A Season of Recognition, Thanks to You

Sandbox Spotlight: Andrew Salcetti

We’ve recently been honored by Forbes (Best-in-State), Newsweek, USA Today, and Bethesda Magazine (Face of Wealth Management) — all recognition we’re incredibly proud of. But awards don’t happen in a vacuum.

They’re possible because of you: the families, professionals, and individuals who trust us with your financial lives. You challenge us, inspire us, and empower us to do our best work every day. So today, we’re launching something new: The Sandbox Spotlight.

Each edition will introduce you to one of the people behind the firm: the advisors and team members who show up every day to serve with care, clarity, and conviction in all kinds of market conditions.

Because at the heart of it all, this isn’t about us. It’s about you: the people we serve, and the team that stands beside them.

First up: Andrew Salcetti, our Chief Operating Officer.

Andrew’s the steady hand behind so much of what keeps Sandbox running smoothly. From operational strategy to client service systems, he’s made a massive impact and brings a commitment to precision and people. We’re excited for you to get to know him better.

When a client passed away overseas, Andrew flew into D.C. to meet her son. The two of them spent the day driving from bank to bank, tracking down paperwork, gathering medallion signature stamps, handling death certificates, and navigating international estate complexities.

The client had never met Andrew before that day. By the end of the process, her son became one of Sandbox’s most loyal clients.

“Those moments are the most rewarding,” Andrew says. “You’re helping someone through something they couldn’t possibly do alone or virtually. And if you do it right, they never forget it.”

In this conversation, Andrew, one of the founding partners of Sandbox Financial and the person behind much of the firm's operational infrastructure, shares his career journey, Sandbox’s rapid growth, and the power of compound interest.

Let’s start at the beginning. What initially drew you to the world of finance and investing?

I’ve always had an interest in money and investing—it runs in the family. Brian’s in the investing world, our dad was in commercial real estate, and it was something we always talked about at home. That exposure at a young age stuck with me. I tried a few other jobs out of college, more technical stuff, but I kept gravitating back to finance and investing.

Eventually, I realized I was more drawn to the operational side of personal finance. I liked working behind the scenes to organize households, plan for inheritance and transitions, and build the technology to best showcase it. And in the role I have now, being a partner and leader of the firm, I need to have a working knowledge of everything across the CFP spectrum—so I can speak with clients, vendors, and help choose the right tools for the business.

What were you doing leading up to your decision to help launch Sandbox?

I was working at Fidelity Investments, specifically within their Family Office Services Group, after having left an RIA and completed my MBA at Boston College. Fidelity was actually the first major brokerage firm to build a dedicated family office group many years prior.

Instead of outsourcing financial advising and custodial operations to external firms, they thought, “Why not build an in-house solution for the ultra-wealthy using the infrastructure and resources they already had?” That internal effort was successful, and over time it evolved into a full-fledged offering for other uber-high-net-worth individuals and families, single-family offices, and multi-family offices.

My specific role was focused on supporting the multi-family office segment, ensuring smooth connections between these firms and Fidelity’s systems, and streamlining and improving operational efficiency, including onboarding and client service processes. Later, I transitioned into a role where I worked with breakaway advisors, specifically broker-dealer and wirehouse teams that were looking to leave their firms and go independent through Fidelity’s custody platform. This gave me deeper insight into working with billion-dollar advisors, helping them navigate the shift to independence.

What do you remember about the launch of Sandbox?

I officially joined Sandbox on July 1, 2018. We spent the next couple of months building everything—systems, paperwork, compliance, technology. Then on September 11, 2018, we broke away and launched.

We had 100% client retention. Every single client from Brian and Fred’s book at Wells Fargo came with us. And we moved so fast that we actually broke Fidelity’s onboarding system. They asked me to slow down because their service teams couldn’t keep up. I said, “No—you need to add more resources. We’re not going to leave clients behind.”

You’ve helped build a remote-first, cloud-based infrastructure. What was the thinking there?

I was based in Boston while Brian and Fred were in the D.C. area. From day one, I knew we had to be cloud-based—both for compliance reasons and practicality. They were meeting clients at homes, offices, restaurants. I wanted them to be able to pull up charts, holdings, and plans on a tablet in real time.

That flexibility became a huge advantage during the pandemic. We had zero disruption. It also allowed us to hire great talent no matter where they lived. Now we have clients across 20+ states and several continents. I joke that we have clients on every continent except Antarctica—we’re still waiting for our first penguin.

What’s been the most rewarding part of the work for you?

When a complex problem lands on your desk—like a death, inheritance, or international estate—it’s daunting. But I find those puzzles fascinating. Working with attorneys, custodians, family members, and pulling the whole thing together, especially during emotional times... that’s where I feel we really make a difference.

There’s also a certain satisfaction in client service. You don’t need someone to say “thank you” to know you’ve done a great job. But when they do? Especially in high-stakes moments? It stays with you.

Sandbox has grown quickly. You hit $600 million in AUM recently, right?

We started with $100 million in 2018 and hit $600 million this January. That includes two major market downturns, so we’re proud of the trajectory. Our next goal is $1 billion, hopefully within the next few years. It’ll take market cooperation and continued client growth, but we think it’s achievable.

What do you see as Sandbox’s biggest differentiator?

First, we’re fiduciaries. That word gets tossed around, but we take it seriously. We’re legally bound to do what’s in our clients’ best interest—and we live that out in every recommendation we make.

Second, we’re nimble. Over time we’ve reevaluated and changed financial planning software, portfolio management systems, CRMs—whatever helps us be more efficient and serve clients better. We don’t stick with something out of inertia. We always ask: What’s the best tool available today and is it practical to make the change?

Third, we lead with service. Performance matters, but it goes up and down. Service is always within our control. I tell our team: You don’t gain goodwill slowly over time—you start at 100, and you can lose it fast. Attention to detail matters. Every client matters.

What’s your personal approach to investing? Any foundational lessons that stick with you?

Compound interest. That’s the big one. Let your money work for you.

Also, I think about Robert Kiyosaki’s quadrant from Rich Dad Poor Dad—how you want to be in the category where your assets are generating income for you. Whether it’s real estate, equities, or a business, the goal is to build something that pays you while you’re sleeping.

Have you started teaching your kids about money yet?

Yes, we’ve started. My oldest is seven, and right now she thinks money just appears. So we’ve got work to do! But I’m in the camp of being open about it. You don’t have to share every detail, but they should understand what money is, why saving matters, and how investing works. Those life skills will serve them forever.

When you're not working, what do you enjoy?

I’m a dad first. But when I do have time, I’m into sports— racquet sports like tennis, paddle, pickleball, and an aspiring golfer. I also love exploring new places and restaurants with the family.