By Ben Martinek, CFP®, EA, CSLP®, RICP
Growing up in a working-class family in rural Indiana, I witnessed firsthand the financial challenges many families face. The impact of financial decisions became clear to me early on—especially when those decisions were made without consideration for long-term consequences. This exposure to financial instability sparked my passion for helping others pursue financial stability with confidence and clarity.
Today, I am proud to serve as a financial advisor at Bona Fide Finance, where my mission is to guide physicians, high-income professionals, business owners, and their families toward financial confidence and lasting success.
My Early Career Steps: Building a Foundation in Finance
My journey into the financial services industry began in 2009. Unlike many who enter this field through sales-driven roles, my focus from the start was always client-centered advice. I didn’t want to sell products—I wanted to provide strategic, objective guidance tailored to each client’s unique financial goals. This approach is what led me to pursue a career as a financial advisor, and I’ve worked ever since to ensure that my clients’ financial plans are customized to their needs, rather than being shaped by a push to sell financial products.
To feel confident I could offer the advice my clients deserved, I committed myself to continual learning and sought out industry certifications that would deepen my knowledge and skill. Over time, I earned my CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, CFP® designation, which equipped me to provide comprehensive financial planning services. I also became an Enrolled Agent (EA), which allowed me to offer tax advice and representation for clients in a way that most advisors cannot. Additionally, I pursued certifications like the Certified Student Loan Professional®, CSLP® and Retirement Income Certified Professional®, RICP®, all of which help me serve the complex financial needs of my clients, particularly those navigating student debt or planning for retirement.
Launching Bona Fide Finance
After working at a traditional financial firm for a couple of years, I realized I wanted to build a firm that truly aligned with my personal values. That’s when I founded Bona Fide Finance. I wanted to create a practice that offered transparent, fiduciary-based advice, focused solely on the financial well-being of my clients. At Bona Fide Finance, our mission is to help clients build, preserve, and transfer their wealth through personalized, tax-efficient strategies. The vision behind the firm was simple: to provide an authentic, client-focused approach that would empower individuals and families to take control of their financial futures.
Why I Love What I Do
The most fulfilling part of my job is seeing the real impact financial planning has on my clients’ lives. We don’t just manage investments—we empower families to make confident, informed decisions about their financial futures. Whether clients come to us needing a comprehensive financial plan or solutions for more complex financial challenges, the real reward comes from hearing them say, “You’ve changed our lives.” Helping clients enjoy peace, make better financial decisions, and work toward their goals is incredibly gratifying. Knowing my efforts make a tangible difference in their financial stability is what drives me every day.
My role as a fiduciary means I am legally and ethically required to always act in my clients’ best interests, offering guidance that is free of conflicts and sales pressures. As a fiduciary, I am committed to providing objective advice that truly benefits my clients. This duty is a cornerstone of my approach at Bona Fide Finance, and it’s something I take very seriously.
The Power of Personalized Financial Planning
At Bona Fide Finance, we understand that each client has unique needs. Whether it’s planning for retirement, managing student loans, or optimizing tax strategies, we take a comprehensive approach to each client’s financial situation. By creating tailored financial plans, we help clients navigate complex decisions and implement strategies that align with their goals.
My passion for financial planning lies in the opportunity to provide my clients with a holistic view of their financial lives—empowering them to make smarter decisions as they pursue their ideal financial futures.
Are You Looking for a Financial Partner?
If you’re looking for a dedicated, fiduciary financial advisor, I invite you to explore how Bona Fide Finance can support your journey toward financial confidence. To see if we would be a good collaborative fit together, schedule an introductory meeting by calling (701) 203-3219 or emailing hello@bonafidefinance.com.
About Ben
Ben Martinek, CFP®, EA, CSLP®, RICP®, is the founder and lead advisor at Bona Fide Finance, an independent, fee-only firm dedicated to helping doctors, young professionals, and growing families take control of their financial future. With a deep understanding of student loan debt—having tackled his own—Ben specializes in guiding clients through debt repayment strategies, smart investing, and comprehensive financial planning so they can build wealth with confidence. Ben’s passion for financial planning comes from his desire to provide honest, objective advice tailored to each client’s unique situation. He loves seeing the impact of his work, whether it’s helping a family pay off student loans years ahead of schedule, setting up an early retiree for financial freedom, or giving clients the peace that comes from knowing their finances are in order. His clients appreciate his thoughtful, high-touch approach, often saying that working with him has changed their lives.
Before launching Bona Fide Finance in 2015, Ben’s career path was anything but conventional. The fourth of nine children, he grew up in rural Indiana and initially pursued a path in academia, earning a B.A. in philosophy and classical languages, followed by a master’s degree in philosophy. Along the way, he explored careers in construction and truck driving—logging over 600,000 miles across the U.S. with his wife, Deb—before finding his true calling in financial planning.
Now based in Mandan, North Dakota, Ben and Deb stay busy raising their two daughters, Edith and Virginia. Since their truck-driving days, Ben is happiest on a long road trip—preferably behind the wheel of his TDI Volkswagen Jetta. He enjoys sailing on Lake Sakakawea, camping in their vintage ’90s pop-up camper, and smoking a pipe by the grill. A lover of strategy board games, he favors Clans of Caledonia (mostly because Deb refuses to play Risk with him). When he’s not working with clients, he can be found smoking meat, gardening, hiking, or diving into The Lord of the Rings or Dune. Ben also serves on the school board for his daughters’ Montessori school and is actively involved in pre-marriage ministry in the Bismarck Diocese. To learn more about Ben, connect with him on LinkedIn.