Twist of Fortune: Al Maulini

MIRACLE MILE, the legendary promenade in Coral Gables, is full of European architecture and Miami-style shops, but walking into Private Wealth Management of Coral Gables feels like stepping off a street in Manhattan. As the live ticker scrolls above the reception desk, the financial district’s famous charging bull sculpture rages towards you in a photograph spanning the left wall. Golden and stunning, it’s not the only piece of financial art found at PWMCG. Owner, managing director, and senior portfolio manager Al Maulini, 63, gutted the building in 2022. “I captured the feeling that you’re walking off the street in Manhattan into a brokerage firm,” he tells AQUA Pinecrest in an interview.

His nine-person team featuring five financial advisors sits at a long trading table down the middle of the office, showcasing its boutique aura. “At my age in the business, it’s important also that I like the people I work with, so it’s really a big family…and I think everybody feels it,” he says. That’s also how he shows clients that they are part of an extended family. “This is preached in the business, and we actually do it because we really get to know the client. Not just from a business perspective, but as much as possible on a personal level,” says Maulini. He gets to know their families, calling them on their birthday and finding other personal touches to add to his interactions. “It’s nice to do business for friends.

PWMCG offers portfolio management, financial planning, investment strategies, and even retirement planning, among other services. The team is made up of independent financial advisors, and is a registered branch office of Raymond James Financial Services Inc., a premier financial services firm with support and investment resources that PWMCG clients can have access to. It’s a distinct business with the power to make clients feel at home while connecting them to advantages from a national mainstay.

LEADING THE CHARGE 

Maulini is up between four and five in the morning, starting his day with a prayer and his feet on solid ground. This is his calling, and he is ready to chase that calling at sunrise— starting with a morning brief on the markets and the economy to prepare his team for what’s to come.

“I was doing a lot of research in the mornings, and I started comparing my notes to other morning briefs that I read and they were different, and in some cases [mine] got a lot better,” Maulini explains. “And then I send that out on social media, LinkedIn, Facebook, and X as well as email it to my clients.” A self-proclaimed AI-aficionado, Maulini includes the latest news on artificial intelligence, too.

Not surprisingly, the owner’s to-do list is long, and his calendar is filled with meetings and a near-daily lunch date. Maulini aims to be in the office before 8 a.m., before the markets open, and doesn’t head home until 6 p.m. “I intermingle client conversations with working through my to-do list, maybe networking in the community, [and] a lot of charity work.” Two to three times a month, or when the market demands it, “we’re reviewing portfolios to make sure that we’re on point with the investments that we hold.”

His day isn’t over when the workday ends; Technology keeps him working and saves him time. Self-driving mode in his car and text-to-speech tools help him send emails and listen to important articles in his own intonation. “Whatever I don’t have time to read, I throw it on to the Speechify app, and Speechify reads my notes back to me. I’ve heard you’re more attentive if you’re hearing your own voice.”

While Maulini does take breaks from the ups and downs of the economy, Saturdays are still considered a workday. In fact, they’re essential for setting up the rest of the week for success. He maximizes this half day by reviewing the past and planning for the future. “Saturday ends up being a very important planning day. Typically we review all of our client holdings and make sure everything’s on point.”

PAYING IT FORWARD 

Maulini is dedicated to giving back—not just talking about it. His charity work is deeply impactful rather than flashy, and he has used his success with PWMCG to fuel what he calls his “calling.” You might catch him at his monthly wine tasting, which gives back to the community in two ways: sponsoring a charity through the event and educating locals through a seminar on money management. There’s a robust Q&A session for around a dozen interested locals who leave with vital information for their financial lives. “It’s some work, but we have it down to a science already, and it’s a lot of fun. We have a good time,” he says of the seminars. “That’s when we can really flex our mental muscles. If a client wants to refer somebody to us, they’re bringing their friends so they can meet the whole team.”

Maulini donates through his charity, Protecting the Innocent. What started as an extension of his love for dogs (he has six at home) turned into donations for children, seniors, and the homeless. “I’ve always had at least one dog. One of the things I had to stop myself from doing is fostering dogs.” Most dogs he fosters tend to stay permanently. Instead, he helps provide adoption services, medical care, transportation, and anything else to help out animals in need.

He has also worked with organizations like Safe Haven for Newborns, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Baptist Health Foundation, Family Resource Center, Live Like Bella, and the Humane Society of Greater Miami. “These are the type of charities that I love,” he says.

FOUNDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE 

“I achieved quick success as a young man, and I’ve tried different facets of the business,” Maulini says, reflecting on his past. He started as a trader, he’s been in financial radio, and held management roles at large corporations in Miami like Citicorp, Wachovia, HSBC, and Morgan Stanley. “I’ve had teams, and what I enjoy the most is leading a small team of investment professionals.”

Maulini knows this is where he is supposed to be, and that keeps his mind on track through the most difficult times. After a series of health issues that led to him undergoing open heart surgery, he became serious about his health. “I went legally blind for a while due to diabetes, I had four eye surgeries, had gangrene in my gallbladder, I went through all types of stuff. And then at one point, I said, okay, that’s it.” Now, he says his transformation is unbelievable. “It’s almost like I’m talking about somebody else.” Over the last three years he has put in the hard work to transform his physical condition and his business, taking pride in not only his health but his ability to take life by the horns. “It’s important for me, for my business and life, because I have terrific energy.”

BY MORGAN C. MULLINGS