management, you get:

✔ Expert guidance from experienced advisors
✔ Fiduciary commitment—we always put your best interests first
✔ A smarter fee structure that keeps costs low so more of your money stays invested and working for you

Because every dollar saved is a dollar working toward your future.

White Cloud Wealth Management Fee Schedule

Assets ManagedFlat Fee Based on Asset Level
< 500k 1%
500 - 1M 0.90%
1M - 2M 0.80%
2M - 4M 0.70%
4M - 8M 0.60%
8M - 12M 0.50%
12M+ Negotiable