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The Healthy Advisor: Living With Major Recurring Depression With Davis Janowski

The Healthy Advisor: Living With Major Recurring Depression With Davis Janowski

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Trigger warning: This episode discusses content some listeners may find upsetting.

Journalist Davis Janowski grew up in the Panhandle of Florida, where he grew accustomed to sunny weather and developed a deep passion for the great outdoors. But when he moved to Syracuse, N.Y., at age 25 for grad school, the cold weather and lack of sunlight and exercise began to impact his mental health. The stress of a full workload at school, as well as a part-time job further exacerbated the problem.

The pressure became so much for him to handle that one day he decided he was going to take his life. Luckily, a friend called him right at that moment; Davis told him what he’d done, and emergency crews came to help.

That was the first step in Davis’s journey of being diagnosed with major recurring depression and getting help and the right treatments for this mental illness.

In this episode, Diana Britton, managing editor of WealthManagement.com, is joined by Davis Janowski, senior technology editor of WealthManagement.com, who opens up for the first time publicly about his years-long battle with depression, and how his love for kayaking and being out on the open water has helped bring him out of it.

Davis discusses: 

  • When he learned he had depression and how he reacted
  • His attempt at suicide
  • How he came back from a dark place
  • When his depression came back years later
  • What he learned about treating his Depression and anxiety during his hospital stay at Tisch
  • How therapy has helped with his Depression
  • How kayaking, paddle boarding and being outdoors has helped improve his quality of life, as well as his Depression symptoms

Resources:

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About Our Guest: 

Davis Janowski is a career journalist who has done stints with FinTech startups and as an analyst. Along the way his work has appeared in the New York Times and many other publications. While much of his focus has been in the FinTech sector for the last 13 years, Davis also has extensive experience in evaluating technology and tech products. His career in tech journalism began at PC Magazine, where Davis tested and reviewed consumer and business products and managed a team of editors, technicians and analysts. He also spent six years covering FinTech for InvestmentNews, where he was a technology reporter and columnist and also spoke frequently at industry conferences. 

If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.

The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify and wherever podcasts are found.

 



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FEATURE
The Healthy Advisor: When a Child Struggles With Opioid Addiction With Lori Eisel

The Healthy Advisor: When a Child Struggles With Opioid Addiction With Lori Eisel

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When Lori Eisel first found out her son had an addiction problem, she tried to do everything in her power to get control over the situation and help him. But even years later, he is still on the road to recovery.

In this episode, Diana Britton, managing editor at WealthManagement.com, speaks with Lori Eisel, president of fee-only financial planning firm Arcadia Financial Partners, who shares the struggles and achievements faced by both her son and herself in dealing with this addiction. Lori recounts the lessons she’s learned about addiction, and how she found the help and support she needed to get through it.

She’s become an advocate for awareness around Opioid addiction and supports families facing similar circumstances. She’s also supporting Ohio’s Recovery Within Reach campaign, a new program to help financial advisors in the state to spot the signs of a family facing the emotional and financial costs of opioid addiction, and how to help them through those struggles. 

Lori discusses: 

  • How she tried to help her son with his addiction
  • What she has learned about addiction and how she has shifted her mindset
  • Why she didn’t hide her son’s addiction from others in her community
  • The toll her son’s addiction has taken on her and the family
  • The Ohio initiative to help financial advisors with clients facing addiction

Connect With Lori Eisel:

More Addiction Resources:

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About Our Guest:

Lori Eisel is the president of fee-only financial planning firm Arcadia Financial Partners in ​Pickerington, Ohio. For more than 25 years, Lori has dedicated her career to helping people make good financial decisions. She holds a master’s degree in Family Financial Management from The Ohio State University, where she also served many years as adjunct faculty and continues to be a frequent presenter and guest speaker. She is a Certified Financial Planner, an Enrolled Agent, and a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst​. Lori received the Women’s Choice Award in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. ​She was also chosen to receive the Pickerington Area Chamber of Commerce ATHENA Leadership Award in 2019.

If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.

The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify and wherever podcasts are found.



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The Healthy Advisor: Reflecting on a Life Well-Lived, Yet Not Without Tragedy

The Healthy Advisor: Reflecting on a Life Well-Lived, Yet Not Without Tragedy

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Advisor Joseph R. Biondo Sr. just recently celebrated 60 years in the financial services industry, but his path to success was not a linear one. In his 83 years, he has experienced his fair share of struggles—both personally and professionally.

In fact, his life began with tragedy. Just three weeks before he was born, his father passed away, leaving his mother a widow with two young boys at age 30 in Canarsie, Brooklyn. His family ended up on welfare, struggling to make ends meet, so he would help out any way he could, working odd jobs with his uncle. 

Eventually he and his family got out of Brooklyn, and through his own persistence he landed a job as a broker. 

But tragedy would strike him again, when his wife Inga died in an automobile accident in 1979, leaving him with four kids to raise on his own. 

In this episode, WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton is joined by Joseph Biondo Sr., founder of Biondo Investment Advisors, who shares his wisdom and life lessons that came out of his experiences. 

Joe discusses: 

  • What life was like growing up in Canarsie, Brooklyn
  • The biggest lessons he learned from his mother
  • Why and how he entered the financial services industry
  • How the industry has changed 
  • How he overcame the tragedies and struggles throughout his life
  • How contributing back to the community has helped him lead a more fulfilling life
  • How his experiences helped him take care of clients better from an emotional and personal perspective 
  • His advice for young brokers just starting out

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About Our Guest:

Joe Biondo believes there is no greater joy than to help people make money, to change their lives and to alter the future for their families. His own life experiences reinforce the idea that anyone, regardless of upbringing or resources, can make something of themselves and prosper in our great country. As a child growing up in hardship, his family left Brooklyn, NY, when he was a teenager and moved to a very small town in Northeast Pennsylvania.  Helping his mother to make ends meet, Joe would commute back to Brooklyn on a daily basis to sand floors for his Uncle. Fascinated by Wall Street, he bought his first stock at the age of sixteen and, eventually, walked back into that same brokerage office six years later and offered to work for free if they would teach him the business. Thankfully, they did and thus began his journey in the financial world.

If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.

The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify and wherever podcasts are found.



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FEATURE
The Healthy Advisor: Rebuilding Healthy Habits After Traumatic Loss With Jonathan DeYoe

The Healthy Advisor: Rebuilding Healthy Habits After Traumatic Loss With Jonathan DeYoe

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A little over a year ago, advisor Jonathan DeYoe was in a healthy place; he was meditating on a regular basis, working out, eating and sleeping right.

But in the summer of 2021, he tragically lost his only brother and business partner when he drowned in the Pacific Ocean. He says his life came to a “screeching halt” that day. While coping with grief, he struggled to stay healthy. Since then, he has been on a journey to rebuild healthy habits after experiencing this huge loss.

In this episode, Diana Britton, managing editor of WealthManagement.com, speaks with Jonathan DeYoe, senior vice president of EP Wealth Advisors in Berkeley, Calif., author of “Mindful Money” and host of the Mindful Wealth Podcast, about the struggles of maintaining healthy habits during tragic times. 

Jonathan discusses: 

  • How his habits changed while working on Wall Street
  • The wake-up call that motivated him to improve his lifestyle
  • What happened in the weeks and months after his brother’s passing
  • Reasons to seek help and support, instead of trying to manage grief on your own
  • The process of rebuilding healthy habits following a major breakdown
  • How his brother’s passing impacted the work he’s doing now

Connect With Jonathan DeYoe:

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About Our Guest:

Jonathan DeYoe has been involved with the financial services industry for more than 25 years. Prior to joining EP Wealth Advisors in 2021, his career journey led from being a seminarian and Buddhist academic to a financial advisor. After spending 5 years with large Wall Street companies (“just enough to know better”), Jonathan launched his own firm, growing it from 6 clients to 280 over the course of 20 years.

If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.

The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify and wherever podcasts are found.



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FEATURE
The Healthy Advisor: The Loss of a Loved One and a Passion for Suicide Prevention With Larry Sprung

The Healthy Advisor: The Loss of a Loved One and a Passion for Suicide Prevention With Larry Sprung

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On average, there are 130 suicides per day, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and individuals who work in financial services are 1.5 times more likely to commit suicide than the national average, according to the National Occupational Mortality Surveillance. 

Right before advisor Larry Sprung was set to break away and launch his own firm, his brother-in-law Keith Milano, who had suffered from bipolar disorder, died by suicide. Now Larry’s dedicated much of his time and energy to bringing awareness to mental health and suicide prevention, including serving on the board of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and raising in excess of $1.7 million for that organization.

In this episode, WealthManagement.com’s Managing Editor Diana Britton is joined by Larry Sprung, founder and wealth advisor at Mitlin Financial in Hauppauge, N.Y. Larry shares the story of his brother-in-law’s suicide and recounts what lead up to the loss, how it has changed his personal and professional values, and the importance of increasing knowledge and understanding around mental health every day.

Larry discusses: 

  • The events leading up to his brother-in-law’s suicide and how he coped with it
  • How Larry and his wife have brought awareness to mental health issues
  • How the industry deals with issues of mental health
  • How advisors can incorporate mental health into their practices
  • The need for destigmatizing mental health disorders
  • And more

Resources:

Connect With Larry Sprung:

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 About Our Guest:

Larry Sprung founded Mitlin Financial, Inc., in 2004 with a focus on prioritizing clients first. He and his team consistently help clients make healthy financial decisions and offer a tremendous client experience that leverages today’s top tools and technology.

Today, he leads the planning and asset management services at Mitlin, in addition to focusing on business development. Larry is also committed to offering educational workshops where he shares his knowledge and insights on a diverse set of financial topics. He is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and regularly films the firm’s “Mitlin Minute” videos that provide important information on relevant financial topics. Larry also hosts the Mitlin Money Mindset podcast.



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FEATURE
The Healthy Advisor Podcast: The Silver Lining With Danika Waddell

The Healthy Advisor Podcast: The Silver Lining With Danika Waddell

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In 2020, Danika Waddell’s prior firm was audited by the State of Washington, and the state found that her U4 was never filed properly, after four years of working with clients. The whole ordeal was traumatic for her. 

In this episode, WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton is joined by Danika Waddell, president and founder of Xena Financial Planning in Seattle. Danika shares how the filing error caused her to lose over half her income, created stress over her future as a financial advisor, and disrupted communication with close clients during the start of the pandemic. Despite it all, she persevered and found a silver lining—the ordeal ultimately led her to leave that RIA and start her own independent firm. She’s never looked back.

Danika discusses: 

  •   What those couple months were like for her during the investigation
  •   What compelled her to start her own firm
  •   What the experience taught her about the regulatory framework of this industry
  •   How this changed her approach to compliance
  •   The benefits of therapy
  •   Lessons she learned about being a business owner

Connect With Danika Waddell:

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About Our Guest:

In 2020, Danika Waddell founded Xena Financial Planning. While she enjoyed the role at her prior firm, Danika felt called to be bold and create something from the ground up. Starting her own practice allows her to be more nimble and innovative, while specializing in a particular niche. Women are so often left out of the conversation when it comes to their finances and investing. Danika has many years of experience with equity compensation: going back to her husband’s years of working at Amazon.com in the early 2000s, when she first learned about RSUs and had to figure out what the heck to do with them. Since becoming a CFP, she has worked with clients at many of the big tech companies and knows her way around ISOs, NQSOs and ESPP.



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FEATURE
The Healthy Advisor: Closure at the Grave With Vance Barse

The Healthy Advisor: Closure at the Grave With Vance Barse

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The loss of a loved one can lead to a tidal wave of emotions before reaching acceptance and continuing on in life without them.

Before starting his own practice, advisor Vance Barse experienced profound grief after losing five family members, including his biological father who he had never met. However, this darker time in his life was followed by a period of life-changing introspection, which forced him to rethink his personal and professional life.

In this episode, WealthManagement.com’s Managing Editor Diana Britton is joined by Vance Barse, wealth strategist and founder of Your Dedicated Fiduciary, who shares his journey through grief toward acceptance. Vance reveals the emotional struggle he faced and what led to the completion of the journey his father never took.

Vance discusses: 

  • The “18-month window” that changed his life forever
  • The moment when the emotional baggage related to his father was lifted off his shoulders
  • How to overcome the struggles of acceptance and closure
  • The biggest realizations he had on his motorcycle journey across the country
  • How mindfulness and meditation helped him overcome the challenges
  • How his experiences shaped the work he’s doing now

Connect With Vance Barse:

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About Our Guest:

Vance Barse, is a wealth strategist and founder of Your Dedicated Fiduciary. He began his career in the financial services industry at Altegris Investments, where he served as an investment consultant to leading private wealth and retail financial advisers throughout the U.S. He saw firsthand that many advisers are constrained in their approach to planning, often leaving clients underserved. After nearly a decade in this role, Vance became a financial planner and founded Your Dedicated Fiduciary with a simple mission: to be authentic, transparent, and have a positive impact on the lives of his clients.



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FEATURE
The Healthy Advisor: Reducing Employee Burnout With Gabriela Mauch

The Healthy Advisor: Reducing Employee Burnout With Gabriela Mauch

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Managing employee burnout is key to creating a healthy workplace environment. But what steps should advisory and financial services firms be taking to reduce stress and burnout in the workplace?

In 2022, ActivTrak released a benchmark study on productivity and wellbeing within the financial services industry, revealing that this space is, in fact, better at managing burnout risk than other industries. For instance, compared to a cross-industry sample, 19% more employees have a healthy workload, and 23% fewer employees are overutilized. 

In this episode, WealthManagement.com’s Managing Editor Diana Britton is joined by Gabriela Mauch, vice president of ActivTrak’s Productivity Lab, who says the positive statistics may belie the issues financial services firms need to work on. Gabriela provides a deeper dive into ActivTrak’s research and looks beyond the data to help us understand the real drivers of employee burnout and happiness. 

Gabriela discusses: 

  • How financial planning firms today are managing burnout risk
  • Other indicators of burnout, beyond hours worked
  • What other dials companies can move to improve their employees’ wellbeing
  • How to efficiently manage meetings among other routine tasks
  • The importance of quality conversations over quantity
  • Leveraging team resources to increase productivity
  • The power of distraction
  • How companies can reward the work and the outcomes of that work
  • And more

Resources:

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About Our Guest:

Gabriela Mauch joined workforce productivity software provider ActivTrak as head of Productivity Lab following a career in organizational effectiveness, leadership and design at management consulting firms including McKinsey & Co. and KPMG LLC. Gabriela helped stand up McDonald’s first Organizational Effectiveness & Leadership Center of Excellence where she worked across the McDonald’s system to improve its business performance and maintain relevance in the digital age. She earned a bachelor of science in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University and is an expert in helping teams understand how productivity extends beyond business performance and is deeply rooted in employee well-being and engagement.

Gabriela, originally from Boston, resides in Denver, Colorado where she spends her free time enjoying all the mountains have to offer. She is involved in mentoring college-bound high school youth, career counseling at the Bean Project, a non-profit women’s social enterprise, and volunteering at the Latin0 Cultural Arts Center.



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The Healthy Advisor: Getting Financially Sober With Matthew Grishman

The Healthy Advisor: Getting Financially Sober With Matthew Grishman

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Early in his career in financial services, Matthew Grishman was working as a wholesaler, making a lot of money, and on the outside, he looked as though he was living his best life, with the Rolex watch, the shiny Allen Edmonds shoes, the Hickey Freeman suits. But on the inside, he was empty and trying to fill a hole with money, alcohol and other things. 

But one day his money addiction got so out of control that he was broke. He had hit rock bottom and was faced with a critical decision: make massive changes to how he was living his life, or die broke and alone. He chose change. 

In this episode, Diana Britton is joined by Matthew Grishman, principal and wealth advisor at Gebhardt Group in Roseville, Calif. Matthew opens up about how his money addiction—and later on, an alcohol addiction—almost cost him everything. He shares his journey getting to a place of financial sobriety,  including the pivotal role a financial advisor (and now business partner) played in his healing. 

Today, through his book, “Financial Sobriety: Rebuilding Your Relationship With Money One Step at a Time,” and podcast, Matthew is dedicated to helping others become more intentional with three complex and interconnected relationships: money, people, and self.

Matthew discusses: 

  •   The events that led to his out-of-control money addiction
  •   How he responded initially when he hit that first critical bottom
  •   The realization he had after meeting with an advisor for support
  •   What happened to him when he reached a second critical bottom in life, and how overcame an alcohol addiction
  •   What prompted him to start sharing his deeply personal experiences with others

Resources:

Connect With Matthew Grishman:

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About Our Guest:

Matthew Grishman began his career in financial services in 1995 with A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. and became fully licensed as an Investment Broker in 1996. He spent 17 years as a national spokesperson for large mutual fund and insurance companies (Lord, Abbett & Co, Putnam, and MetLife). 

Matthew left corporate America in 2011 to devote his time and experience in financial services to his family, friends, and neighbors. 

In 2014, Matthew joined Gebhardt Group, Inc., an independent Registered Investment Advisor. He became an owner of the firm in 2015. 

As a Principal and Wealth Advisor of Gebhardt Group, Inc., Matthew provides wealth management services for families experiencing major life transitions (inheritance, sale of a business, death or divorce of a spouse, planning for retirement, career change, or sudden loss of a job).

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FEATURE
The Healthy Advisor: Finding Healing in the Gym With Deadlifter Jess Bost

The Healthy Advisor: Finding Healing in the Gym With Deadlifter Jess Bost

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Jess Bost found CrossFit during a traumatic time in her life. About her workouts, she says, “I went to the darkest place I could, and I fought my demons in that place.” 

CrossFit, which stands for cross-discipline fitness, became her bridge to healing. 

In this episode, Diana Britton is joined by Jess Bost, the vice president of brand partnerships at Alpha Architect and part-time CrossFit Coach. Here, she opens up about how her experience with intense workouts and a supportive community gave her the outlet she needed during a time of profound grief. She also shares how exercise and community have shaped how she views the role of financial advisors.

Jess discusses: 

  • How she applied the concepts she learned from psychology and working with children with autism to CrossFit and also financial services 
  • How she got into CrossFit and how it keeps her healthy from a physical/spiritual/emotional standpoint
  • How CrossFit helped her heal from trauma
  • Why and how she’s become an advocate for fitness in the financial services industry
  • Where she sees the intersection of fitness and finance 

Connect With Jess Bost:

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About Our Guest:

Jess Bost is the vice president of brand partnerships at Alpha Architect, and she also runs her own financial planning practice under the firm’s ADV. She’s also host of “The Breakthrough Factor” Podcast. 

Jess has been in the wealth management industry for about four years. Prior to that, she was a CrossFit coach and a personal trainer. Jess still coaches CrossFit part-time and plans to take the CrossFit Level 3 Certification in the near future. In 2017, she won a national title in Olympic weightlifting and qualified for the 2018 Pan Am Masters Weightlifting Championships. 



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