Our Story
Hi! I’m Marcus Griffin
My mission is to help women and the people they love navigate financial transitions and prepare for life’s uncertainties because I’ve seen how quickly everything can change.
As a financial advisor, a husband, and a son to a widowed mother, I understand that women often carry the emotional weight of their family’s financial security, whether or not they’re the primary decision-makers.
My perspective changed when I saw how unprepared my own wife was for the unthinkable.
My Wake-Up Call
By the spring of 2003, I had spent most of the previous decade managing billions of dollars in investments for major institutions.
Then, I was offered something different: joining a multi-family office to work directly with families and individuals.
During the offer, the managing partner said something I’ll never forget:
“You don’t have direct client experience, but there’s something in your calm, educational approach that I believe will resonate with widows. That’s why I’m hiring you.”
However, life comes with a large dose of irony…
At that time, my young wife Tracy, the mother of our 9-month-old daughter, was close to becoming a widow.
Just days after accepting the role, I was hospitalized with a life-threatening condition. Doctors told me I wouldn’t have survived the year had it not been caught.
In that moment, I realized my wife wasn’t prepared—emotionally or practically.
We thought we had time.
Most Women Don’t Realize They’ll Likely Manage Their Finances Alone Someday
Life feels stable enough until something changes:
- Retirement suddenly becomes real.
- A diagnosis turns everything upside down.
- An aging parent needs full-time care.
- A spouse passes away.
There’s never an exciting time to plan. But there is a wrong time—in the middle of the storm.
Estate Readiness Isn’t for the Dying. It’s for the Living
That health scare changed how I think about planning.
Most people think of financial planning as something for when you’re older or have “enough” assets.
But I learned that the real reason you plan isn’t for you. It’s for the people you love.
Since then, I’ve spent over two decades helping families prepare for resilience when the unexpected happens.
Shortly after recovering, I began working with a widow who came to meetings with her adult daughter. While my work focused on investment performance, our conversations centered on her peace of mind and her family’s financial security.
Years later, I witnessed the impact of proactive planning when a healthy client in his early 70s suffered a fatal heart attack. Having reworked his estate plan just a year before, we provided his wife not just financial guidance, but comfort knowing three generations of their family were protected.
My Personal Journey
I was raised in South Carolina and married in North Carolina. We started our family in the suburbs of Atlanta, and in 2016, moved to Southern California. Tracy and I are proud parents of two children in their twenties and our Australian Labradoodle, Roo.
When I’m not helping clients, you’ll find me:
- Cooking (especially outside)
- Leading a men’s Bible study
- Exploring trails in my Ford Bronco
- Or cheering for Liverpool Football Club.
In fact, Liverpool’s anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone” has become the mantra for my approach to wealth management. Because I believe no one should walk the financial journey alone.
Why I Started Narrow Gate
Most women will survive their spouses and face retirement on their own. Many worry about outliving their money, maintaining independence, or balancing care for aging parents while blessing adult children.
That’s why me and my team are on a mission to partner with women and those they love to design a financial roadmap that brings peace, empowerment, and support.
Let’s Start With “Just A Conversation”
If my story resonates with you, we’d love to hear yours. Just a conversation. No cost, no pitch, no pressure. This is your space to share your story and be truly heard.