Seven Years of Women+Wealth Solutions: A Journey of Independence, Growth & Purpose

Seven years ago, I stepped back out on my own. I relaunched my solo practice under the name Women+Wealth Solutions, returning to something I had first done in 2006.

The first time I ventured out on my own, I had made the decision to leave a major bank program and open my own practice. I believed I could take better care of my clients if I didn't have a boss to report to or a corporate structure defining how I should serve them.

I was fortunate to have had wonderful managers throughout my career, and I learned so much from each of them. But the idea of becoming an Independent Investment Advisor was fascinating to me. It represented freedom, responsibility, and the opportunity to build a practice around the way I believed clients should be served. So I took the leap and I never looked back.

Taking the Leap—Again

Seven years ago, after a long-standing partnership had evolved and ultimately come to an end, I found myself once again standing at the edge of something new. I returned to being a solo practitioner. At the time, I knew I was taking a risk. What I didn't fully appreciate was how much I would learn—not only about running a business and advising clients, but about myself.

Today, seven years later, I am incredibly blessed to say that Women+Wealth Solutions has reached new heights. More importantly, I have developed an even deeper understanding and appreciation for the responsibility I carry as an advisor. Because this business isn't really about investments. It's about people.

It's about being there when someone is going through a transition, helping a client make sense of a complicated financial decision, creating a plan and sometimes simply being the person who says, "Let's take a breath. We'll figure this out together."

What Seven Years Has Taught Me

One of the greatest lessons I've learned is that I can do far more than I once imagined. Personally, I've learned that I can do pretty much anything I want, as long as what I'm doing serves a greater purpose and helps make the lives of my family, friends, clients, and community better. And, interestingly, in serving others, I have strengthened and enhanced my own sense of purpose.

Over these past seven years, I've experienced some of the most rewarding moments of my career, along with some of the hardest. I've lost clients to old age and illness. Those losses are never easy. But I've also been honored with something incredibly meaningful: their trust and the opportunity to serve their families.

I've had the privilege of watching financial plans that were created decades ago finally come to fruition. I've watched clients accomplish goals that were once just ideas on a piece of paper. I've seen people retire, travel, help their children, support grandchildren, sell businesses, navigate loss, and step confidently into entirely new chapters of their lives.

Those are the moments that remind me why I do what I do.

Wisdom Comes With Living

They say that with age comes wisdom. I'm not sure it's quite that simple. I think wisdom comes from living life over time—and remaining humble and curious enough to keep learning along the way.

Being an advisor requires both experience and humility. The financial world changes, markets change, technology changes, our clients' lives change and so do we.

I've learned that being "experienced" doesn't mean having all the answers. It means knowing when to ask better questions, knowing when to listen, and remaining a student even after decades in business. Of course, there is another side to growth. Sometimes you simply have to jump into the deep end, trust yourself and swim hard for a long distance before coming up for air to see your dreams become reality. Maybe the real lesson is that you need both.

Take the first step. Stay focused on what you believe. Remain open to learning. And never stop looking for ways to improve.

From an Idea to a Thriving Business

When I first created Women+Wealth Solutions, it was an idea in my head. Today, it is so much more. We are now a thriving, growing, and empowering business with a growing team, wonderful clients, and a mission that continues to become clearer with every passing year.

I am especially grateful that I am no longer doing this entirely alone. Building a team has allowed me to share my vision, mentor others, and create an even stronger experience for the women and families we serve.

And then there are the clients. The people who call me when they have a question, who trust me with their life savings. The people who invite me into some of their most personal and important financial decisions and who I hope know that being their trusted advisor is an honor and a privilege that I never take for granted.

And Then There Is Family

As much as Women+Wealth Solutions has grown, so have I. My family has grown and changed right alongside me. One of the most beautiful things about getting older is watching the people you love become the adults you always hoped they would become.

There is something incredibly special about watching your children build their own lives, discover their own purpose, and become the best adult versions of themselves. It reminds me that success isn't measured only by a business, a portfolio, or a number on a balance sheet. Success is also measured in the people we love, the lives we touch, and the legacy we leave behind.

Looking Toward the Next Seven Years

Seven years ago, I took another leap. Today, I am grateful to be standing exactly where I am.

Women+Wealth Solutions is no longer simply an idea in my head. It is a growing business with a purpose, a team, and a community of clients who believe in what we are building together.

Our mission remains simple:

To help women become financially literate, financially independent, and financially sound so they can live their best financial lives.

I am deeply thankful for every client who has trusted me, every person who has encouraged me, every lesson I've learned, and every challenge that has pushed me to grow.

Seven years have taught me that the journey doesn't get easier, you simply become more prepared to embrace it. So, here's to the next seven years:

·        More learning.

·        More growth.

·        More courageous leaps.

·        More meaningful conversations.

·        More women taking control of their financial futures.

And, most importantly, more lives made better because we were willing to take that first step.

Thank you for being part of the Women+Wealth Solutions journey. I can't wait to  share with you where the journey for the next seven years take us.

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