Neal Angel, MBA
CEO and Founder
Neal Angel, MBA, is an experienced financial advisor with two decades of experience, who holds both Series 65 and South Carolina life/health insurance licenses. Neal specializes in advising families & small business owners, both retired & approaching retirement, with strategies for preserving their retirement savings, increasing their retirement income & leaving a financial legacy for their family & community. He enjoys showing families how to take advantage of established rules and ongoing changes in the law to lower taxable income, while at the same time increasing net income by up to 67%. He also enjoys teaching retirees the latest strategies for ensuring a lifetime income, safe from market volatility, which grows over time to keep up with inflation.
In addition to holding a license in insurance, Mr. Angel serves as an investment advisor representative working with Brookstone Asset Management, along with legal & tax advisors in order to best serve clients in South Carolina and beyond. He has advised thousands of families in Upstate South Carolina as a speaker on current retirement issues as well as a guest columnist for local upstate publications. He has also served as a regular lecturer on retirement income planning at Furman & Clemson University lifelong learning programs since 2013 on strategies for maximizing income while preserving financial assets in retirement.
While originally from Greensboro, NC, Neal & his family have lived in the Upstate of South Carolina since 1993. Together with his wife, they have three children and four grandchildren. His wife retired as an RN at Spartanburg Regional Hospital. During their free time with the family, they enjoy an active lifestyle, hiking, kayaking & camping in the mountains.
Peter Mendell
Chief Investment Advisor
Pete began his financial career in 2011, focusing on guiding pre-retirees and retirees through the process of retirement income and investment planning. Pete’s strengths exist in his passion for finding the best solutions and vehicles that offer competitive returns whilst also diminishing risk. When not in the office, Pete can be found exploring the lakes, forests, and mountains of the Pacific Northwest with his wife, Kaileen, and Labrador Retriever, Hula.
We offer investment expertise and customized investment solutions to help our clients build long-term, risk-managed portfolios tailored to meet their specific goals, needs, and risk tolerance. This risk management investment approach seeks to protect and grow the wealth of our clients. As the markets and universe of investment options continue to evolve, we embrace the innovative solutions that fit our investment philosophy.
We believe that reducing the potential to experience a large loss in your portfolio is paramount to the sustainability of your retirement. Equally as important is the ability to sleep well at night knowing that your basic income needs will be met. Through our comprehensive, proprietary process, we work one-on-one with our clients to discover what perils may exist in their retirement plans and address them with effective solutions.
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Cathy Mendell
Founder, the LIFT Network
Cathy Mendell is the Founder and President of Theia Financial, Inc, and the LIFT Advisor Network. The LIFT Advisor Network is a community of independent advisors specializing in retirement income planning for the Accomplished Woman. Members focus on decumulation—turning savings into sustainable income—by taking a holistic approach across all financial domains: investments, retirement, taxes, insurance, estate planning and cash flow, coordinating solutions into one cohesive plan. LIFT provides advisors with proven frameworks, ongoing education, and collaborative support to deliver clarity, confidence, and better retirement outcomes.
Cathy Mendell is a seasoned financial leader and entrepreneur with a career spanning executive leadership, wealth management, and impact-driven ventures. She spent 15 years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 company, where she developed deep expertise in leadership, strategy, and distribution. Building on that foundation, Cathy went on to help emerging startups establish and scale effective distribution models.
She later founded Elevation Capital Strategies, a wealth management and retirement planning firm that grew rapidly to more than $400 million in assets. After successfully selling the firm to her lead advisor, Cathy launched Theia Financial and the LIFT Advisor Network, both focused on advancing thoughtful financial education, retirement planning, and advisor excellence.
Beyond her professional work, Cathy and her husband, Arlan, are the founders of an orphanage in Africa, reflecting their shared commitment to service and global impact. They live in Southern Oregon at their vineyard estate, Ravissant Cellars, where hospitality, community, and purpose come together.
