About - Paraiba Wealth

Hello. We're Paraiba Wealth

Most Advisors Take the Easy Path

Buy index funds

Rebalance twice a year

Hope for the best

Collect fees

Rinse and repeat

Here’s the problem

Over-diversification leads to mediocrity. When you own everything, you end up owning mostly nothing that truly drives returns—yet you still endure every market downturn without the flexibility to respond.

There’s no active management, no strategic adjustments—just a commitment to weather the storm, no matter how long or severe.

At Paraiba Wealth, we believe your retirement deserves more than one-size-fits-all index funds.

We actively manage focused stock portfolios with one goal:

Protect your downside while actively investing to grow and compound your wealth

Here’s what people are asking

We don't simply buy a basket of index funds and hope for the best.

Instead, we do deep research and analyze individual companies, investing with a multi-year horizon, focusing on those with:

We don’t believe in blind diversification and owning hundreds of mediocre businesses; we invest using intelligent concentration. Each position in our client portfolios is a high-conviction investment—companies we believe will compound wealth over multiple market cycles

Most advisors review your portfolio twice a year, rebalance, and call it a day. We operate differently. We monitor market conditions not annually, not quarterly, but daily. It's about understanding shifts before they become trends. We use dynamic position sizing to align risk with reward.

We see your investments as one part of a much larger picture

That's why we don’t just manage a portfolio—we build a holistic financial plan that coordinates all aspects of your wealth, including:

Every piece of this plan is designed for one clear mission: funding the retirement you actually want, not just the one you settle for

Our Investment Journey

Alvin Yam, CFP®, MBA

Founder & Lead Financial Advisor

Most people are conditioned to play it safe—buy the index, diversify, and accept average returns. But I learned early on that conventional wisdom doesn’t create life-changing wealth. Thinking differently does.
My career is built on this conviction: that real wealth comes from owning a concentrated portfolio of exceptional companies, studied deeply and held patiently as the world swings from panic to euphoria.
This is the same philosophy I apply to my own wealth, and the one I have used professionally while co-managing over $2 billion at a leading Los Angeles wealth management firm and advising ultra-high-net-worth families on cross-border planning at HSBC in Hong Kong.
This approach has been forged through every market cycle since the 2000s—from the dot-com crash and the 2008 financial crisis to the 2020 pandemic, the 2022 tech selloff, and the 2025 tariff shock. The lesson from these cycles is always the same: When you own the right businesses and act when others panic—that’s when you’re able to build real wealth.

Allan Yam, CFP®

Head of Research

My conviction in active investing began while I was still a student at UC Berkeley. While my peers were planning their summer holiday plans, I spent my time researching stocks and working on compounding my investments. The core of my approach was finding disruptive or high-growth companies early and holding them with conviction. Holding high-growth stocks through market cycles and compounding wealth is what enabled me to retire by my late 30s. Drawing on institutional experience from Charles Schwab Asset Management, Marcuard Family Office, and co-managing over $500 million at Redwoods Global Asset Management, today, I apply a rigorous process to uncover growth. That’s the experience and philosophy I bring to our clients. My role is to cut through market noise and uncover tomorrow's opportunities before they become mainstream.

Why "Paraíba"?

Most people have never heard of a Paraíba tourmaline. That's exactly the point. Deep in Brazil's remote mountains, miners spend years searching for something most will never find: a gemstone that radiates an electric blue-green. Paraíba tourmalines are 10,000 times rarer than diamonds. But rarity isn't what makes them valuable—it's their refusal to blend in. This isn't just a metaphor. It's our blueprint. While most advisors chase safety in passive index funds—content to be part of the crowd—we carve a different path. Relentless research. Intentional hand-picking of every position. And active, ongoing management to make sure your portfolio stays ahead, adapting as markets evolve. Because your wealth isn't meant to be average.

Infographic: Active vs. Passive Investment Returns

A clear, concise infographic comparing hypothetical or historical returns of an actively managed, concentrated stock portfolio (like the Magnificent 7 example from your guide) against a broad market index (S&P 500). This should visually demonstrate the potential for significant outperformance. Use clean, professional design with clear labels and data points.

Example

A bar chart or line graph showing the performance of a concentrated portfolio vs. S&P 500 over a 5-10 year period, emphasizing the difference in final wealth.

Here’s our philosophy

It’s About You, Not Just the Numbers

Technical knowledge is important, but truly understanding you—your goals, fears, dreams—is what takes good advice into something meaningful.

The Best Plans Work Without Constant Worry

You shouldn’t have to stress-check your portfolio every day. We design personalized plans that align with your goals so your money works for you—not the other way around.

Retirement Isn’t a Final Chapter—It’s Your Sequel

For so many people, retirement feels like this looming unknown. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Our goal is to help you reimagine retirement as something to look forward to, not worry about. By creating clear, actionable plans tailored to you, we’ll turn uncertainty into excitement and set you up for the next chapter—whatever it may hold.

We take the stress out of finances, one personalized plan at a time

”The personalized attention and thoughtful advice they give make all the difference."

"I was overwhelmed by my RSUs and ESPP shares—but they broke it all down for me.”

"...it isn’t just about their expertise, but they actually care about how our overall plan progressed.”

"... we feel way more confident and excited about our retirement than before."

Here's who you'll work with.

Brandon Woods, CKA, CFP® Senior Financial Advisor

Ready to Move Beyond Average?

Book your complimentary strategy session.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

→ Review your current portfolio and identify opportunities

→ Explain how how active management can work for you

→ See if our approach aligns with your goals

Hello. We're Paraiba Wealth

Most Advisors Take the Easy Path

Buy index funds

Rebalance twice a year

Hope for the best

Collect fees

Rinse and repeat

Here’s the problem

Here’s what people are asking

We don't simply buy a basket of index funds and hope for the best.

Instead, we do deep research and analyze individual companies, investing with a multi-year horizon, focusing on those with:

We don’t believe in blind diversification and owning hundreds of mediocre businesses; we invest using intelligent concentration. Each position in our client portfolios is a high-conviction investment—companies we believe will compound wealth over multiple market cycles

Most advisors review your portfolio twice a year, rebalance, and call it a day. We operate differently. We monitor market conditions not annually, not quarterly, but daily. It's about understanding shifts before they become trends. We use dynamic position sizing to align risk with reward.

We see your investments as one part of a much larger picture

That's why we don’t just manage a portfolio—we build a holistic financial plan that coordinates all aspects of your wealth, including:

Every piece of this plan is designed for one clear mission: funding the retirement you actually want, not just the one you settle for

Our Investment Journey

Alvin Yam, CFP®, MBA

Founder & Lead Financial Advisor

Allan Yam, CFP®

Head of Research

Why "Paraíba"?

Here’s our philosophy

We take the stress out of finances, one personalized plan at a time

Here's who you'll work with.

Brandon Woods, CKA, CFP® Senior Financial Advisor

Brandon Woods, CKA, CFP® Senior Financial Advisor

Brandon Woods, CKA, CFP® Senior Financial Advisor

Brandon Woods, CKA, CFP® Senior Financial Advisor

Brandon Woods, CKA, CFP® Senior Financial Advisor

Brandon Woods, CKA, CFP® Senior Financial Advisor

Ready to Move Beyond Average?

No sales pitch. Just an honest look at your portfolio

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