Garrett Harper, CFP® CEPA®
Founder & CEO
Garrett Harper founded Harper Financial Strategies with one simple belief: financial planning should create confidence, not confusion.
As a business owner himself, Garrett understands the weight of making decisions that affect employees, family, and the future. Having built and successfully sold a previous business—and now actively growing Harper Financial Strategies using many of the same planning, leadership, and financial strategies he recommends to clients—he brings real-world experience to every conversation. He isn't simply advising business owners from the sidelines; he's navigating many of the same opportunities and challenges alongside them.
Garrett combines firsthand entrepreneurial experience with professional expertise as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) professional and Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®). This unique combination allows him to help clients make informed financial decisions while also thinking strategically about growing their businesses, increasing enterprise value, preparing for future transitions, and ultimately building lives that create a legacy beyond money.
He specializes in helping successful business owners simplify the complex financial decisions that come with building wealth. His work extends well beyond investments, integrating retirement planning, tax strategies, business planning, estate planning, risk management, and collaboration with other trusted professionals into one comprehensive strategy designed around each client's goals.
Much of Garrett's approach to planning was shaped long before his career in financial services. As a college baseball player, he learned the value of preparation, discipline, teamwork, and executing a long-term game plan. Those same principles continue to define how Harper Financial Strategies serves clients today: focus on fundamentals, stay disciplined during uncertainty, and make decisions that position clients for long-term success rather than short-term wins.
Garrett believes business planning and personal financial planning should never happen separately. The best decisions are made when your business, your family, and your financial life are all working from the same Blueprint. That's why every client relationship is built around a comprehensive planning process that connects every piece of a client's financial world into one coordinated strategy.
Clients appreciate Garrett's relaxed, down-to-earth personality and his ability to explain complicated financial concepts in plain English. He believes the best advisor relationships are built on trust, accountability, and genuine partnership—not sales pitches. His role isn't to tell clients what to do; it's to help them make confident decisions with a trusted advisor who understands both the technical side of planning and the realities of owning a business.
A graduate of the University of Kansas, Garrett has spent nearly two decades helping families and business owners navigate life's most important financial decisions with clarity and confidence.
Outside the office, Garrett enjoys traveling with his wife, Humbelina, and their four children. Whether he's tackling a DIY project, hunting, fishing, camping, or serving on mission trips, his faith, commitment to family, and passion for serving others continue to shape both his life and the way he serves every client.
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Alex Coats, CFP®
Associate Advisor
Alex Coats believes great financial planning isn't about having all the answers—it's about helping clients understand their options so they can make confident decisions.
A graduate of Cornell College with a degree in Psychology, Alex brings a thoughtful, people-first perspective to every client relationship. His background gives him a unique appreciation for the emotions and life transitions that often accompany financial decisions, allowing him to combine technical expertise with genuine empathy and clear communication.
As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) professional, Alex works alongside clients to simplify complex financial decisions and develop comprehensive strategies tailored to their goals. His planning expertise includes retirement planning, investment management, tax planning, Social Security strategies, estate planning, insurance analysis, and cash flow planning. Whether clients are preparing for retirement, building wealth, or navigating a significant life transition, Alex helps ensure every recommendation fits within a coordinated financial plan.
Known for making complicated topics approachable, Alex has a talent for translating technical financial concepts into practical conversations that clients can understand and act upon. He believes the best planning happens when clients not only know what they're doing, but also understand why they're doing it.
At Harper Financial Strategies, Alex works closely with Garrett Harper to deliver the firm's Blueprint Method™, helping clients connect every aspect of their financial lives into one coordinated strategy. Together, they focus on building long-term relationships grounded in trust, education, and proactive planning.
Outside the office, Alex enjoys traveling, tackling tabletop games and puzzles, experimenting with espresso, and spending time with his partner, Michelle. His curiosity, patience, and analytical mindset carry over into the way he serves clients—always looking for thoughtful solutions and opportunities to help people move forward with confidence.
Michelle Wilkus
Client Service Associate
For many clients, Michelle Wilkus is the first friendly voice they hear and one of the most familiar faces they'll see throughout their relationship with Harper Financial Strategies. Since joining the firm in 2016, she has become an integral part of the client experience, ensuring every interaction is welcoming, responsive, and genuinely personal.
With more than a decade of experience in banking and customer service before joining Harper Financial Strategies, Michelle brings both technical knowledge and a remarkable ability to make people feel at ease. Whether she's helping clients with account paperwork, answering questions, coordinating requests, or simply pointing them in the right direction, Michelle is committed to making every step of the process as smooth and stress-free as possible.
Michelle believes exceptional service is about more than solving problems—it's about building relationships. She takes pride in knowing many of our clients by name and loves creating the kind of experience where people feel valued, heard, and cared for. Her positive attitude, attention to detail, and willingness to go the extra mile have made her a trusted resource for both clients and teammates alike.
At Harper Financial Strategies, Michelle helps ensure the details never get overlooked so clients can focus on what matters most. She understands that even the smallest act of service can make a lasting impression, and she approaches every interaction with kindness, patience, and a genuine desire to help.
Outside the office, Michelle enjoys traveling with her husband, Dan, spending time with family and friends, and making memories with their three grown sons—Matt, Chris, and Jacob. Her warmth, optimism, and servant's heart are evident in every aspect of her life, both personally and professionally.