Business, wealth and investment advisory for professionals building what's next.

  Own Your Work. And your time.  

Own Your Work.
And your time.

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  • Strategic consulting and advisory services for small to mid-sized businesses and investment organizations.

    • Business Strategy Consulting

    • Employee Retirement Plan Advisory

    • Investment Company Strategy Reviews

    • Portfolio Reviews for Asset Owners (public, private & nonprofit)

  • Customized, goal-focused, long-term investment portfolios and holistic asset allocation.

    • Public Market Strategies (ETFs, stocks & bonds)

    • Growth, Income & Capital Preservation

    • Private Investments (small business & private equity)

    • Real Estate (primary residence, properties & mortgages)

    • Tax Considerations & Strategies

    • Cryptocurrency Caveats

    • Interest Rates & Market Risk Discussions

    • Get a Managed Account.*

    *Fiduciary investment management services are offered through wholly-owned RIA, Herrick Lake Investments.

    Clients may select Charles Schwab or Interactive Brokers to custody their managed accounts.

  • Independent, fiduciary financial advice for professionals building what's next.*

    • Retirement & Tax Planning (IRAs, 401(k)s, capital gains)

    • Cash Flow & Income Strategies

    • Estate Planning & Beneficiary Guidance

    • Mortgage & Debt Considerations

    • Health Insurance Planning

    • Social Security Strategies

    • Time & Health (family, work, hobbies & causes)

    *Fiduciary private wealth services are offered through wholly-owned RIA, Herrick Lake Investments.

I left my “good” job overseeing multibillion-dollar investment portfolios to build a one-person business around a lifestyle I enjoy. more.

On Your Own Terms:

Memos for professionals building what’s next.

Recent Memos:

On Your Own Terms
Your $1 million IRA at 8% is like a full-time job paying $40/hour

MONEY IS TIME, QUANTIFIED: 5 things to consider before leaving your high-stress job.

Read more →

Featured Memos:

On Your Own Terms
Rent vs Own
Stop Renting Out Your Expertise. Start Building Equity.
Rent vs Own

There's a difference between earning money from your expertise and using that expertise to build equity. One pays you for what you do. The other creates the possibility of owning something that grows beyond your direct involvement.

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Rent vs Own
Digital Products
My Digital Product Made $500K. These 5 Lessons Learned Are Worth Far More.
Digital Products

Lots of people try to build digital products because they have low startup costs, they are very scalable, and you can build them on your own schedule. I built one. It made me over half a million bucks in profit—but these 5 lessons learned are worth far more.

Read more →
Digital Products

Hi. I’m Mark Hines.

I am an institutional investor turned niche founder.

I previously oversaw multibillion-dollar investment portfolios for a pension fund and a large bank in Chicago.

  • I am a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (BS, Finance), the University of Chicago Booth School of Business (MBA), and hold the Series 65 (Investment Advisor Law Exam) designation. I have worked in the financial services industry for over 25 years.

    Learn more on LinkedIn.

In 2015, I left Corporate America to start my own one-person business.

  • Initially, I built an independent investment research service—then expanded into consulting for wealth management firms—and finally launched my own registered investment advisor (RIA) firm in 2021.

    My RIA, Herrick Lake Investments, is a fiduciary firm, based in Naperville, Illinois, and with clients across the US.

Having worked inside the corporate and financial systems, I understand where they add value and where they outright fail people.

  • My unique combination of institutional investing and wealth management—combined with my independent fiduciary approach—allows me to deliver uncommon value to professionals navigating industry and life challenges as they build what’s next.

    For example, too much of the legacy financial system is built around inappropriate and expensive products, conflicted commissions, and outdated complexity.

My solutions are designed to guide you through informed decision-making—so you can own your work and your time—on your own terms.

Contact:

Request a 15-minute introductory call to learn more about working together.