Five Questions and Answers About My Business

1. Why did I start my business?

I’m fascinated by investment strategies, financial market behavior, and how individuals can optimize their income and investments to be tax-efficient. What drew me to become a financial planner is my desire to help people, my aptitude for numbers, and my passion for empowering individuals to make better financial decisions. I’m grateful for the opportunity to make a meaningful impact and help lift burdens off a client’s shoulders.

One thing I’ve observed in client meetings is that people often have much more to discuss about money than just investment returns. Clients want to understand how the various pieces of their financial puzzle fit together—why their money is being invested in a particular way, how they can be secure in retirement, and whether their loved ones will be taken care of in the worst situations. These conversations excite me. I’m grateful that I can help clients gain a clear understanding of their situation, connect to their values, and provide solutions and strategies that serve them comprehensively.

2. How did I get my start?

In my previous career, I was a dental insurance underwriter. When I decided to transition to personal finance, I went back to school and earned my Master’s degree in Finance at Penn State. I was fortunate to break into the industry as a financial advisor at a local firm, where I learned the ins and outs of serving clients and managing a business.

There are certain licensures one must get to become a financial advisor. I obtained the Series 65 license, a requirement for professionals offering investment advice. To deepen my expertise, I embarked on a two-year journey to earn the CFP® (Certified Financial Planner) designation, elevating the quality of my advice and services. The CFP Board holds financial planners to the highest standards, including the fiduciary duty, which requires CFP professionals to always act in their clients’ best interests.

When I opened my business, I started from the ground up. Operating out of my home office, I meet clients over Zoom or at their homes. I wrote articles about financial planning, collaborated with reporters to build my reputation, and volunteered at local schools—either directly or through Junior Achievement, a global non-profit organization. I attended local networking and social events to connect with people in my community. Gradually, people began to notice me and I was able to share more about what I do.

Building my client base was a one-client-at-a-time effort, and I’m grateful for the referrals I’ve received. It is rewarding when clients, after completing a financial plan, ask for my business cards to share with their family and friends. One client shared that the reason she pushed her friends to call me was because she wanted them to have the same peace she had after working with me. Those moments are exactly what I strive for in my work.

3. What does my business provide?

I often joke that I provide peace, confidence, and good sound sleep.

I specialize in helping people in their 50s prepare for retirement, a critical time to set themselves up for a successful future. This 10- to 15-year window before retirement is vital for planning and ensuring they can enjoy their golden years with confidence. For those about to retire, I help them manage their lifetime savings and create a plan to safely enjoy the resources they’ve worked so hard to accumulate. Many people invest in employer-sponsored accounts like 401(k)s, and when they stop working, they face a series of complex decisions and some timely strategies. My goal is to simplify that process, maximize their benefits, and make the transition to retirement less stressful.

When I work with individuals or couples, I offer two types of financial plans: comprehensive and project-based. Comprehensive plans take a deep dive into multiple aspects of a client’s finances, such as how clients handle their money, assess their readiness for retirement, evaluate and recommend investment strategies, execute tax strategies to tax burden in retirement, and so much more.

Project-based plans, on the other hand, focus on a single aspect, making them ideal for younger families or individuals who need targeted guidance.

I structure my fees to accommodate a wide range of clients. For project-based plans, I charge an hourly fee, allowing accessibility for those who may need help with just one or a few aspects of their finances. For comprehensive plans, I charge a flat one-time fee. There is no minimum amount of investment assets required to become a client, so even those who prefer to manage their investments can still benefit from working with me on the broader aspects of their financial lives.

4. Biggest challenge I am facing right now?

There’s so much I want to learn and accomplish, but life has a way of presenting endless demands on our time and attention. To serve my clients well, I have to be intentional about what I say yes to and what I say no to. It’s an ongoing challenge to resist the pull of trendy topics, flashy tech stacks, or enticing conferences, but staying focused on what truly matters is my priority—and I plan to keep working on that.

5. What is my favorite thing to do in Cumberland County?

I love being in nature and I love fruits, plants, and flowers. Cumberland County is home to some of the coolest hiking trails. A few years ago, I was introduced to a native fruit called "pawpaw", and ever since, I’ve been hooked. I scour Westshore farmer’s markets every fall for pawpaws. Then, my brother-in-law took my husband and me on a trail here where we could hike and collect fresh pawpaws right off the trees. For someone who loves both fruits and nature, it doesn’t get much better than that.