In Episode #16 of NAPFA Nation, Jeff Jones of Longview Financial Advisors, Abby Hasling of The Mather Group, and Stephen Fletcher of EVOadvisers, talk with podcast host Marie Swift about the many reasons they have volunteered their time and energy for NAPFA leadership roles over the years. The episode highlights the benefits of volunteerism and how it enhances leadership skills, facilitates networking and connections, and improves personal, professional, and firm outcomes. Jones discusses...

In Episode #15 of NAPFA Nation, Steve Doster, a senior wealth advisor at Rowling & Associates in San Diego, and Michelle Wilson, an independent fiduciary advisor with Athens Impact Socially Responsible Investments in rural Ohio, talk with podcast host Marie Swift about the formation of NAPFA Pride, an affinity group for LGBTQ+ members. Each shares their involvement and goals for the group. The episode highlights upcoming events like a happy hour at the NAPFA conference for members...

In Episode #14 of NAPFA Nation, David Flores Wilson, Managing Partner of fee-only wealth management and financial planning firm Sincerus Advisory, talks with podcast host Marie Swift about his experience representing his Guam in the 200-meter run at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, and his involvement with the Lower East Side Girls Club and other non-profit organizations. To prepare for the Olympics, he took a gap year after high school, and split time between training in Australia...

In Episode #13 of NAPFA Nation, Matt Iverson-Comelo Executive Director of the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization Advisers Give Back (AGB), and Lisa Niera, CFP®, a fee-only wealth advisor with Corient, talk with podcast host Marie Swift about giving back through pro bono financial planning. Launched in 2020, AGB’s scalable online platform matches pro bono clients with pro bono Certified Financial Planning (CFP®) professionals for ongoing, one-on-one advice that helps clients build wealth and...

In Episode #12 of NAPFA Nation, Dana Wilson, CEO of CHIP (Changing How Individuals Prosper) talks with podcast host Marie Swift about the benefits of building an inclusive workplace culture. CHIP is a B2B financial services marketplace that makes finding financial professionals of color easy. In this lively episode, they discuss the importance of cross mentorship and situational mentorship, emphasizing that mentorship doesn't always have to be formal. Wilson also highlights the significance...

In Episode #11 of NAPFA Nation, Zach Teutsch, managing partner at Values Added Financial, talks with podcast host Marie Swift about helping “progressives” build financial lives they feel good about. Established in 2017, his fiduciary financial planning and wealth management firm is passionate about supporting people who want to leverage their wealth to make an impact and live a joyful life.   Setting the right goals and aligning those goals with one’s values, he says, is the equivalent of...

In Episode #10 of NAPFA Nation, Irfan Bhabhrawala, Owner and Lead Financial Planner at Arbor Financial, talks with podcast host Marie Swift about his career transitions – from a university setting to technology and consulting roles, plus real estate investments, to ultimately becoming the owner of a fee-only financial planning firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Bhabhrawala is proud to be part of the fiduciary movement in financial planning, which prioritizes giving honest advice with minimal...

In Episode #09 of NAPFA Nation, Mark Berg, Founding Principal of Timothy Financial Counsel, Inc., talks with podcast host Marie Swift about a new type of firm and a new potential audience for financial advice that is awaiting the financial planning profession. Berg, the Founding Principal of Timothy Financial Counsel, Inc., has proven how this business model can work for both financial advisors and clients – and says that it’s only a matter of time before we see much faster adoption. Berg...

In Episode #08 of NAPFA Nation, one of the founding members and first president of NAPFA, Gary Pittsford, talks with podcast host Marie Swift about his involvement with NAPFA over the past 40 years. He highlights the growth and influence of NAPFA in promoting fee-only financial advice and attracting clients who prefer a fiduciary standard. Pittsford also mentions the significant changes in technology and business models within the industry, and shares his transition from Castle Wealth...

In Episode #07 of NAPFA Nation, Glenn Frank, author of the popular book Your Encore: Retirement Planning Guide - How to Balance Time, Money and Joy, discusses the importance of brain chemicals in happiness and suggests a daily practice called the "smiling starfish" to increase happiness per dollar and hour. He also shares his four key takeaways on happiness: daily progress, pleasure within limits, pride in work, and purpose. Frank shares: A decision matrix to help balance time, money, and...

In episode #06 of NAPFA Nation, Lydia Sheckels, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, of Wescott Financial Advisory Group, shares highlights from her career in financial services, including how she became fee-only financial planner, and why she decided to eventually join NAPFA and raise her hand for service/leadership roles within the fiduciary community that would come back to help her in unexpected ways. While she set out to simply be of service, the surprise to her was that she learned new things and became...

In Episode #05 of NAPFA Nation – livestreamed from the big podcast stage at the 2023 Morningstar Investment Conference in Chicago – Tara Unverzagt, CFP®, of South Bay Financial Partners tells us how she became fee-only financial planner, and why she decided to develop new access points for people who dread facing, or worse, are stressed and worried about financial decisions. Unverzagt has been working in financial planning, investment advice, and tax preparation for over 20 years. She...

In Episode #04 of NAPFA Nation, Katie Burke, CFP® and Bridget Grimes, CFP® talk with host Marie Swift about how they became fee-only financial planners with two independently owned and operated firms, plus how – and why – they came together to establish Equita Financial Network (EFN), an umbrella Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) for other women-led RIA firms. Grimes, who was once told by a male in her previous employer’s peer group that she was “too ambitious”, and Burke, who was looking...

In Episode #03 of NAPFA Nation, Elizabeth Jetton, CFP®, shares thoughts on using mindful conversation to build trust and create engagement. Jetton has been a thought leader in the financial planning profession for the past 20 years. She has been in the financial services industry since 1981, a CFP® professional since 1991, and served as President of The Financial Planning Association in 2004. In 2010, she retired from her financial planning practice to focus on consulting to financial...

 In Episode #02 of NAPFA Nation, we hear from Wendy Hartman, CFP®, President of Buckingham Strategic Wealth, a growing organization of advisors, financial specialists, and national thought leaders committed to delivering on the promise of true wealth management. As a Registered Investment Advisor, the essence of their approach is based on a pledge to act in the best interest of clients, including individuals, businesses, trusts, Non-Profit organizations, healthcare professionals, and...

In Episode #01 of NAPFA Nation, “Talent Pool: Advancing Diversity in the Financial Planning Profession,” we hear from Luis Rosa, CFP®, EA. Rosa came to the U.S. at age 11 from the Dominican Republic. Growing up in New York City, he noticed the lack of financial literacy in his community and was inspired by his parents to work hard and pursue an education. He founded Build a Better Financial Future LLC and is the host of the On My Way to Wealth podcast. In 2019, Rosa was named to the...

In Episode #32 of Mindset Mastery, “Emotional Intelligence: How to Improve and Use EQ in Everyday Life,” host Marie Swift, CEO of Impact Communications, recaps the 2022 episodes so that listeners who missed one of these fabulous conversations can get a few quick tips from her summary – and make a note to go back and listen to the episodes that call to them. She also talks about Emotional Intelligence – commonly referred to as EQ, which stands for “emotional quotient.” While IQ tests measure...

In Episode #31 of Mindset Mastery, "Choose Wisely: How Mindfulness and Attentive Listening Can Help You Make Better Decisions," host Marie Swift speaks with author, poet, and teacher Gary J. Boelhower, PhD. As Professor Emeritus at The College of St. Scholastica, he continues to teach health humanities; healthcare ethics; living, dying and grieving; and leadership and wholeness. In this episode of Mindset Mastery, he tells us how to become grounded when we are afraid, when to use open-ended...

In Episode #30 of Mindset Mastery, “Motivate Your Money: Using Conversations and Conscious Decision Making to Realize Success,” host Marie Swift, CEO of Impact Communications, speaks with book author and financial educator Mac Gardner, CFP. In addition to his book for adults, Motivate Your Money, Mac has created a book, coloring and worksheets, and a fun game for kids ages 7+ called 'The Four Money Bears: Berryville'. In this episode of Mindset Mastery, he talks about the five steps to...

In Episode #29 of Mindset Mastery, “Blessings In Disguise: Using Obstacles to Fuel Success,” host Marie Swift, CEO of Impact Communications, speaks with award-winning journalist Veronica Dagher. In addition to her work as a personal finance reporter for the Wall Street Journal, Dagher is the author of “Resilience: How 20 Ambitious Women Used Obstacles to Fuel Their Success,” an ebook published by the WSJ and exemplified through the WSJ podcast she created and hosted called “Secrets of Wealthy...

In Episode #28 of Mindset Mastery, “Rising Stars: Three Fiduciary Planners Speak Up on Career Paths, Role Models and Mentorship,” host Marie Swift, CEO of Impact Communications, speaks with three women who have made fiduciary financial planning and investment management their profession. She is joined by Anabel Diaz, CFP®, MSFP of Natural Bridges Financial Advisors; Cassandra Kirby, CFP®, EA of Braun-Bostich & Associates; and Dani Parris-Exline, CFP®, AFC® of Peace of Mind Financial...

In Episode #27 of Mindset Mastery, “Financial Stress: Practical Solutions for Overcoming this Hidden Epidemic,” host Marie Swift, CEO of Impact Communications, speaks with Dr. Alex Melkumian, author of the recently released book, Financial Psychology: Restoring Financial Wellness in a Post-COVID Economy. A licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and founder of Financial Psychology Center in Los Angeles, he is devoted to helping clients improve their financial and mental health by uncovering...

In Episode #26 of Mindset Mastery, “Mind Your Balance: Creating Effortless Success and True Happiness in Your Life,” host Marie Swift, CEO of Impact Communications, speaks with Dr. Travis Parry, author of the recently released book, Achieving Balance, and author of the forthcoming book, Balanced Growth. A former financial advisor, Dr. Parry holds a Doctorate in Family and Human Development, and a Masters in Psychology. He is focused on helping financial advisors – and other entrepreneurs who...

In Episode #25 of Mindset Mastery, “Beyond DE&I: Inclusive Leadership and What It Means for Business Leaders Today,” guest host Geoffrey Brown, CEO of the National Association of Personal Financial Planners (NAPFA), speaks with Dr. James Pogue, an expert who focuses on helping business leaders understand unconscious bias. In this fascinating conversation, he weaves together funny anecdotes and riveting tales that encourage us to strengthen our own commitment to lead, drive change, and...