About Said | Israilov Financial

Hey there, I’m Saïd.

I am based in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco home. I enjoy daily bike rides along the Embarcadero and the Great Highway. Weekends are often spent hiking trails – I’ve visited all nine national parks in California! I deeply care about the welfare of my community, and you’ll often find me volunteering at the Marin Food Bank.

My journey in financial planning began at Cornell University, where I studied economics and finance as a recent immigrant from a post-Soviet state.

Fascinated by capital markets and investing, I went on to work in investment banking advisory and corporate finance. These invaluable experiences inspired me to work in financial planning and pursue a career path at Charles Schwab.

At Schwab, I developed extensive domain knowledge of foundational financial planning concepts and best practices, particularly the ones tailored for affluent households.
I earned my CFP® designation in 2024, cementing my commitment to always act as a fiduciary – your needs come first, always. As a CFP® professional, I am ethically bound to prioritize your interests and provide transparent, objective advice. I take this responsibility to heart.

The rigorous CFP® certification process, including 6 months of intensive coursework and 6,000 hours of professional experience in financial planning process, deepened my expertise in taxes, insurance, education, and estate planning.

Passing the grueling 6-hour CFP® exam marked the pinnacle of my journey in financial planning.
I’m fluent in Russian and Turkish.

I coach mindfulness and guided meditation.

I own 27 pairs of jeans, mostly 501s and 511s (I worked at Levi’s).

I am an avid runner. I run the SF Marathon in 3:49 (official); my fastest mile is 5:12 (unofficial).

I am big on podcasts and here are my favorite ones:Lex Friedman, Animal Spirits, Crime Junkie, Prof G Pods, Huberman Lab, Morning Brew Daily, Planet Money.