Built By Owners, For Owners
Backbone Planning Partners was founded with one clear idea: business owners aren’t just another client type. Their businesses are their lives.
We understand that because we've been there. Our approach goes beyond financial plans - it starts with knowing who you are, what you’ve built, and where you're headed.
The People Behind the Plans
Meet the Team at Backbone
We’re planners, but we’re also operators. Every person on this team brings real-world experience, not just financial know-how. We’ve built businesses, supported families, and worked through the same kinds of decisions our clients face. That’s what makes the work personal - and why we treat every conversation like it matters. Because it does.
The Way We Think About Strategy
What We Believe In
You didn’t get here overnight. And your financial strategy shouldn’t have to either.
Long-Term Thinking Wins
Our clients are not chasing trends or quick wins. We help them stay focused on strategies that build real value over time.
We Focus on Value, Not Noise
Flashy doesn’t impress the business owners we serve. They care about solid fundamentals, not market hype.
We Don’t Try to Time the Market.
Our clients want to move forward with clarity, not sit on the sidelines waiting for perfect conditions.
Benchmarks Don’t Tell the Whole Story.
We measure success by our clients' goals, not by how they compare to the S&P 500.
Our Clients Want a Steady Hand.
They’re optimistic but grounded. We help them grow while protecting what they’ve worked hard to build.
Advice Should Come with Context.
We don’t overwhelm with information. We listen, understand, and guide with relevance to the real world.
Simple Works.
The business owners we work with don’t need fancy. They need strategy that holds up when life gets busy.
The Backbone Team
Landon Mance, CEPA®, CBEC®
Co-Founder & Financial Planner
Read Landon's Bio
Landon Mance is a Financial Planner and co-founder of Backbone Planning Partners out of Las Vegas, Nevada.
Landon comes from a family of successful entrepreneurs and has a passion and excitement for serving the business community. This passion is what brought about the growth of Backbone Planning Partners to help business owners and their families. At Backbone Planning, we believe small business owners’ personal and business goals are intertwined, so we work with our clients to design a financial plan to support and help manage all aspects of their lives.
In 2019, Landon obtained the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) designation through the Exit Planning Institute. With this certification, Backbone Planning Partners assists business owners through an ownership transition while focusing on a positive outcome for their employees and meeting the business owner’s goals. Landon is also a member of the Business Intelligence Institute (BII) which is a collaborative group that shares tools, resources and personnel, and offers advanced level training and technical support to specifically serve business owners. In 2021, Landon became a Certified Business Exit Consultant® (CBEC®) to help entrepreneurs plan to exit their businesses by counseling owners about exit options, estimating the value of the business, preparing the business for exit and tax considerations.
Landon enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife, stepson, and 2-year-old twins. He grew up in sunny San Diego and loves visiting his family, playing a round of golf with friends, and many other outdoor activities. Landon tries to make a difference in the lives of children in Las Vegas by working with a local non-profit to remind himself of why it’s so important to, “be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
Landon received his B.S. from California State University Long Beach in business marketing and gets the rest of his education through the school of hard knocks via his business owner clients.
Austin Peterson, CFP®, CLU®, CBEC®, CPFA®, MBA
Co-Founder & Financial Planner
Read Austin's Bio
Austin Peterson is a Comprehensive Financial Planner out of Scottsdale, AZ. Austin began his career in financial services in 2000 as a personal financial advisor with Independent Capital Management in Santa Ana, CA. Austin then joined Pacific Life Insurance Company as an internal wholesaler for their variable annuity and mutual fund products. After Pacific Life, Austin formed his own financial planning company in Southern California that he built and ran for 6 years and eventually sold when he moved his family to Salt Lake City to pursue his MBA.
After he completed his MBA, Austin joined Crump Life Insurance where he filled a couple of different sales roles and eventually a management role throughout the five years he was with Crump. Most recently before joining former broker/dealer Lincoln Financial Advisors in February 2015, Austin spent 2 years as a life insurance field wholesaler with Symetra Life Insurance Company. Austin is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM Professional and Chartered Life Underwriter. In 2021, Austin received two additional designations as a Certified Business Exit Consultant® (CBEC®) to help entrepreneurs plan to exit their businesses and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA®) to develop and implement comprehensive retirement plans. That same year, Austin and Landon merged their practices and founded Backbone Planning Partners in an effort to better serve their clients and have an even greater focus on small business planning.
Austin and his wife of 23 years, Robin, have two children, AJ and Ella and they reside in Gilbert, Arizona. He is a graduate of California State University, Fullerton with a Bachelor of Arts in French and of Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Management with a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in sales and entrepreneurship.
Jace Cox, CFP®
Associate Financial Planner
Read Jace's Bio
Jace is a Financial Planner with Backbone Planning Partners, joining in 2025 and bringing with him 5 years of wealth management experience.
Prior to joining Backbone Planning, Jace worked for a comprehensive wealth management firm where he served individuals, families, and business owners across a wide range of planning areas including: managing workplace retirement plans, tax-efficient investing, and business transition preparation.
Jace works closely with business owners and their families to develop coordinated financial strategies that support both their personal and professional goals. He is passionate about building long-term relationships and helping clients navigate complex financial decisions with confidence.
Jace is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and a graduate of Utah State University. He earned dual degrees in Finance and Economics with a minor in Personal Financial Planning. While at USU, he served as President of the Financial Planning Association student chapter, helping build a strong peer network and early leadership experience.
Jace and his wife, Becca, have one daughter, who has him wrapped around her finger. Jace loves spending time with his family, watching college sports (especially Utah State), playing pickleball, and cooking on the grill. Several years ago, Jace and Becca bought an old fixer-upper house and have spent many hours doing DIY projects to make it a home that they love!
Christy Todd
Administrative Assistant
Read Christy's Bio
Christy has been with Backbone Planning Partners since 2024. She is responsible for the firm’s overall office management, compliance, client servicing & support, and day-to-day operations. She was a realtor in OR and WA for the past 6 years before deciding to try something different and joining the Backbone team.
Built to Be Simple
How to Get the Ball Rolling
You don’t need to prep. You don’t need to get your books in order. You just need a place to start.
Set up a short call with our team and we’ll talk through what you’re navigating - whether that’s cash flow, taxes, transition planning, or just trying to get a handle on your numbers.
We’ll let you know if we’re a good fit, and point you in the right direction either way!
Visit
7477 W Lake Mead Blvd Ste 270
Las Vegas, NV 89128
3707 E Southern Avenue Ste 2027
Mesa, AZ 85206
Call or Text: (702) 569-7316