The Story of IronFjord
Flat fee retirement planning with investment management
Meet James Mayo, CFA, CFP®, EA
IronFjord was built to raise the bar for transparency, fiduciary advice, and client care.
I founded IronFjord after years of working in finance and growing increasingly dissatisfied with how opaque the industry can be. Since 2006, I have worked across wealth management, private credit, and corporate finance. Over time, I came to believe there was a better way to serve people: with transparent fees, comprehensive fiduciary advice, and planning grounded in what is actually best for the client.
That belief became even more personal when my wife and I spent over a year traveling North America with our two young kids before they started school. I built a campervan with my own hands (a fun and challenging project that I won’t be repeating), and we set off to explore the U.S. and Canada together. Along the way, we made incredible memories as a family while our investments continued compounding quietly in the background. It was a powerful reminder that money isn’t the goal. It’s a tool that, with thoughtful planning, can create freedom, flexibility, and peace of mind.
Toward the end of our adventure, it became clear to me that when we returned home, I wanted to build something of my own. I wanted to do work that felt meaningful, and I wanted to create the kind of firm I believe should be more common in this profession: honest, transparent, thoughtful, and truly built around the client.
The name IronFjord was born out of that period of adventure and reflection. While exploring the rugged landscapes of Newfoundland and Labrador via Expedition 51° with my family, I found myself returning to the image of a fjord we had explored: deep, striking, and shaped slowly over time by patience, persistence, and immense force. Then, passing through Labrador City, home to one of North America’s largest iron ore mines, the other half of the picture, iron, came into focus: strength, resilience, and endurance. Together, IronFjord became the perfect expression of what I believe lasting wealth requires and what I wanted this firm to stand for.
IronFjord [eye-urn-fyord]
A symbol of enduring strength, patience, and the steady shaping of something built to last.
To me, that is what good financial planning looks like. It is not built in a moment, and it is rarely the result of chasing what is exciting. It is built steadily through discipline, thoughtful decisions, and a long-term perspective. IronFjord reflects that belief: a strong foundation, shaped over time, built to endure.
Today, my family and I are based on Green Mountain in Lakewood, Colorado, at the foothills of the Rockies, where I work with clients nationwide. Originally from Australia, I am also a U.S. citizen. Before putting down roots in Colorado, we lived in New York City for several years. Adventure is still a big part of our lives, and it continues to shape how I think about money, planning, and the role finances should play in supporting a meaningful life. I want to help clients use their resources with confidence and purpose, so their finances support the life they want to live.
Education & Credentials
Bachelor of Commerce, Major in Finance
MBA with Distinction, Concentration in Applied Finance
Associations and Memberships
Giving Back and Volunteering
Member of the Jeffco Public Schools Financial Advisory Committee
AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Volunteer
Savvy Ladies® Volunteer, a non-profit that provides financial education to women in need
