July 25, 2025 — Originally published by Chandler France in the Houston Business Journal
Editor’s Note: Who to Know in The Woodlands is a weekly series of interviews featuring leaders and change-makers from Houston’s northern neighbor. The initiative culminates in an event on Nov. 5.
Story Highlights
- Colter Lewis started The Woodlands-based independent wealth firm Endeavor Advisors in 2023.
- Lewis started the firm in The Woodlands to stay close to home and take advantage of growth in the area.
- Before starting Endeavor, Lewis was a longtime executive with Chicago-based Northern Trust Corp.
Colter Lewis commuted in and out of The Woodlands for about 25 years. His new gig is a lot closer to home.
Lewis, the founder of The Woodlands-based Endeavor Advisors, has lived in The Woodlands for nearly three decades. He was born in Corpus Christi but moved frequently growing up, living throughout Texas, the mid-Atlantic states, and Europe. He moved to the north Houston suburb after meeting and marrying his wife at Abilene Christian University.
Lewis launched Endeavor Advisors, a fee-only wealth management firm working with high-net-worth individuals and families, in January 2023. Prior to starting the independent wealth firm, Lewis was a longtime executive with Chicago-based Northern Trust Corp. He joined the company in 2005, was promoted to head of the Houston office in 2013 and added on the role of wealth management president of Texas in 2018.
When launching his own wealth firm, Lewis chose The Woodlands as his home base because of the growth of the suburb. Over the nearly three decades he’s lived there, he said the area has transformed from a commuter suburb to one where residents can both live and work.
“There is a tremendous need for advice-driven services in a community that is growing and is vibrant (like The Woodlands),” Lewis said. “That’s at the heart of it.”
Given the growth of The Woodlands, what opportunities does that present for Endeavor?
When I think back to when I first began working with clients in The Woodlands, it was almost 30 years ago. As the community has grown, so has those clients’ wealth and success. With that comes more and more complexity and the need for advice. That’s created more opportunities at every stage in my personal career. Some of the largest and most fulfilling relationships that I’ve had have been in The Woodlands.
What differentiates your firm from the other wealth firms here in the Houston region?
There are a lot of really good firms out there, and it’s okay to say that. What differentiates us is the fact that we come from a pedigree of advising high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth families, and we bring that pedigree to the independent side of our industry — which I believe is the purest form of business structure you can have in wealth management and investment management. We have no proprietary products, and we’re completely open in how we can approach any problem a client may have.
What motivates you?
When I was a young guy, I never thought I would have been interested in this business. What I find fascinating about this business is the stories that these families have — how they created their wealth and what challenges they’re having to deal with. That really energizes me. When these families are willing to bring you into the fold and share with you their personal financial situation, the circumstances of their families, and what nuances they’re trying to plan around, that’s a real privilege and honor. I love that, and that has fired me up for three decades now — and it still does today.
What is your most important piece of advice?
I’ve had the good fortune of hiring a lot of good people over the years and interviewing a lot of young people, and what I say to people right out of the gate is, “Don’t pursue a career in this industry — this aspect of the finance and investment industry — if you don’t love people.” If you don’t have at the heart of who you are a deep love for people, their families, and their stories, and if you don’t have an interest in getting into that, don’t get into this business. You can teach everything else, but the core of who you are needs to care, and you need to care deeply about these families.
A Closer Look
- Hometown: Corpus Christi
- Education: Abilene Christian University
- Family: wife Elizabeth; children Ryan, Nathan and Natalie; grandchildren Waylon and Wyatt
- Favorite books: “Young Titan” by Michael Shelden and “Getting Naked” by Patrick Lencioni
- Favorite restaurants in The Woodlands: Republic Grille, Truluck’s, Via Emilia
To read the original article, click here.
