When Dillan Micus moved to Arizona in 2005 at just 29 years old, he became the then-youngest person in Equitable Southwest (formerly AXA Advisors Southwest) history to take on the executive vice president role. Over the next 17 years, Micus grew the business from a few hundred million dollars under management to $3 billion under management, guiding team members and clients through everything from the Great Recession to a global pandemic.

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“The leadership team and I did this by recruiting, retaining, and supervising the best and brightest talent on the market as well as understanding every single intricacy of the processes and products that impact financial freedom, including estate planning, asset management, business continuation, qualified plans, the tax code, market conditions, client behaviors, and more,” says Micus. “Our success also hinged on developing and supporting specialists while becoming them ourselves.”

And now, he is walking away from it all.

Sort of.

Az Business: Tell us about your big move?

Dillan Micus: This past spring, I left my long-time role to launch 345 Wealth Management, a financial services firm associated with Equitable Advisors as its broker-dealer focused on guidance and comprehensive detailed planning around the three most important phases of wealth management: accumulation, distribution, and transfer. Under the 345 Wealth Management umbrella, we also have a subsidiary called Asset Location Planning, which helps clients pay less taxes so they can do more of what they love, along with a unique program called FRESH.

AB: What is FRESH?

DM: FRESH – an acronym for Finances, Relationships, Education, Spirituality and Health – was developed by me in partnership with functional nutritionist and biometric expert Ashley Grimmel, who works with elite athletes, including Olympians, UFC fighters, PGA players and NFL stars.  The step-by-step program identifies obstacles in our lives and provides coaching to help overcome them, knowing that challenges in one area in our lives affect the others. It helps you maximize your potential, chase your passions, and live a well-balanced life. In addition to being available to my team and clients, FRESH is being piloted by a large university in the Southwest and a California-based music business. Through 345, Asset Location Planning and FRESH, my goal is to differentiate systems for financial growth, but also address personal and professional development in a way that has never been done before. These businesses are the culmination of my own journey.

AB: How does your journey fit in?

DM: This past summer, I celebrated five years of sobriety. My issues did not just happen overnight. And my recovery did not either. I earned my life back – a better life, actually – by overcoming setbacks and following a plan, one I put pen to paper on to share with others.

My journey to sobriety began when I quietly entered rehab in 2016. I didn’t tell anyone, subconsciously knowing it wouldn’t stick. Fast-forward a year. I was playing golf but couldn’t even swing my club. I dropped it on the ground, called my family, and got real help that same day. And now I have the tools to help others in every aspect of life.

For more information, visit www.345wealthmgmt.com.