Behind The Advisor

Today we have XYPN Member and South Bay Financial Partners founder Tara Unverzagt on the show! Inspired by her mother—who was one of financial planning’s early pioneers—Tara knew from an early age that she wanted to be a financial planner. She joins us in this episode to share her experience growing up in the field, the valuable lessons she learned from having an advisor as a parent, and how she put her own twist on financial planning to do things differently.  You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/210 

After working for his previous firm for 19 years and then being unexpectedly fired, Mark Wilson was forced to reset his life. Now the owner and only employee of Making It Look Easy (MILE) Wealth Management, Mark joins the show today to discuss what pushed him to start his own firm and how he is focusing on the successes ahead.  You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/209 

After coming on the show two years ago to talk about her first year in business, Meg Bartelt has agreed to come back to share her journey and progress since then. In this episode, Meg gives a raw and authentic look at the life of an entrepreneur and opens up about how she handles the many different stressors that come along with that. You'll hear about her process, methods, mistakes, and triumphs over her first three years in business. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/208

After attending Colorado State University on a football scholarship, Jason Speciner graduated with a degree in business administration in 2004 and has been a practicing registered financial advisor ever since. Today he joins the show to discuss how his firm has implemented a comprehensive services model, which he says is helping to shift the value conversation to the planning side while charging the client a simple and transparent fee. Listen in to learn what Jason is doing to lay the foundation for growth and hear about his experience with finding, hiring, and managing his first employee. You'll discover what it took to find the right person to help grow his firm, get his hiring tips based on what he learned, and see how his persistence has paid off. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/207

Michelle Smalenberger has over 12 years of experience working at a nationally-recognized firm and has been mentioned in publications such as The Wall Street Journal and Financial Advisor IQ. Today she joins the show to discuss the benefits of owning a business with your spouse and how she and her husband manage the relationship stress that comes along with that. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/206

Today XYPN member Sara Stanich, founder of Cultivating Wealth, joins the show to discuss her unique journey to finding her place in financial planning. We will discuss why she made a career change out of marketing after 12 years and how having experience in multiple industries has led to her success as a financial advisor and business owner. Sara will share what pushed her to launch her own SEC-Registered firm in 2016 and why she sought out full independence. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/205 

Sidney Divine, founder of Divine Wealth Strategies, joins the show to share how he climbed his way to the top and ended up being voted Financial Planner of the Year in 2017. He explains how he is fulfilling his dream of helping good people live better lives and how that passion has helped him build strong, lasting relationships with his clients. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/204 

How did a teacher with a wanderlust inclination and a therapist interested in business and helping people come together to create Trail Financial Planning? In this episode, we dig into how John Chesbrough and Liz Weinstein crafted their unique career paths into a fantastic partnership that is growing quickly. You will hear about the challenges they have faced, who they serve, and the beneficial relationship between therapy and financial advising. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/203

Today XYPN member Sue Peck, founder of Evolution Financial, recounts the compelling story of how she discovered she was ready to start her own business after nearly 12 years of working for an investment management firm. She discusses the struggles of starting off on your own, where she has seen the most luck in finding clients, and more. You’ll learn what Sue envisions for her business and why she wants to remain by herself, exclusively working with a manageable number of clients. It’s important to remember what you are doing will pay off eventually, and Sue’s unique story will remind you of that and keep you inspired along your own journey to building the business of your dreams. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/202

From corporate finance to financial planning with almost no experience as a planner, Quinn Arnold went from not being able to find a financial planner for himself to fostering a relationship that pushed him into the field and ultimately led to him owning a firm. In this episode, he discusses the ups and downs of his journey and shares the major lessons he learned along the way. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/201