Healthy Advisor: Recent Episodes
Diana Britton
Healthy Advisor is a podcast from WealthManagement.com focused on advisors’ personal wellbeing and healing. In this podcast we explore some of the deepest struggles and hardships that many advisors face and bring these issues out into the open so that others may find healing. Join us for this journey where we explore ways to overcome the stresses and anxieties as Diana draws from years of expertise and guest experts to manage the personal challenges of advisors.
Adventure racing—an off-road, navigation-based sport that fuses endurance, strategy, and teamwork—became a life-changing journey for Ryan VanGorder. What started as a casual comment while watching The Echo Challenge with friends transformed into a relentless pursuit of his physical and mental limits.
Since 1999, Ryan and his team have tackled grueling competitions that stretch from a few hours to several days, pushing themselves against nature and their own endurance.
But Ryan’s path took a harrowing turn when a race led to a life-threatening medical emergency, landing him in a coma. Emerging from that experience, he embraced a fierce commitment to living fully, adopting a “YOLO” mindset that fuels both his life and his approach to business.
In this episode, WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton sits down with Ryan VanGorder, CEO of Opto Investments, to share his story of survival, resilience, and how his brush with death reshaped his outlook on life and work.
Ryan discusses:
- His introduction to adventure racing and the unique allure that hooked him
- Memorable moments from races across rugged landscapes
- The life-changing near-death experience during the Primal Quest race in Moab, Utah
- How adventure racing taught him valuable lessons for managing risk in business
- How adventure racing helped him find balance and meditation
Resources:
- Listen to other episodes of The Healthy Advisor.
- Lessons from over two decades of adventure racing
Connect With Ryan VanGorder:
- Opto Investments
- LinkedIn: Ryan VanGorder
- ryan@optoinvest.com
Connect with WealthManagement.com:
- WealthManagement.com
- LinkedIn: Diana Britton
- Email: diana.britton@informa.com
- LinkedIn: Informa
- LinkedIn: WealthManagement
About Our Guest:
Ryan VanGorder is Opto Investments’ Chief Executive Officer.
Prior to joining Opto, Ryan was a managing director at BlackRock, leading finance in the Asia Pacific region. Ryan has more than 20 years of financial services experience and began his career in 2001 at Quellos, a Seattle-based hedge fund of funds. When he’s not focused on building Opto into a world-class business, you might bump into Ryan running or biking on a trail near you.
If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.
The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Spotify, and wherever podcasts are found.
Having grown up around financial planning, Matthew Newman realized the importance of having everything in place before tragedy strikes. His father’s advice to plan for the negative moments was a lifeline.
At age 39, he was diagnosed with Grade 3 Astrocytoma, a form of brain cancer. At the time, he had three children under 5, and his father-in-law was battling pancreatic cancer. All of a sudden, he saw life through a new set of lenses.
Throughout his battle, he sought to make his journey a communal one. He began writing and sending emails about his experiences and reflections to friends and family, which unexpectedly grew into an audience of 20,000 people. His journey resonated deeply and offered a beacon of hope to many enduring struggles.
In this episode, Managing Editor Diana Britton speaks with Matthew Newman, a wholesaler at Pacific Life and author of “Starting at the Finish Line,” about his journey and the impact it had on his life.
Matt discusses:
- What happened leading up to his diagnosis
- How he received the diagnosis
- His treatments
- Where his strength comes from
- What became his outlet
- The importance of revisiting the journey in daily life
- What his experience can teach advisors
Resources:
- Starting at the Finish Line by Matthew S. Newman
- Listen to other inspiring episodes of The Healthy Advisor
Connect With Matthew Newman:
- LinkedIn: Matthew Newman
- Pacific Life
Connect with WealthManagement.com:
- WealthManagement.com
- LinkedIn: Diana Britton
- Email: diana.britton@informa.com
- LinkedIn: Informa
- LinkedIn: WealthManagement
If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.
The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify, and wherever podcasts are found.
It was not just one struggle in her life that shaped Marissa Nehlsen. Since her formative years, she’s faced adversity and come out stronger every time.
Despite significant hardships, including the loss of her family farm, enduring domestic abuse from her father, and coping with Stargardt disease, which has led to blindness, Marissa has built a seven-figure business and become a coach, speaker, and podcast host.
In this episode, Nehlsen, the founder and CEO of Freedom Financial Group, discusses her journey from a challenging childhood on a North Dakota farm to leading a successful financial advisory firm. She offers a story of hope for others in pain, as she has yet to slow down or limit her goals.
Marissa discusses:
- How she fought back against domestic abuse initiating a major change in her life
- Learning resilience while living in a trailer park with her mother and siblings
- Workplace challenges like sexism, favoritism and rejection
- Her battle with Stargardt disease and how her brother helped her through it
- Mourning the death of her fiancé
- The importance of faith and community support in overcoming life’s hardships
Resources:
- Listen to the latest episodes of The Healthy Advisor
- The Live Life Rich with Marissa Nehlsen podcast
- National Eye Institute: Stargardt Disease
Connect With Marissa Nehlsen:
- LinkedIn: Marissa Nehlsen
- Marissa Nehlsen Website
- Freedom Financial Group
- Email: info@marissanehlsen.com
Connect with WealthManagement.com:
- WealthManagement.com
- LinkedIn: Diana Britton
- Email: diana.britton@informa.com
- LinkedIn: Informa
- LinkedIn: WealthManagement
About Our Guest:
Marissa Nehlsen is the founder and CEO of Freedom Financial Group. She rose from humble beginnings as a rural North Dakota farm girl to build a multi-million dollar financial services company.
As an accomplished leader with proven results, Marissa Nehlsen’s unique style and approach enable clients to achieve extraordinary and sustainable outcomes. Fueled by the growth of others, she has over 23 years of solid experience. She built a holistic planning firm based on the core principles of educating, empowering, and equipping individuals, organizations, and businesses to make wise choices. Marissa Nehlsen delivers results by connecting with people to share her practical ideas and techniques, helping them achieve their goals and transform their lives through coordinated tax plans, legal plans, and financial plans.
If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.
The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify and wherever podcasts are found.
In her role as head of culture and field experience at RBC Wealth Management U.S., Shareen Luze is responsible for making sure the firm’s 2,200 financial advisors feel supported and have a similar employee experience as those in the home office.
One particular area of focus, which has become more acute in the global pandemic, has been mental wellbeing.
But Shareen has had her own mental health challenges, having struggled with anxiety for years. She first realized she had the mental health disorder after the birth of her first child, a son. At the time, she wanted to make it look like she had everything together to the outside world. But on the inside, she was dealing with feelings of excessive worry, an inability to relax or sit still, and lack of sleep. She was diagnosed with postpartum anxiety.
WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton speaks with
Shareen Luze, head of culture and field experience at RBC Wealth Management U.S., who opens up about her mental health and how these experiences have shaped her approach to employee well-being.
Shareen discusses:
- Her journey with postpartum anxiety and her realization about her mental health
- The impact of perfectionist tendencies and societal pressures on mental well-being
- Why she initially avoided talking about her mental health at work
- How her life changed after being more vulnerable at work
- Her experience with breast cancer and how she dealt with her anxiety during that time
- The biggest mental health challenges facing financial advisors
Resources:
- Listen to the latest episodes of The Healthy Advisor
Connect With Shareen Luze:
- LinkedIn: Shareen Luze
- RBC Management
- Email: Shareen.luze@rbc.com
Connect with WealthManagement.com:
- WealthManagement.com
- LinkedIn: Diana Britton
- Email: diana.britton@informa.com
- LinkedIn: Informa
- LinkedIn: WealthManagement
About Our Guest:
In her role as head of culture and field experience for RBC Wealth Management–U.S., Shareen Luze dedicates herself to ensuring the firm’s purpose-driven culture and strong values are at the core of every business decision. She has built a career around providing compassionate advice and counsel to employees, managers, and leaders.
If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.
The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify and wherever podcasts are found.
While studying at Duke University, Martine Lellis started to feel sick. It developed quickly into a hospital visit where she was diagnosed with pneumonia in both her lungs. The condition escalated into a near-deadly situation, so her doctors decided to induce a coma even before her parents were able to reach her.
It became so serious that while in a coma, she received her last rites, the religious ceremony performed by a Catholic priest for someone who was dying.
Thankfully, she woke up three weeks later to make a full recovery, although the road back to normal functionality was difficult.
Diana Britton speaks with Martine Lellis, principal of M&A partner development at Mercer Advisors, on her near-death experience, its profound impact on her life, and how it has fueled her passion for making bold, compassionate choices in the financial services industry.
Diana and Martine discuss:
- Martine’s near-death experience and its aftermath
- Her recent experience meeting with the doctor who saved her life at Duke
- Another health scare she had with long COVID
- How overcoming significant health challenges shaped her professional and personal outlook
- The importance of gratitude and resilience in her leadership role
- Her current philanthropic efforts and commitment to giving back to the community
Resources:
- Listen to the latest episodes of The Healthy Advisor
Connect With Martine Lellis:
- LinkedIn: Martine Lellis
- Mercer Advisors: Martine Lellis
Connect With Wealth Management & NREI:
- WealthManagement.com
- LinkedIn: Diana Britton
- Email: diana.britton@informa.com
- LinkedIn: Informa
- LinkedIn: WealthManagement
About Our Guest:
Martine is Principal, M&A Partner Development, and is responsible for driving the growth and expansion of the organization through strategic mergers and acquisitions of other RIAs. Based on her more than two decades of experience in the independent wealth management space, she leads like-minded firms in their transition decisions, including assessment of fit, due diligence, financial analysis, talent mapping, and deal negotiations. Martine also currently serves as Chief Talent Officer, overseeing Talent Management and HR Operations for the company, with a focus on developing and growing the talent of the organization. She has been a member of the Executive Leadership Team at Mercer Advisors since joining the firm in 2020.
If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.
The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify, and wherever podcasts are found.
Kimberly Sanders followed a typical path into financial services, gaining an undergrad in finance and working for a series of banks and brokerage firms. When she became pregnant, she made the decision to stay home for eight years to raise her kids. But when it was time to return to work, the path was not so smooth.
For Anna Howard, her path into the industry was driven by a desire to earn validation from her father, also an executive in financial services. Later in her career, she realized the path she took and focused on building a more authentic and fulfilling life for herself. She and her husband recently went through a multi-year process to become foster parents, so now they’re managing four kids, two of which have special needs, while working full-time.
In this episode, WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton explores the balance between work and home life with Anna Howard, head of Private Wealth at LPL Financial, and Kimberly Sanders, head of Strategic Wealth Services at LPL.
They touch on:
- The unique struggles faced by women in the financial services industry, particularly with work-life balance
- The journey back into the workforce after taking a hiatus and the obstacles encountered along the way
- The importance of male sponsors
- Strategies for managing personal well-being and family life while pursuing a demanding career
- The importance of mentorship, advocacy, and building a support network for women in finance
Resources:
- Listen to the latest episodes of The Healthy Advisor
Connect With Anna Howard:
- LinkedIn: Anna Howard
- LPL Financial
Connect With Kimberly Sanders:
- LinkedIn: Kimberly Sanders
- LPL Financial
Connect With Wealth Management & NREI:
- WealthManagement.com
- LinkedIn: Diana Britton
- Email: diana.britton@informa.com
- LinkedIn: Informa
- LinkedIn: WealthManagement
About Our Guests:
At LPL Financial, Anna Howard focuses on serving high-net-worth advisors and their clients, launching LPL Private Wealth Management to offer industry-leading benefits and enhanced service. Prior to LPL, she advanced her career at First Republic Bank and Wells Fargo Private Bank, where she developed innovative resources and grew assets under management.
Kimberly Sanders, Senior Vice President, Advisor Solutions at LPL Financial, leads LPL Strategic Wealth Services, a modern supported independence solution that enables advisors and business owners to build and grow their firms according to their vision. In this role, Kimberly oversees a seasoned management team that enables advisors to optimize on LPL’s relationships, resources, and services to build equity in their brand and business so advisors can continue to thrive. Prior to LPL, Kimberly served RIA clients and prospects at Schwab Advisor Services, providing business consulting to support the custodian’s existing and potential clients.
If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.
The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify, and wherever podcasts are found.
At the end of 2022, Kristine McManus got an unexpected breast cancer diagnosis. Yet doctors thought it was the least aggressive form and easily treatable.
Shortly after her surgery, she received multiple messages from the hospital; it turns out she had the most aggressive form of breast cancer, triple-negative. Her outlook on life changed as she was forced to miss one of the most important years in her children’s lives due to treatments. From that moment on, she focused on the value of living life urgently and cherishing meaningful moments.
In this episode of the Healthy Advisor Podcast, WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton speaks with Kristine McManus, chief advisor growth officer at Commonwealth Financial Network, about her journey battling breast cancer and the profound lessons learned about living life to the fullest and not “saving for best.”
Kristine discusses:
- Her initial breast cancer diagnosis and the unexpected turn of events
- The challenges and treatments she faced during her battle with breast cancer
- The importance of not saving the best for later and embracing the present
- Lessons learned about gratitude, cherishing moments, and living a more urgent life
Resources:
- Listen to the latest episodes of The Healthy Advisor
Connect With Kristine McManus:
- LinkedIn: Kristine McManus
- Commonwealth Financial Network
- Email: kmcmanus@commonwealth.com
Connect With Wealth Management & NREI:
- WealthManagement.com
- LinkedIn: Diana Britton
- Email: diana.britton@informa.com
- LinkedIn: Informa
- LinkedIn: WealthManagement
About Our Guest:
Kristine McManus consults with financial services companies and advisors to enhance revenue growth and establish robust practices. Central to her approach is highlighting the unique qualities of the advisor, utilizing branding, communications, client events and marketing strategies to foster business development.
If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.
The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify and wherever podcasts are found.
As the staggering number of Opioid overdoses and deaths continue to increase, so does the threat on family finances and retirement dreams. Cheryl Canzanella knows that all too well.
In August 2017, she lost her husband to an accidental overdose, exposing her to the horrific realities of the opioid crisis.
Since his death, she’s made it her mission to educate employers and her peers in the financial services industry on how the Opioid epidemic is not only ripping families apart emotionally but also financially by diminishing careers, draining financial assets, and crushing retirement dreams.
Join WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton and Cheryl Canzanella, a Retirement Solutions Advisor at Movement Mortgage, in discussing the emotional and financial strains of addiction and how the financial industry can become part of the solution through awareness, education, and empathetic client support.
Cheryl touches on:
- How her husband’s struggle with substance use disorder affected her life
- Addiction signs and red flags
- Financial burdens and challenges faced by families dealing with addiction
- How she first talked about her husband’s death and the realization she wanted to share his story more openly
- The role financial advisors should play in the Opioid epidemic
Resources:
- Listen to the latest episodes of The Healthy Advisor
Connect With Cheryl Canzanella:
- LinkedIn: Cheryl Canzanella
- Cheryl Canzanella Website
- Movement Mortgage
- Opioid Financial Awareness
- Email: cherylcanz@gmail.com
Connect With Wealth Management:
- WealthManagement.com
- LinkedIn: Diana Britton
- Email: diana.britton@informa.com
- LinkedIn: Informa
- LinkedIn: WealthManagement
About Our Guest:
With over 23 years of experience in the insurance and financial services industry, Cheryl has joined Movement Mortgage as a Retirement Solutions Advisor to continue her passion for helping individuals reach their retirement goals. Although she is not a licensed loan officer, her primary focus is working with financial professionals to offer strategies of using a Reverse Mortgage for Financial and Estate Planning. She is an active member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), where she serves at the local, state and national levels and had the honor of serving as the past president of NAIFA Northeast Florida and has been awarded the NAIFA Florida President’s Award. Additionally, in 2019, she was recognized as the NAIFA National Young Advisor Team Leader of the Year. She is a member of Financial Planning Association (FPA) and Women in Insurance and Financial Services (WIFS).
If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.
The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify and wherever podcasts are found.
At just 10 years old, William Hoffman’s son Liam was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis (NF), a rare genetic condition that causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body. When Will and his family got the news, they could have succumbed to despair.
Instead, Will leaned into it, and has made it his mission to find a cure for Liam and set an example for his sons around overcoming the struggles that life may deal you. He and his wife have been active participants in the NF community, raising awareness and money for a cure.
In this episode, WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton speaks with Hoffman, founder of Hoffman Wealth Management, about his journey with Liam’s diagnosis and his dedication to raising awareness about the struggles of those with NF.
Will focuses on:
- How Liam’s diagnosis impact Will and the family
- How it reshaped his priorities in business and life
- How he is raising awareness for this diagnosis
- Why families must stay together and lean on their support system during difficult times
- Why mental health awareness is important for financial advisors
Resources:
- Listen to the latest episodes of The Healthy Advisor
Connect With Will Hoffman:
- LinkedIn: Will Hoffman
- Hoffman Wealth Management
- Email: william.hoffman@lpl.com
Connect With Wealth Management & NREI:
- WealthManagement.com
- LinkedIn: Diana Britton
- Email: diana.britton@informa.com
- LinkedIn: Informa
- LinkedIn: WealthManagement
If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.
The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify and wherever podcasts are found.
While wellbeing and mental health have become a more mainstream conversation among the wider U.S. population since the pandemic, it’s a topic still largely untouched by the financial services industry. New research from Kitces.com aims to measure and track trends across advisor wellbeing, just as the industry benchmarks anything else.
Over 1500 members of financial advisory teams responded to The Kitces Report: 2023 Advisor Wellbeing Study. Respondents reported on their current level of life quality, or wellbeing, on a 0–10 scale. The average was 6.84, with solo practitioners feeling better about life compared to mid-size or larger firm advisors.
In this episode, Diana Britton speaks with Michael Kitces, blogger and chief financial planning nerd at Kitces.com, about the key highlights of the study, including the positive impact of team involvement, the strategic delegation of less desirable tasks, and the necessity of fair compensation, particularly for those advisors who are service-oriented.
Michael discusses:
- The impetus behind launching this study
- How he defines wellbeing and happiness in the study
- The correlation between firm size and advisor well-being
- The top drivers of advisor well-being: autonomy, experience, team and service
- How firms can foster happiness and engagement among their advisors
Resources:
- Kitces Report: What Actually Contributes To Advisor Wellbeing
- Listen to the latest episodes of The Healthy Advisor
Connect With Michael Kitces:
- Questions@Kitces.com
- LinkedIn: Michael Kitces
- Kitces.com
- Buckingham Wealth Partners
Connect With Wealth Management & NREI:
- WealthManagement.com
- LinkedIn: Diana Britton
- Email: diana.britton@informa.com
- LinkedIn: Informa
- LinkedIn: WealthManagement
About Our Guest:
Michael E. Kitces is the Head of Planning Strategy for Buckingham Wealth Partners, a private wealth management firm located in St Louis, Missouri, that oversees approximately $50 billion of client assets. In addition, he is the co-founder of the XY Planning Network, AdvicePay, fpPathfinder, and New Planner Recruiting, former practitioner editor of the Journal of Financial Planning, and the publisher of the e-newsletter The Kitces Report and the popular financial planning industry blog Nerd’s Eye View through his website www.Kitces.com, dedicated to advancing knowledge in financial planning.
If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.
The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify and wherever podcasts are found.
After selling her business in November 2022, Tina Powell earmarked 2023 her “year of health.” The first step on that journey was to get a full body scan at the Princeton Longevity Center on Martin Luther King day 2023. That scan would change the trajectory of her life.
That day, her doctors discovered a 2.1 cm tumor on her right lung. Despite being a healthy, fit non-smoker, she was launched into a challenging and emotional journey battling lung cancer.
Diana Britton, managing editor at WealthManagement.com, interviews Tina Powell, Partner and Chief of Community at Intention.ly, about her struggles with the cancer diagnosis, treatment, and recovery, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing health and well-being.
Tina discusses:
- The signs leading up to her diagnosis
- The three stages of treatment she underwent
- The need to be your own health advocate and prioritize your well-being
- Her decision to go public with her diagnosis and change the narrative around lung cancer
- The power of vulnerability in seeking support and building connections
Resources:
- Listen to the latest episodes of The Healthy Advisor
Connect With Tina Powell:
- LinkedIn: Tina Powell
- Email Tina
- Instagram: Tina Powell
- Intention.ly
- In the Suite podcast
Connect With Wealth Management & NREI:
- WealthManagement.com
- LinkedIn: Diana Britton
- Email Diana
- LinkedIn: Informa
- LinkedIn: WealthManagement
About Our Guest:
Tina Powell is a trailblazer in the digital marketing industry, with over 20 years of experience driving growth for financial services companies. As the Chief of Community at Intention.ly, she works alongside Co-Founders Kelly Waltrich and Meghan Richter, revolutionizing how financial technology and services companies approach marketing. Tina’s track record of delivering results for her clients led to her founding C-Suite Social Media, a high-growth digital marketing agency that Intentional.ly later acquired. Her passion for helping financial services companies thrive in the digital age is further demonstrated through her industry-renowned podcast, In The Suite, where she spotlights the careers and leadership of mid to senior-level women in the financial services industry. Tina earned a Master’s from NYU in Graphic Communications Management and Technology and the NYU Prism Alumni Achievement Award. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, magna cum laude, from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.
The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify and wherever podcasts are found.
As a busy and often stressed-out executive at one of the top RIAs in the country, James Bogart found himself neglecting his well-being, resulting in weight gain and various health issues.
A series of hospital visits prompted him to hire a concierge doctor and a nutritionist, leading to a remarkable 70-pound weight loss over the course of several months.
In this episode, Diana Britton, managing editor at WealthManagement.com, is joined by James Bogart, CEO and president at Bogart Wealth. James shares his personal journey through health and wellness, revealing the importance of paying attention to your physical and mental well-being.
James explores:
- His lifestyle before he lost the weight
- Why he went on his personal health journey
- How his career contributed to his personal health struggles
- What changes he made to his daily routine and diet to benefit his health
- How mindfulness played into his journey
- What challenges he faced in implementing health and wellness initiatives in the workplace and social settings
Resources:
- Listen to the latest episodes of The Healthy Advisor
Connect With James Bogart:
- jbogart@bogartwealth.com
- LinkedIn: James Bogart
- Bogart Wealth
Connect With Wealth Management:
- WealthManagement.com
- LinkedIn: Diana Britton
- diana.britton@informa.com
- LinkedIn: Informa
- LinkedIn: WealthManagement
About Our Guest:
A seasoned wealth advisor, James Bogart takes personal pride in assisting executives, entrepreneurs and professionals pursue their dreams through striking, highly customized financial planning strategies. As Principal of Bogart Wealth, he focuses both on maintaining the highest level of customer service and attention to detail possible, and on seeking to deliver the most effective technology, reporting tools and analysis to every Bogart Wealth client.
If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.
The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify and wherever podcasts are found.
Facing the hurdles of disadvantaged youth, Heather Kelly’s life was marked by a single mother, a disabled sister, and limited opportunities. She moved out of her home in Ozone Park, Queens, at the young age of 16. On top of that, she has struggled with dyslexia, a learning disorder and neurological condition that posed additional challenges in her educational journey.
Despite these obstacles, Heather climbed the corporate ladder and become a very successful executive in the insurance and wealth management industries, a mentor to many, and a sought-after speaker at industry events. And she did all that without a college degree (although she recently achieved that as well).
In this episode, Diana Britton, managing editor of WealthManagement.com, is joined by Heather Kelly, owner of Kelly Like Consulting and formerly with Allianz, Goldman Sachs, and United Capital. Her story shows how determination, a strong support system, and an indomitable spirit can triumph over adversity.
Heather discusses:
- Her struggles growing up with a single mom and disabled sister
- How she found out about her dyslexia and the challenges associated with it
- How dyslexia has shaped who she is today
- Her journey into financial services
- The relationship with her sister and how she inspired Heather
- The impact of her mentors and supportive team members
Resources:
- Listen to the latest episodes of The Healthy Advisor
Connect With Heather Kelly:
- LinkedIn: Heather Kelly
- Email: heatherkellychfc@gmail.com
Connect With Wealth Management & NREI:
- WealthManagement.com
- LinkedIn: Diana Britton
- Email: diana.britton@informa.com
- LinkedIn: Informa
- LinkedIn: WealthManagement
About Our Guest:
Heather Kelly is a seasoned senior executive and board member who leverages a competitive spirit, strategic vision, and strong work ethic to achieve results. As a senior distribution executive and board member at Allianz, Heather significantly advanced the FinTech strategy and New Market endeavors while enhancing and growing core distribution to record levels. New Market strategies include the RIA channel, launching an asset management offering, buffered outcome ETFs, and employer markets business line. Another critical area of impact is her role as a lead member of the transformation team, fostering and facilitating company-wide change management. Equally notable is her previous executive management role with one of the largest national independent RIAs in the country, United Capital, building the first successful national RIA insurance platform and the FinLife 360 platform, which embodied all products and services that amplified the adviser experience.
If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.
The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify, and wherever podcasts are found.
When financial advisor Cary Carbonaro met her first husband, she thought she had it all. She had a great upbringing in New York, wonderful family and friends. She was very successful. And while her fiancé looked very good on paper, the relationship turned out to be toxic.
Behind closed doors, the marriage was a nightmare, with Cary facing physical, mental and verbal abuse from this man on a daily basis.
She got the courage to leave him in 2009, but then endured a lengthy and painful divorce process. Getting out of that relationship set her free in a lot of ways, and then in 2019 she found herself in another bad relationship—this time with her firm, Goldman Sachs. She became a Goldman Sachs advisor when the Wall Street firm acquired United Capital that year. (Goldman recently announced plans to sell the business to Creative Planning.)
In this episode, Diana Britton, managing editor at WealthManagement.com, speaks with Cary Carbonaro, senior vice president and director of women and wealth at ACM Wealth, about her personal experiences of being in an abusive relationship and the challenges she faced with her previous employer.
Cary discusses:
- How she connected with her first husband and why she chose to marry him
- The abuse and manipulation she faced while living with her ex-husband
- How she compartmentalized her work life and home life
- How she got the courage to leave the relationship
- Her journey to help others facing the same struggle
- Her experience at Goldman Sachs
Resources:
- Listen to the latest episodes of The Healthy Advisor
Connect With Cary Carbonaro:
- LinkedIn: Cary Carbonaro
- Cary Carbonaro Website
- Advisors Capital Management
- Facebook: Cary Carbonaro
- Instagram: Cary Carbonaro
- TikTok: Cary Carbonaro
Connect With Wealth Management:
- WealthManagement.com
- LinkedIn: Diana Britton
- Email: diana.britton@informa.com
- LinkedIn: Informa
- LinkedIn: WealthManagement
About Our Guest:
Cary Carbonaro is senior vice president and director of women and wealth with ACM Wealth. An award-winning Certified Financial Planner with over 25 years of experience, Cary is a tireless advocate for women in the financial industry and is passionate about increasing financial literacy and empowering women to overcome any financial challenge they face.
Before joining ACM Wealth, Cary was Vice President, Head of Office at Goldman Sachs. Following the firm’s acquisition of United Capital, she founded and served as Head of Women’s Leadership. During her tenure there, she served in a range of capacities, including Managing Director, Partner, FINLIFE Coach, and more. While there, she also earned several distinctions, including MVP Managing Director and the United Capital Diamond Office Winner, among others.
When Mike Wunderli started his journey into wealth management, he was excited about a career that had a combination of sales and finance, interpersonal and analytical. He built up an impressive book of business, helping entrepreneurs and business owners engineer liquidity events for their companies. But then, the 2008 financial crisis hit, causing the downfall … Continue reading The Healthy Advisor: Resiliency and Other Lessons Inside Lehman →
Maria Castillo Dominguez grew up in Ronda, a small mountaintop town in the south of Spain. And while she had a great support system, she also had a very humble childhood, and things were difficult for her family financially. And because of that background, she lacked a lot of opportunities. Most of her family members … Continue reading The Healthy Advisor: Persevering in the Face of Adversity with Maria Castillo Dominguez →
After selling her firm to EP Wealth in 2016, Lynn Ballou became a fixture among EP’s leadership team that worked to take the RIA to new heights. She’s also served as a mentor for younger advisors and a fierce advocate for greater diversity in the wealth management industry. Lynn had to put all of that … Continue reading The Healthy Advisor: Living With Cancer With Lynn Ballou →
In his financial advisory practice, Paul Peeler specializes in planning for mental illness caregivers and their families. But Paul has his own story of caring for a family member with a mental illness and the emotional toll the experience has taken on him.
When a close family member spiraled into a mental health crisis, he was forced to deal with the crippling emotions, while also struggling to navigate a confusing health care system and financial burdens that came along with that.
In this episode, WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton is joined by Paul Peeler, financial advisor at Integrated Financial Group in Atlanta, who shares how he processed the emotional and financial struggles he faced.
The ordeal prompted him last year to launch the Preparedness Project, where he has set a goal of helping 500 families dealing with a serious mental illness in getting financial planning and guidance.
Paul discusses:
- The grief of losing the future he envisioned for his loved one
- How therapy helped him understand his emotional state and accept what he was feeling
- How he copes with the continuous struggle of caring for a loved one with mental illness
- Some of the key struggles that mental illness caregivers face
- How his experience has helped him relate to clients going through something similar
Resources:
- Listen to the latest episodes of The Healthy Advisor
- The Preparedness Project
Connect With Paul Peeler:
- Email: ppeeler@intfingroup.com
- LinkedIn: Paul Peeler
- Integrated Financial Group
Connect With Wealth Management & NREI:
- WealthManagement.com
- LinkedIn: Diana Britton
- Email: diana.britton@informa.com
- LinkedIn: Informa
- LinkedIn: WealthManagement
About Our Guest:
As a financial advisor with more than 20 years of experience, Paul Peeler offers thoughtful, strategic guidance to families and professionals on how to best use their resources to support their wants and needs. He helps clients identify goals and works with them to implement a series of strategies that helps them address their vision for the future.
If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.
The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify and wherever podcasts are found.
A lot of people in the industry know Stephanie Bogan; she’s a sought-after business and practice management coach and speaker. Before starting Limitless Advisor, her current coaching firm, she founded a consulting firm at the age of 24 and sold it in a 7-figure deal to a Fortune 200 company. She then joined Joe Duran’s executive team at United Capital, which was eventually acquired by Goldman Sachs.
But less known is her personal journey. She dealt with a tough childhood, with a father who was in the military and moved the family around a lot, and a mother with a mental illness. At age 17, she moved out on her own, only to experience more struggles. That upbringing shaped a desire to be constantly proving herself, protecting, and hiding.
Her insecurities, perhaps, drove her to build a successful name for herself in the industry. But she eventually realized that this success was not giving her life the meaning she was hoping for.
In this episode, Diana Britton, managing editor at WealthManagement.com, speaks with Stephanie Bogan, founder and CEO of Limitless Advisor, on finding her path to happiness, wellbeing and healing in her own life.
Stephanie discusses:
- What her relationships with her parents were like, and how those shaped her insecurities
- What drove her to leave home at 17
- Why she made the move to Costa Rica and how her career changed after that
- How deep, unmet needs can influence your behavior and actions
- Her battle against stress, anxiety, insecurity, and crippling self-doubt
- And more
Resources:
- Listen to the latest episodes of The Healthy Advisor
Connect With Stephanie Bogan:
- LinkedIn: Stephanie Bogan
- Email: connect@limitlessfa.life
- Limitless Advisor
- Twitter: Stephanie Bogan
Connect With Wealth Management & NREI:
- WealthManagement.com
- LinkedIn: Diana Britton
- Email: diana.britton@informa.com
- LinkedIn: Informa
- LinkedIn: WealthManagement
About Our Guest:
In her 25 year career, Stephanie Bogan has consulted and coached top firms, thought leaders and C-suite leaders to greater success. A regular speaker and writer, Stephanie authored The Power of Practice Management (Bloomberg Press), has written for every major publication. She is also a regular contributor to Financial Advisor, Kitces.com and Advisor Perspectives.
If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.
The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify and wherever podcasts are found.
Sathya Chey Patterson was born into struggle. She came into the world in a Thai refugee camp, as her family had just escaped from the Cambodian genocide, an explosion of mass violence that saw between 1.5 and 3 million people killed at the hands of the Khmer Rouge, a communist political group, in the 1970s. Her family then arrived in the U.S. financially destitute. Yet her humble beginnings and financially challenged upbringing have defined her truth.
The experience taught her resilience and built habits of frugality that few others can grasp. Today, she uses those skills in her own wealth management practice.
In this episode, WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton is joined by Sathya Chey Patterson, Wealth Advisor and Managing Partner at Arise Private Wealth, in discussing how her experience has shaped her perspective on life and the work she’s doing now.
Sathya discusses:
- How life in refugee camps during the Cambodian genocide shaped her childhood
- How her family provided for the children once they came to the U.S.
- How her experience growing up changed the way she explains money habits to clients
- Why she became a financial advisor and what drives her in this career
- How meditation and sound healing have helped her overcome challenges and heal from the past
Resources:
- Listen to the latest episodes of The Healthy Advisor
Connect With Sathya:
- Arise Private Wealth
- LinkedIn: Sathya Chey Patterson
- Email Sathya: sathya@arisepw.com
- Email Arise Private Wealth: readyto@arisepw.com
Connect With Wealth Management:
- WealthManagement.com
- LinkedIn: Diana Britton
- Email: diana.britton@informa.com
- LinkedIn: Informa
- LinkedIn: WealthManagement
About Our Guest:
Sathya Chey Patterson is a Managing Partner of Arise Private Wealth, an independent wealth management firm that consistently guides clients to pursue an elevated perspective.
Sathya is more than a wealth advisor, she is her clients’ financial beacon, consistently offering an informed perspective so they can craft and implement an effective investment strategy that is suited to their specific needs and desires. Sathya understands the many complex financial decisions her clients may face, as well as the intricacies of their portfolios and investment markets, and ensures her clients are cared for today and in the future.
While receiving her BA in finance from Cal State Fullerton and an MBA from USC Marshall School of Business, Sathya began building experience in wealth management at Halbert Hargrove Global Advisors, LLC. She then joined the Carlsen Elliott Wealth Management team at Wells Fargo Advisors before launching her independent wealth management company, Arise Private Wealth, with her business partner Steve Carlsen.
If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.
The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify and wherever podcasts are found.
Trigger warning: This episode discusses content some listeners may find upsetting.
A lot of folks in the wealth management industry know Tyrone Ross; he’s a frequent speaker at industry events, an active “finfluencer” on social media, and a thought leader in the crypto asset space. Less known is his life journey and how he got to where he is today.
Raised in New Jersey in a family where no one had a high school diploma, as a 16 year old, he watched sprinter Michael Johnson set records at the 1996 Olympic Games and dreamed of winning his own gold medal. Training over the years, he eventually qualified for the 2004 team in the 400-meter dash, only to be left off the roster when coaches decided to trim the athletes competing in Athens, Greece. He tried again in 2008 and 2012, and still didn’t make it to the Olympic games.
In 2012, after his final Olympic dream was dashed, he says his life came crashing down. There was a confluence of events that year, including his beloved grandmother’s death, struggles with work and money, and a failed relationship.
In this episode, Diana Britton, WealthManagement.com managing editor, speaks with Tyrone Ross Jr., CEO and co-founder of Turnqey Labs and President and founder of 401 Financial, about this dark time in his life and how he came back from it. Tyrone shares how his experiences have shaped the work he’s doing today.
Tyrone discusses:
- What his childhood was like, moving around a lot and struggling financially
- His journey to train for the Olympics and the emotions faced when he didn’t make it
- How the loss of some of his friends, family and dreams impacted his mental health
- How his experiences are reflected in his current work
- How his departure from Onramp in March 2022 impacted him personally
Resources:
- Listen to the latest episodes of The Healthy Advisor
- Tyrone Ross Jr. Opens Up About His Next Chapter
Connect With Tyrone Ross:
- LinkedIn: Tyrone Ross
- Email: Tyrone Ross
- Turnqey Labs
- About Tyrone Ross
Connect With Wealth Management & NREI:
- WealthManagement.com
- Email: Diana Britton
- LinkedIn: Diana Britton
- LinkedIn: Informa
- LinkedIn: WealthManagement
About Our Guest:
Tyrone Ross Jr. is the CEO and Co-founder of Turnqey Labs, Inc., an API suite for bringing cryptocurrency asset data into advisor workflows, and President and Founder of 401 Financial, a registered investment advisor. He’s also the former CEO of Onramp Invest and a thought leader in the crypto asset space. He is a graduate of Seton Hall University, and was also a 2004 Olympic Trials qualifier in track and field in the 400 meters. Tyrone was recognized by Investment News 40 under 40 (2019), and WealthManagement.com as a top ten advisor set to change the industry in 2019. FinancialPlanning.com named him as one of 20 people who will change wealth management in 2020. Recently, he was named to Investopedia’s Top 100 Financial Advisors.
If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.
The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify and wherever podcasts are found.
A little more than six years ago, Robert started living a healthier lifestyle, working out a lot more, in an effort to lose weight. But one day while working out, he had a widowmaker heart attack, which happens when you have a blockage in the biggest artery in your heart. The name of it leaves no question about the severity of it—only 12% of people suffering from this heart attack outside the hospital survive, according to the American Heart Association. Fortunately, he was one of a few to live to tell about the experience.
In this episode, WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton speaks with Robert Steinberg, founder and CEO of Blue Chip Partners, an advisory firm in Farmington Hills, Mich., about how the ordeal has changed his views personally and professionally.
Robert discusses:
- What happened the day of his heart attack
- How his experience changed his perspective as a business owner as well as in life
- How it has changed his advice to clients in terms of giving them permission and confidence to live life in a fuller way
- What accelerated his company’s growth after his heart attack
- Succession planning challenges that came up in the wake of the heart attack
Resources:
- Listen to the latest episodes of The Healthy Advisor
Connect With Robert Steinberg:
- Email Robert
- LinkedIn: Robert Steinberg
- Blue Chip Partners
Connect With Wealth Management & NREI:
- WealthManagement.com
- Email Diana
- LinkedIn: Diana Britton
- LinkedIn: Informa
- LinkedIn: WealthManagement
About Our Guest:
Robert Steinberg is the founder and CEO of Blue Chip Partners, an advisory firm in Farmington Hills, Mich. He began his career specializing in tax preparation and planning at Deloitte and went on to practice as an estate-planning attorney for Honigman, Detroit’s largest law firm. Robert’s unique combination of tax, legal, and investment expertise is extremely valuable in helping clients achieve their financial goals.
Robert graduated with an accounting degree from Michigan State University and is an honors graduate of the University of Michigan Law School. Robert has been a frequent contributor to Michigan Lawyers Weekly on a variety of tax and estate planning issues.
If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.
The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify and wherever podcasts are found.
Products are issued by Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America (Allianz). Variable products are distributed by its affiliate, Allianz Life Financial Services, LLC, member FINRA, 5701 Golden Hills Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55416-1297. 800.542.5427 www.allianzlife.com.
This notice does not apply in the state of New York.
Mary Martin had always been very health conscious, making sure she ate right and stayed in shape. But several years ago, she had a miscarriage at five months’ pregnant, although she didn’t know she was pregnant at the time. The experience helped her learn that from an emotional standpoint, she wasn’t really present in her body. She came to realize what it was like to truly be a human being, not simply a human doing.
Now she focuses on teaching advisors about taking care of their own wellbeing through personal considerations and building connections with others.
In this episode, WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton speaks with Mary Martin, Ph.D., mindfulness educator and author of “Mindfulness for Financial Advisors,” on being human in a technological world and how being mindful of your emotional and mental wellbeing is just as essential as your physical wellbeing.
Mary discusses:
- How she developed her passion for teaching advisors about mindfulness
- How her realization of not truly living in her body changed her routine
- The biggest hurdles to getting advisors on board with her teachings
- How advisors can better handle the anxiety, stress and emotions of clients
- What will contribute to successful advisors in the future
Resources:
- Listen to the latest episodes of The Healthy Advisor
Connect With Mary Martin:
- Mary Martin PHD
- Email Mary
- The Future of Financial Advice
Connect With Wealth Management & NREI:
- WealthManagement.com
- LinkedIn: Diana Britton
- Email Diana
- LinkedIn: WealthManagement
About Our Guest:
Mary Martin is a mindfulness educator, author of Mindfulness for Financial Advisors: Practicing a New Way of Being, creator of the original course, and Futures Thinker. She’s a designer of learning experiences that cultivate awareness, adaptability, and optimism. She attended Brown University, Mindful Schools, and is trauma-certified. She’s also the recipient of 2022 Imagination Leadership Award from the Institute for the Future.
If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.
The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify and wherever podcasts are found.
Products are issued by Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America (Allianz). Variable products are distributed by its affiliate, Allianz Life Financial Services, LLC, member FINRA, 5701 Golden Hills Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55416-1297. 800.542.5427 www.allianzlife.com. This notice does not apply in the state of New York.
Allianz Investment Management LLC (AllianzIM) is an investment manager specializing in the development and execution of innovative risk management strategies, with $18.8 billion in AUM. Based in Minneapolis, AllianzIM’s investment management is powered by the same proprietary in-house hedging platform that is used among affiliates to help manage more than $145 billion in assets for institutional and retail investors around the globe.1
Risk management is provided by AllianzIM a wholly owned subsidiary of Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America that provides hedging services to the broader Allianz Group.
Allianz and AllianzIM are not affiliated with WealthManagement or the featured guest.
1 As of 6/30/2022
Trigger warning: This episode discusses content some listeners may find upsetting.
Journalist Davis Janowski grew up in the Panhandle of Florida, where he grew accustomed to sunny weather and developed a deep passion for the great outdoors. But when he moved to Syracuse, N.Y., at age 25 for grad school, the cold weather and lack of sunlight and exercise began to impact his mental health. The stress of a full workload at school, as well as a part-time job further exacerbated the problem.
The pressure became so much for him to handle that one day he decided he was going to take his life. Luckily, a friend called him right at that moment; Davis told him what he’d done, and emergency crews came to help.
That was the first step in Davis’s journey of being diagnosed with major recurring depression and getting help and the right treatments for this mental illness.
In this episode, Diana Britton, managing editor of WealthManagement.com, is joined by Davis Janowski, senior technology editor of WealthManagement.com, who opens up for the first time publicly about his years-long battle with depression, and how his love for kayaking and being out on the open water has helped bring him out of it.
Davis discusses:
- When he learned he had depression and how he reacted
- His attempt at suicide
- How he came back from a dark place
- When his depression came back years later
- What he learned about treating his Depression and anxiety during his hospital stay at Tisch
- How therapy has helped with his Depression
- How kayaking, paddle boarding and being outdoors has helped improve his quality of life, as well as his Depression symptoms
Resources:
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
- The Implications of COVID-19 for Mental Health and Substance Use
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
- National Alliance on Mental Illness
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
- CDC “People Seeking Help” page
- CDC “About Mental Health” page
- National Institute of Mental Health, Depression page
Connect With Davis Janowski:
- Email Davis
- LinkedIn: Davis Janowski
Connect With Wealth Management & NREI:
- WealthManagement.com
- Email Diana
- LinkedIn: Diana Britton
- LinkedIn: Informa
About Our Guest:
Davis Janowski is a career journalist who has done stints with FinTech startups and as an analyst. Along the way his work has appeared in the New York Times and many other publications. While much of his focus has been in the FinTech sector for the last 13 years, Davis also has extensive experience in evaluating technology and tech products. His career in tech journalism began at PC Magazine, where Davis tested and reviewed consumer and business products and managed a team of editors, technicians and analysts. He also spent six years covering FinTech for InvestmentNews, where he was a technology reporter and columnist and also spoke frequently at industry conferences.
If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.
The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify and wherever podcasts are found.
When Lori Eisel first found out her son had an addiction problem, she tried to do everything in her power to get control over the situation and help him. But even years later, he is still on the road to recovery. In this episode, Diana Britton, managing editor at WealthManagement.com, speaks with Lori Eisel, president … Continue reading The Healthy Advisor: When a Child Struggles With Opioid Addiction With Lori Eisel →
Advisor Joseph R. Biondo Sr. just recently celebrated 60 years in the financial services industry, but his path to success was not a linear one. In his 83 years, he has experienced his fair share of struggles—both personally and professionally. In fact, his life began with tragedy. Just three weeks before he was born, his … Continue reading The Healthy Advisor: Reflecting on a Life Well-Lived, Yet Not Without Tragedy →
A little over a year ago, advisor Jonathan DeYoe was in a healthy place; he was meditating on a regular basis, working out, eating and sleeping right. But in the summer of 2021, he tragically lost his only brother and business partner when he drowned in the Pacific Ocean. He says his life came to … Continue reading The Healthy Advisor: Rebuilding Healthy Habits After Traumatic Loss With Jonathan DeYoe →
On average, there are 130 suicides per day, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and individuals who work in financial services are 1.5 times more likely to commit suicide than the national average, according to the National Occupational Mortality Surveillance. Right before advisor Larry Sprung was set to break away and launch his … Continue reading The Healthy Advisor: The Loss of a Loved One and a Passion for Suicide Prevention With Larry Sprung →
In 2020, Danika Waddell’s prior firm was audited by the State of Washington, and the state found that her U4 was never filed properly, after four years of working with clients. The whole ordeal was traumatic for her. In this episode, WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton is joined by Danika Waddell, president and founder of … Continue reading The Healthy Advisor Podcast: The Silver Lining With Danika Waddell →
The loss of a loved one can lead to a tidal wave of emotions before reaching acceptance and continuing on in life without them. Before starting his own practice, advisor Vance Barse experienced profound grief after losing five family members, including his biological father who he had never met. However, this darker time in his … Continue reading The Healthy Advisor: Closure at the Grave With Vance Barse →
Managing employee burnout is key to creating a healthy workplace environment. But what steps should advisory and financial services firms be taking to reduce stress and burnout in the workplace? In 2022, ActivTrak released a benchmark study on productivity and wellbeing within the financial services industry, revealing that this space is, in fact, better at … Continue reading The Healthy Advisor: Reducing Employee Burnout With Gabriela Mauch →
Early in his career in financial services, Matthew Grishman was working as a wholesaler, making a lot of money, and on the outside, he looked as though he was living his best life, with the Rolex watch, the shiny Allen Edmonds shoes, the Hickey Freeman suits. But on the inside, he was empty and trying … Continue reading The Healthy Advisor: Getting Financially Sober With Matthew Grishman →
Jess Bost found CrossFit during a traumatic time in her life. About her workouts, she says, “I went to the darkest place I could, and I fought my demons in that place.” CrossFit, which stands for cross-discipline fitness, became her bridge to healing. In this episode, Diana Britton is joined by Jess Bost, the vice … Continue reading The Healthy Advisor: Finding Healing in the Gym With Deadlifter Jess Bost →
In 2011, Jeff Martinovich was barred by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority from any role in selling securities or associating with FINRA members, and he’s currently serving a 16-year prison sentence, with about 2.5 years more on home confinement in Norfolk, Va. An ankle monitor on his left ankle keeps tabs on his movements. But … Continue reading The Healthy Advisor: Barred But Not Broken →
Our experiences throughout childhood can have a major impact on the way we live our lives into adulthood. But after meeting Marc Nichols, you might never have guessed the trauma that he experienced growing up, one he describes as “inconsistent.” In this episode, Diana Britton is joined by Nichols, product director at Arbor Digital, who opens … Continue reading The Healthy Advisor: Healing From Physical and Mental Abuse of the Past →
Dr. Travis Parry started his career as a financial advisor. But when Parry was just 26 years old, his father died of a sudden heart attack while mountain biking, and he had to clean up the financial mess left in his wake. That included processing his father’s death claim, paying off his mother’s house, helping … Continue reading The Healthy Advisor: Finding Balance With Dr. Travis Parry →
Stevyn Guinnip has seen secondhand the toll this industry can take on a person’s health and wellbeing; her father, after all, was a financial advisor with Edward Jones for several decades. Advisors, she says, come into this industry and are told they have to hustle for the first five to 10 years and then will … Continue reading The Healthy Advisor: Treating Your Health As an Asset with Stevyn Guinnip →
With several business ideas and capital secured from investors such as Mark Cuban and Mark Burnett, Anthony Zhang had an impressive path towards a bright future. That is, until a terrible accident left him paralyzed from the neck down, changing his life forever. In this episode, Diana Britton, managing editor of WealthManagement.com, is joined by … Continue reading The Healthy Advisor: Life As a Quadriplegic with Anthony Zhang →
A Note to Transparency Listeners: In 2022, the podcast is going to be changing its name to “The Healthy Advisor,” to give a clearer idea of what the podcast is about. Transparency with Diana B. was not quite as transparent a title as we thought. Julia Carlson got married at age 19, and right out … Continue reading Transparency With Diana B.: The Glass Ceiling and Financial Independence With Julia Carlson →
Eric Arnold is no stranger to failure. In fact, he failed out of college, got fired from two companies, failed at nine different startup ventures and lost everything on a bad investment. In this episode, Diana Britton speaks with Eric Arnold, CEO of Planswell, about how he has learned from those failures and has been … Continue reading Transparency With Diana B.: Coming Back From Failure with Eric Arnold →
Advisor Gary Schwartz was always able to make money; at the young age of 12, he started delivering newspapers in the Bronx. That’s also when he discovered drugs and alcohol, which became a way for him to self-medicate and cope with his self-esteem issues. From there, the addiction progressed; cocaine and speed were his drugs … Continue reading Transparency with Diana B.: The Road to Recovery →
Advisor Robert Schein’s father worked hard his adult life to provide for his family, and just four months into retirement, at the age of 70, he was diagnosed with Stage 4 stomach cancer. After about three years battling the disease, his father ultimately passed, thrusting his mother into having to take over the family finances. … Continue reading Transparency with Diana B.: Empowering Women to Take Control of Their Finances →
Advisor Anne Marie Stonich was just 28 years old when she and her two partners started building their own wealth management firm from scratch. For anyone in the business, that first year can be brutal. But she did it while also caring for her newborn baby, and shuttling to and from the hospital to see … Continue reading Transparency With Diana B.: Bad Timing and Bearing the Loss of Loved Ones →
Silvia Tergas has been fortunate to pursue her passions and use her differences to her advantage within the financial services industry. Silvia’s father, who escaped from Cuba during the Cuban Revolution, paved the way for her to get educated in the U.S. The values he taught her and the rest of the family led to several opportunities … Continue reading Transparency with Diana B.: Life as a Female Latina in Financial Services →
Growing up in inner city Baltimore, Denika Tokunaga and her family struggled financially and couldn’t afford many of the luxuries that others had. That racial wealth gap affected many in the Black community, but she was determined to work hard and get educated so that she could get out of the inner city and overcome … Continue reading Transparency with Diana B.: Overcoming the Racial Wealth Gap →
When he was about six or seven years old, Rob Bartenstein’s parents got divorced. The rest of childhood had its ups and downs, with some emotional and, at times, physical abuse caused by the men in his mother’s life. His family also faced financial hardships, especially when his stepfather declared bankruptcy. Living on government cheese, … Continue reading Transparency with Diana B.: Dealing With the Emotional and Physical Abuse of the Past →
Sept. 11, 2001 is a day most Americans can’t forget, when Al-Qaida coordinated four terrorist attacks against the United States, including on the Twin Towers in downtown Manhattan. But for Chloe Wohlforth, managing director of Angeles Wealth Management in New York, it was the day she lost her father. Chloe was a junior in high … Continue reading Transparency with Diana B.: A Tremendous Loss on 9/11 and the Path Forwards →
Every FINRA-registered rep is required to publicly disclose on their BrokerCheck profile certain events, such as regulatory actions, client complaints, and terminations. But the regulator also requires reps to disclose certain personal financial events, such as tax liens. Advisor Justin Reckers has always been transparent on his U4 about his troubles, which included a short … Continue reading Transparency with Diana B.: On the Brink of Bankruptcy →
Growing up the son of a firefighter, Brian Walsh Jr. was taught to give back to the community and help others, and that led him to pursue one of the most difficult jobs in the U.S. military as a Navy SEAL (Sea, Air, Land), the country’s special operations team. But, just days before he was … Continue reading Transparency with Diana B.: Dealing with Personal Traumas of the Past →
Douglas Duerr was having medical issues for three years, including various skin problems and swollen lymph nodes. During that time, he was misdiagnosed and blown off by doctors, many of whom said he was a perfectly healthy man. His bloodwork kept coming back normal. But Doug knew his body, and it was telling him something … Continue reading Transparency with Diana B: Battling Lymphoma in the Midst of a Pandemic →
One incident can change everything. Everything you once believed in, and worked towards can be turned upside down. In this installment, guest host David Lenok, senior wealth planning editor at wealthmanagement.com, sits down with Craig Hersch, estate attorney and CPA. Craig shares his story of suddenly discovering he had a life-threatening cardiac problem, and how … Continue reading Transparency with Diana B.: How a Life-Threatening Discovery Can Change Your Practice →
Shortly after Jonathan’s parents noticed his struggle to crawl as a baby, he was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a genetic disease affecting the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system and voluntary muscle movement. He has been in a wheelchair ever since and now aspires to become financially independent, no longer having to navigate … Continue reading Transparency with Diana B.: Life in a Wheelchair →
Growing up in the 1970s in the bay area of California, Tim Brisson never had alcoholism in his family. But he was raised with the notion that “children were to be seen and not heard,” so he grew up not knowing how to deal with his emotions, feelings and disappointments in life. So later in … Continue reading Transparency with Diana B.: Six Years Sober →
About six years ago, when financial advisor Esther Szabo and her then-husband David boarded a cruise ship headed for Russia, she never expected their grand vacation would end with him on a stretcher in a medevac. Many of us are faced with feelings of uncertainty and hopelessness, whether it’s due to COVID-19, the volatile markets, … Continue reading Transparency With Diana B.: When a Sudden Health Crisis Hits in a Foreign Land →
Dyslexia is the most common of all neurocognitive disorders, but contrary to what many may believe, some of the most innovative people in the country have dyslexia, including Charles Schwab and Bill Gates, to name a few. There are so many benefits and gifts that come with dyslexia, if only our society embraced people with … Continue reading Transparency With Diana B.: The Gifts and Trials That Come With Dyslexia →
As a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, and, perhaps, the preeminent divorce advisor in the industry, Michelle Smith has helped hundreds of women through the financial maze of divorce. But she’s even more qualified to advise on divorce because she’s gone through it herself—and with a child with special needs no less. In this episode, Diana … Continue reading Transparency with Diana B.: The Reality of Divorce With a Special Needs Child →
A lot of people in the industry know John Hyland, the co-founder and executive officer of Private Advisor Group, who has been in the industry for 31 years. But few know his personal story. When John was younger, he became involved with the New Jersey chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, a cause that … Continue reading Transparency with Diana B.: How John Hyland Fought Cancer and Won—Three Times →
As an estate tax attorney, Melanie Schnoll-Begun spent so much of her life helping others plan their for their futures. But when she applied for a life insurance policy of her own during pregnancy, she never imagined she’d get a rejection letter. That was the moment she learned she had Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune … Continue reading Transparency with Diana B.: Living With Type 1 Diabetes →
When shelter-in-place orders started cropping up in mid-March, as the coronavirus started to spread in cities across the country, many schools and daycares closed. Babysitters and other caregivers, such as grandparents, were forced to separate from the kids they typically cared for. The circumstance brought a new challenge to working parents, who have been struggling … Continue reading Transparency With Diana B.: Working Mothers in Quarantine →
While the numbers are constantly changing, the coronavirus has claimed many, many lives, and the casualties continue to climb. And during this time, as mortality is top of mind for many and emotions are running high, it may help to hear from someone who has faced death, head-on, and lived to tell the tale. In … Continue reading Transparency With Diana B.: A Near-Death Experience →
Many people tend to dwell on horrific experiences, making it difficult to move forward and live their lives. Others embrace the trauma, using it to build strength and a thick skin. In this episode of Transparency, Diana Britton, managing editor of WealthManagement.com, is joined by Kashif “Kash” Ahmed, founder and president of American Private Wealth, … Continue reading Transparency With Diana B.: From Riches to Refugee →
The COVID-19 pandemic is wreaking havoc on the U.S. economy and citizens’ health, as the death toll continues to rise daily. It’s also upended personal lives, including those of financial advisors, who may serve as an even greater source of support to their clients during this time. In this episode of Transparency, Diana Britton, managing … Continue reading Transparency With Diana B.: Life in Lockdown During COVID-19 →
When Julie Johnson started out as a financial advisor at Smith Barney in the 1990s, she was “smiling and dialing” to build up her book of business. She excelled in her rookie year, so much so that she was sought after by another wealth advisor who needed help expanding his practice. She jumped at the … Continue reading Transparency With Diana B.: More Tales From the “Boom Boom Room” →
Robert Castillo came out of the closet to his friends and family when he was 16 years old. But when he first got a job at a financial advisory firm in his 20s, he didn’t feel comfortable coming out to his colleagues. The financial services’ reputation for being very male-centric contributed greatly to that decision. … Continue reading Transparency with Diana B.: Coming Out of the Closet →
As a young girl growing up in Egypt, Laila Pence was very well off; her family lived in a seven-bedroom mansion in Suez. But all of that was taken away in almost an instant, when the Israeli army bombed her village during the Six-Day War. Struggling to survive, her family decided to emigrate to the … Continue reading Transparency with Diana B.: A Top Advisor’s Immigration Story →
Growing up in Monmouth County the child of two schoolteachers, Conor Delaney struggled being one of the poorest kids in school, dumpster diving for toys and going through several foreclosures on his family’s homes. But the months following his high school graduation were, perhaps, the worst. His father died suddenly; his aunt, heartbroken by her … Continue reading Transparency With Diana B.: Focus on Outcomes, Not Income →
Many registered investment advisors don’t take cybersecurity seriously and don’t know how to respond properly. Yet, according to a recent survey by the Investment Advisers Association, 39% of RIAs have had a cybersecurity incident. Such incidences can have a detrimental effect on an advisor’s mental health. In this episode of Transparency, Diana Britton, managing editor … Continue reading Transparency With Diana B.: The Psychological Effects of a Cybersecurity Breach →
About 12 years ago, Steve Melen had just started a new job as an advisor at Morgan Stanley, was remodeling his house and had a new baby girl when he got the shock of his life; he was diagnosed with stage III stomach cancer. Not long after, he went through a very serious surgery, with … Continue reading Transparency With Diana B.: An Advisor’s Battle With Stomach Cancer, Addiction and Himself →
As a graduate student, Dr. Alden Cass conducted a clinical survey on the mental health of Wall Street’s advisors. Conducted in 1999, the study, titled “Casualties of Wall Street,” examined nearly 50 reps, and found that 23 percent of them exhibited significant signs of clinical depression, while another 36 percent showed mild to moderate symptoms. … Continue reading Transparency With Diana B.: Advisors and Mental Health →
Welcome to the first episode of Transparency with Diana B., a podcast that explores the deepest struggles and hardships that many advisors face. Our mandate is to bring these issues out into the open so that others may find healing. Today your host Diana Britton, managing editor of WealthManagement.com, is joined by Andrew Komarow, the … Continue reading Transparency With Diana B.: The Ups and Downs of Living on the Spectrum →