Why I Created My Own Female-Run Financial Planning Firm
In today’s modern world, the image of a successful financial planning business is predominantly considered one that skews to the male ideal. Performance, competition, achievement, assertiveness, independence and leadership. All of these traits are highly rewarded and praised in financial services.
And do you know what? I love these traits. They get results. But I also love my feminine traits of connection, collaboration, vulnerability, generosity and abundance, and have seen an increasing need for these within my field. That’s why I wanted to create my own female-run financial planning firm. To help even the balance a little, and develop a business type that I truly believe is deeply necessary.
As we take our first steps out into this new decade, it is more important than ever to honor the balance of more ‘human’ principles in both our personal and professional lives. We are spending more and more time online, and the rise of AI is set to move us even further away from one of our most basic and fundamental needs: human connection.
THE IMPORTANCE OF WOMEN IN FINANCE
It can be all too easy to forget the importance of sitting down and talking to someone who genuinely cares, in favor of speed and convenience. But real connection takes time, patience and empathy. Unravelling your story and weaving back the threads in a stronger and more purposeful manner is not something a computer can do for you. It needs heart and soul, and the wisdom that only human experience can provide.
Unfortunately though, in financial services, feminine principles can be perceived as a liability, or a weakness. Yet this is where my industry gets it so wrong. The personality traits generally considered female can hold real power. We are nurturing, patient, and inquisitive. As a female financial planner, I have watched my clients finally breathe easy knowing they have found someone who will really listen. Their shoulders relax and their smile broadens as they find the often confusing and intimidating world of finance opened up for them in a way that is authentic and accessible.
Profound and lasting change cannot be rushed. Life is messy and complex, painful, beautiful, and ever-changing. I truly believe that good financial planning needs to come from a place of understanding. As a female-run financial planning firm, I genuinely care about all of my clients, and as a result, am willing to dig deeper and work harder to ensure their wellbeing. I take my time; that crucial but often overlooked element. I am patient and considerate. Speed and competition has no place when it comes to creating a truly robust and lasting financial plan.
WHY I AM SHARING MY STORY
Did you know that less than one quarter of the financial advisor community is female? And under 10% of investment asset managers are women. Those are pretty shocking statistics, and clear indicators of why our industry continues to be considered quite cold and stuffy. Financial services need more feminine principles to bring balance and modernity, and I am committed to helping to change the statistics.
Years ago, when I first entered the world of finance, my career was overwhelmingly dominated by working with and for men. From financial planning at an aerospace engineering company to negotiating with Wall Street investment managers, I confidently held my own in this traditionally male-centered territory.
I knew what the traditional ‘masculine’ principles for success looked like, and their undeniable track record for business success. Can something be tracked and clearly measured? Yes? Let’s do it! I thrived in these competitive environments, and operated comfortably within them. Yet I could see how these masculine principles were dominating others that are just as important for personal financial success, if not more so.
I loved the concept of compound interest. Money can make money for you while you sleep? Where do I sign up? But what happens when the money rolls in? How do you negotiate the emotional side of a healthy relationship with your money? I watched countless friends, colleagues and clients make money and then spend it just as quickly because they did not truly understand how to handle their wealth in a tangible way that worked for them and their loved ones.
THE BALANCE OF A FEMALE-RUN FINANCIAL PLANNING FIRM
The modern perception of ‘being rich’ is having money. I won’t argue with that. But two decades into my financial career, I have seen and heard enough to know that being rich is different than being wealthy. Being wealthy is having the time and freedom to create the life your heart desires. And that looks different for everyone. That’s why a more female-centric approach to finance helps to provide greater connection to your money, creating a lasting awareness of how to nurture and grow what you have.
As a female-run financial planning firm I love working one-on-one with clients to help them chart a path to financial freedom and success that is uniquely built around their individual needs. No two people are the same, so no two financial plans should be, either. You won’t find cookie-cutter guidance here at Truman Wealth Advisors. Instead, you will find a woman who uses her wealth of experience and expertise to create something as individual as you are, and help provide financial assurity for the rest of your life, and beyond.
This does not mean I am a soft touch. I have something unique to offer clients in the way I can speak to both the masculine and feminine energy around their money. I am deeply competitive and enjoy the challenge of portfolio management. I could geek out on investment strategies, economics and financial markets all day.
I don’t make excuses, and I will be there to hold you accountable, ensuring you don’t stray from the path we set out for you. I will advocate for your needs fiercely, and leave no stone unturned in my efforts to carve out a successful financial plan for you. No task is too great or too small. I am driven only by my genuine desire to help you start making your money accomplish the things you really want it to.
A MORE MEANINGFUL APPROACH TO YOUR MONEY
I am curious about your life, your motivations and your dreams. I am energized by connecting with others, and building deep, lasting relationships. I believe money is ultimately an expression of your values, and that wealth is measured not only by counting your money but also by your level of happiness.
That’s why my mission is to motivate and inspire you to achieve financial freedom in the truest sense. I provide a transformative experience for my clients that is designed to guide them smoothly through the actions required to achieve financial freedom. My hope is that by leveraging my professional expertise balanced by my typically female traits, you can manage your money with confidence, and live a life you truly love, free from financial worry.
Honesty and integrity are core tenets of everything I do, and I consider it a true honor to be trusted with your hopes and dreams. I feel so lucky to come to work every day and help people live better lives. I’m not driven by my own financial gain, I’m driven by yours. My greatest satisfaction is to help you to create a truly wealthy life.
If my story resonates with you, then I would welcome the opportunity to sit down and listen to yours. I invite you to get in touch and schedule some time for us to connect and discuss how the benefits of a female-run financial planning firm can help bring meaning and confidence back to your financial life.