Mission Wealth Named #1 Best Place to Work on the Central Coast
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Mission Wealth Named #1 Best Place to Work on the Central Coast

We are thrilled to announce that Mission Wealth has been named the #1 Best Place to Work in the Central Coast region by Pacific Coast Business Times (PCBT)! This recognition is not just an honor—it’s a testament to the incredible people and purposeful culture that power our firm every day.

Each year, Pacific Coast Business Times highlights the top employers across the Central Coast. Their Best Places to Work program celebrates organizations that demonstrate a commitment to employee satisfaction, culture, benefits, and making a meaningful impact. To be recognized as the top workplace among all companies in our region is an incredible distinction. This is Mission Wealth’s eighth appearance on this list.

 

“Our culture of giving back to the community and supporting each other is one of the building blocks of Mission Wealth,” said Dannell Stuart, Partner and President. “We empower our team with 40 hours of paid volunteer time each year to give back in ways that matter most to them—whether it’s beach cleanups, nonprofit board service, or even international service trips.”

From meaningful perks like paid volunteer time to transparent leadership and strong mentorship, Mission Wealth’s commitment to people-first values runs deep. As highlighted in this feature article, it’s the everyday culture of support, collaboration, and authenticity that sets our team apart.

We don’t do ‘corporate speak.’ What we do is lead with truth, encourage each other, and foster a culture that grows with us,” said Jeff Avila, Partner and Managing Director. “As our team expands, our culture grows stronger, not diluted—and that’s the real win.”

This award reflects the heart of Mission Wealth: our people. Thank you to every team member for making this firm not only a great place to work, but a truly special one.

How the PCBT Winners Were Chosen

The Pacific Coast Business Times “Best Places to Work” rankings are based on anonymous employee surveys and internal analysis conducted by the publication. For the 2025 award, more than 1,400 employees from nearly 100 companies across the Central Coast region participated in the process. Survey questions evaluated key workplace factors, including culture, benefits, leadership, and community engagement. Mission Wealth was honored as the #1 Best Place to Work based on the strength of employee feedback and overall organizational performance. There is no fee associated with this list award.

About Pacific Coast Business Times

Pacific Coast Business Times is the weekly business journal of record serving Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo counties. Pacific Coast Business Times produces numerous awards events each year, including Spirit of Small Business, Top 50 Women in Business, Central Coast Best Places to Work, Business Hall of Fame, Latino Business Awards, Fastest Growing Companies, 40 Under 40, and Central Coast Innovation Awards.

For Mission Wealth’s previous PCBT awards, click here.

Are You Looking to Join an Award-Winning Team?

Discover open positions on our careers page. We’d love to welcome you to our team!

Mission Wealth is a Registered Investment Adviser. This commentary reflects the personal opinions, viewpoints, and analyses of the Mission Wealth employees providing such comments. It should not be regarded as a description of advisory services provided by Mission Wealth or performance returns of any Mission Wealth client. The views reflected in the commentary are subject to change at any time without notice. Nothing in this commentary constitutes investment advice, performance data, or any recommendation that any particular security, portfolio of securities, transaction, or investment strategy is suitable for any specific person. Any mention of a particular security and related performance data is not a recommendation to buy or sell that security. Mission Wealth manages its clients’ accounts using a variety of investment techniques and strategies, which are not necessarily discussed in the commentary. Investments in securities involve the risk of loss. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

MISSION WEALTH IS A REGISTERED INVESTMENT ADVISOR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 00758988 05/25

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Michelle Winkles
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michelle Winkles

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michelle Winkles

Michelle Winkles is an innovative marketing leader with more than 20 years of experience helping organizations grow through strategic marketing, brand development, digital transformation, and AI-forward innovation. As Partner and Chief Marketing Officer at Mission Wealth, she leads the firm’s enterprise marketing strategy, supporting both organic and integration-driven growth while expanding the company’s national reach.

Michelle is known for building modern marketing organizations that combine data-driven insights, emerging technologies, and authentic storytelling to create meaningful client experiences. She has developed a sophisticated marketing technology ecosystem that strengthens brand visibility, improves engagement, and helps transform prospects into long-term client relationships. Today, she is leading Mission Wealth’s AI-forward marketing initiatives, integrating artificial intelligence across content strategy, advisor enablement, digital experiences, and marketing operations to drive scalable growth while keeping the human connection at the center.

Passionate about advancing the marketing profession within wealth management, Michelle is the co-founder of the CMO Collective, the RIA industry’s first peer community dedicated to bringing marketing leaders together to share ideas, challenge one another, and elevate the profession. She also hosts a monthly virtual Marketing Leaders Meetup, where chief marketing officers and senior marketing executives from leading wealth management firms collaborate on emerging trends, best practices, and the future of the industry. In addition, she authors The State of Wealth Management Marketing, a thought leadership series highlighting the evolving strategies, technologies, and conversations shaping the next generation of marketing in the RIA space.

A respected voice in the industry, Michelle is frequently invited to speak at national conferences, participate in executive leadership panels, and join podcasts focused on AI, growth strategy, digital transformation, advisor enablement, and innovation in wealth management.

Michelle’s leadership has earned national recognition. She was named RIA Chief Marketing Officer of the Year at the WealthManagement.com Industry Awards and has been honored by the Pacific Coast Business Times as both a Top Woman in Business and a 40 Under 40 recipient.

She holds a Master of Business Administration degree in Entrepreneurship, Strategic Management, and Nonprofit Social Business from Antioch University, Santa Barbara.

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Kyle Buffo, CFP®

Client Development Advisor

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