About The Firm

  1. Common Interests Mission: not neccessarily high net worth people but the average individual To help clients build financial wellness while investing in a way that aligns with integrity, sustainability, and long term impact.

  2. Common Interests Clients: Common Interests clients are socially conscious individuals interested in building wealth in a sustainable, values driven way that benefits both themselves and the broader community. As a smaller firm, Common Interests also attracts clients seeking a more personalized and relationship-focused advisory experience.

  3. The leaders of Common Interests & their backgrounds: 

Max Mintz (Owner & Financial Planner): Joined Common Interests in 2012 after being a client of the firm for most of his life. Obtained his Bachelors degree in Philosophy and never planned on working in Finance but decided to pursue the field after his mentor Bob Goellner helped him connect his passion for Philosophy to Finance. 

Michael Amoroso, MBA APMA® (Associate Financial Advisor): Has always had a passion for creating sustainable financial strategies with purpose. Obtained his Bachelors degree in Economics and Masters in Sustainable Finance and impact investing from Barn College. 

Ruth E. Arriaza (Chief Operations Officer): Ruth joined Common Interests in 2014 but initially started her career off in the Pharmaceutical industry where she specialized in Data management but left Pharmaceuticals to become a financial advisor in her own right.

  1. Who I’ll be working with & their responsibilities: Over the course of my internship I'll be working with…

Max Mintz (Owner & Financial Planner): Helps clients align their investments with their values and relies on his ethics training to help clients balance tradeoffs through the process of expressing their values in their portfolios.

Michael Amoroso, MBA APMA® (Associate Financial Advisor): Financial Paraplanner, Client Success Manager, and Financial Planning Analyst. His expertise in sustainable and ESG investing enables him to design tailored financial plans that align clients’ values with their financial goals.

Ruth E. Arriaza (Chief Operations Officer): Ruth’s unique skillset complements the team in an amazing way servicing accounts; connecting and supporting clients, and making sure nothing falls through the cracks. 

Saachi Sharda, FPQP® (ParaPlanner): Coordinates paperwork, manages social media channels and maintains client relationships acting as the first point of contact for clients.

  1. What Common Interests looks for in its investments: When making investments, Common Interests uses ESG data as the foundation of their investment process and SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) to guide its investment process…

ESG Data: ESG Data helps Common Interests uncover hidden risks, and invest in companies that have good long term growth prospects, while avoiding companies that practice risky behavior.

SDGs: Common Interests believes investors who integrate the SDGs in their investment strategies will potentially retain competitive advantage & aligning investments with the broader objectives of society is ultimately in the interest of beneficiaries, clients and future generations and is something that's increasing in demand. 

  1.  What criteria do you think are important in making an Investment? When making an investment, I think some important criteria include risk and return, time horizon, and how well the investment fits a person’s overall financial goals. I also think it’s important to understand what you’re investing in and whether it aligns with your level of risk tolerance. For me, I’d also consider consistency and long term growth potential rather than short term gains.