Everyone
has a story! Here’s mine: I was raised in the historic town of Saratoga
Springs, New York where I earned an associate degree in marketing. In 2001 I
moved to South Carolina where I earned a bachelor's degree in financial
management, and a master's degree in counseling. I also earned my FINRA Series
7 and 66 securities registrations and went to work in the financial services
industry. Based out of Charlotte, NC, I spent a year flying around the country,
auditing financial advisors in the bank channel. I learned the intricacies of
how advisor’s get paid and what the rules and regulations are governing their
work.
After
that I took a 3-year position as the Director of Marketing & Business
Operations for an art museum in Greenville, SC. I learned a great appreciation
for fine art and how to effectively manage the day to day business operations
of an art museum.
In 2010 I moved to Charleston, SC where I took a position
as a Registered Representative. I learned that I love helping people and that I
hate selling things. I worked with young couples to assess their life insurance
needs and help them build a foundation for their family for years to come. I
learned a lot about the world of insurance and how it can be used in a person’s
life to help them mitigate risk. It can be a very valuable tool.
In 2012 I took the position I currently hold as Practice Manager
and Para-Planner for a boutique financial management firm. I learned how to
process and service all types of investments including alternative assets. I
worked with qualified and non-qualified accounts, single 401k’s, group 401k’s,
variable annuities, all types of personal insurance, transfer of assets, and
much more. I also learned how to manage a busy and productive financial firm
with an ever-rotating staff. Most importantly, I learned the steps of financial
planning and the importance of it in people’s lives. Half of my time is spent
managing the office and the office workflow and half of my time is spent
gathering client data, analyzing it, developing financial plans, updating
financial plans, doing retirement analysis, doing education funding analysis,
doing stock option analysis, reviewing client accounts, and more.
During my
time at this firm, at the age of 35, I was diagnosed with Lymphoma, a blood
cancer. My journey took me through many rounds of chemo, radiation, and an
allogenic stem cell transplant in the first 12 months after diagnosis. Within 6
months from the transplant, my body rejected the stem cells and I began a
4-year journey to survive. While I am currently cancer free, I continue to
fight the damage done to my body during treatment. I am grateful for the gift
each day brings!
One of the things I have learned through the last few years
is focus. I enjoy life and approach it full of zest and curiosity. I am
passionate about helping people simplify and find freedom in their financial
life. Time is short, and I love helping people
make sense out of complexity and find the best use of their financial resources
to meet their goals. I’ve worked with
both “middle class” and “very wealthy” people for almost 10 years, helping them
with their finances. I am more convinced than ever, as my dad taught me, that
it’s not what you have that counts; it’s what you do with what you have that
really counts. I'm passionate about transforming the complex into simple and
accessible steps. This year I enrolled at the College of Charleston &
the College for Financial Planning and am pursuing my CERTIFIED FINANCIAL
PLANNERtm professional designation. My goal is to obtain this
certification in March 2019 and be able to focus full time on financial
planning work.
I also need times to disconnect and recharge. While my
health continues to be a journey for me, what I know about myself is that I
love to learn, and learning allows me to relax and reset myself. I love to
pursue training in areas I am passionate about. Since my diagnosis I have
become a certified yoga teacher and a certified nutritional counselor. I am
passionate about health, eating real food, and moving in healthy ways. In my
spare time, I continue to pursue additional certifications in these fields. I
also love my community. In the last few years I completed my local citizens
policy academy, made the time to become a “regular” at my favorite local café,
and actively volunteer in the arts and education/empowerment fields in my
community. I love teaching cooking classes for the Lowcountry Food Bank and
play an active leadership role on the training council for the Junior League of
Charleston. When I can, I mentor for the MUSC Healthy Charleston Challenge
program. This year, I joined Tri it for Life and have become part of the
women’s triathlon community. This year I traveled to Europe for the first time
and enjoyed spending 2 weeks exploring the beauty of Italy. Next year I am
planning on spending 3 weeks exploring Austria, the Swiss Alps, and re-visiting
Italy.
I think I can summarize by quoting my favorite wellness
warrior, Jessica Ainscough. She said, "I believe that wellness is not a
destination, but a lifelong conversation. It’s a commitment, a relationship,
and a communion with your body — for better or for worse, in sickness and in
health. And above all, it’s a decision to treat ourselves with absolute
kindness & respect. To treasure our lives. Nourish our bodies. And take
nothing for granted.” I agree with Jessica, and I believe that in all areas of
our life, with gratefulness to the One who gives life, grace, and hope for each
day, we should treasure our lives, nourish our bodies, and take nothing for
granted.