Before we go any further — this may not be for you.
What we're trying to do together
Get your money out of a plan that isn't working — and into one that actually responds when the market moves.
The goal: your money working as hard as you did to earn it. Not parked. Not forgotten. Not on autopilot. No guarantees — but no neglect either.
If any of this sounds familiar
You've felt at least one of these — maybe all three.
The stranded 401(k)
You changed jobs. Your old 401(k) is still sitting at a company that doesn't know your name anymore. A statement shows up every few months. You keep meaning to deal with it. It's still there.
The vague advisor
Nice office. Firm handshake. You asked what they'd actually do with your money and the answer was vague. "Diversify. Stay the course. We'll rebalance annually." You walked out feeling the same way you walked in.
The market ran. Yours didn't.
You check your portfolio after a strong year and it barely moved. Same allocation you had two years ago. Nobody called. Nobody adjusted anything. You're paying someone — you're just not sure what for.
The problem nobody talks about
Most advisors aren't money managers. They're asset gatherers.
They collect your money, place you in a model portfolio — the same one they use for everyone — rebalance it once a year, and send you a quarterly PDF. Their plan for a downturn is "stay the course." Their plan for a bull market is also "stay the course." That's not a strategy. That's the absence of one.
The ARTAIS Methodology
A rules-based, adaptive process — not a guess, not a feeling.
When the data confirms strength, you should be fully invested, participating in the move. When the data says risk is rising, exposure comes down. Both sides of that equation matter equally — and the decision is driven by the data, not by emotion.
Illustrative concept only. The chart depicts how the strategy is designed to adjust exposure across market regimes; it is not a representation of any actual or hypothetical investment performance. No system is right every time — there will be stretches where exposure is reduced and the market keeps climbing, and stretches where it's fully invested and the market pulls back before the signals trigger. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
What it actually looks like to work with me
Three steps. I do the heavy lifting.
A short conversation
You reach out. I send a 3-minute risk assessment — I read every answer myself. Then we spend about 20 minutes on a screen share and I walk you through exactly how I'd manage your money. No pitch. If it's not a fit, I'll tell you.
I handle the move
If you've got money at a former employer, I move it — the paperwork, the calls, the custodians. We sort the pre-tax, Roth, and company-stock pieces. You sign what needs signing. Typically done in under two weeks.
I watch the data — every day
Not once a quarter. Not once a year. The ARTAIS Methodology responds to what the market is actually doing. Your money sits at Schwab, in your name, and you get direct access to me — not a call center.
If this is the kind of management you've been looking for —
Message me and I'll send the short risk assessment to get started. No obligation.
We're not for everybody. And we mean that.
This is for you if…
- You've built real savings and want growth — but can't stomach watching a big chunk disappear in a downturn.
- You want someone actively managing risk, not parking you in three ETFs and sending a quarterly PDF.
- You have $250,000 or more — typically an old 401(k), an IRA, or a combination.
- You'd rather have a firm focused on what your money is doing today.
This isn't for you if…
- You want a conservative portfolio that never moves and never makes you uncomfortable.
- You want the advisor who sends birthday cards and a free steak dinner.
- You want to buy an index fund and leave it alone for 20 years. (You need a Vanguard account and some patience — not me.)
Who manages your money
John Rothe, CMT
Founder & Chief Investment Officer of ARTAIS Capital Management. I've managed money through every kind of market for nearly 30 years — crashes, recoveries, bubbles, panics. I started on Wall Street — Morgan Stanley, Oppenheimer — then left to build something independent in 2006. You get direct access to the person making the investment decisions, backed by the firm's research and infrastructure.
Questions you're probably thinking
Straight answers.
How is this actually different from other advisors? +
Most advisors build you a portfolio, rebalance it once a year, and call you if you call them. I watch the data every day. When conditions change, I act. You won't get a birthday card from me — you'll get someone paying attention.
What kind of results can I expect? +
I can't promise specific returns — and anyone who does is either lying or violating securities law. What I can do is walk you through how the strategy is designed to navigate different market environments. Past performance does not guarantee future results, but the process is consistent. If you want to see it, I'm happy to walk through it on a short screen share. No pitch. Just the data.
Do I have to sit through a sales call? +
No — because it isn't one. You look this over, and if it makes sense, we spend about 20 minutes on a screen share. I walk you through the methodology and you ask whatever you want. It's a working conversation, not a pitch — the call is just so you can see the process for yourself and decide with real information.
What do you charge? +
A flat percentage of what I manage. No commissions. No products. No hidden charges. If your portfolio grows, I do well. If it doesn't, I don't. That alignment of interest is the only arrangement that makes sense to me.
Is the rollover a hassle? Am I locked in? +
For you? No. I handle the paperwork, the calls, the custodian coordination — usually under two weeks. And you're never locked in: your money is at Charles Schwab in your name, full access anytime, no surrender charges, no penalties. I keep clients by doing a good job, not by making it hard to leave.
If you've read this far and it makes sense
Here's the next step.
Send me a message and tell me a couple of times that work this week. I'll send a 3-minute risk assessment to look over first, then we'll spend about 20 minutes on a screen share and I'll walk you through exactly how I'd manage your money. And if it's not a fit, I'll tell you that too.
No assistants. No forms. No runaround — you're talking to me.