Tag: Client Experience
The Healthy Advisor: The Toll of Caregiving with Melissa Caro

The Healthy Advisor: The Toll of Caregiving with Melissa Caro

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In 2018, Melissa Caro’s perfectly healthy 72-year-old mother was suddenly diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, and within 24 hours she became her sole caregiver, her financial planner, her life coach and her healthcare advocate. At the same time, her 87-year-old stepdad was falling apart and spiraling into dementia, and her husband was in the hospital with severe back problems.

As a Type A personality, she struggled significantly during this time. During one doctor’s visit for her mother, a nurse reminded her to take care of herself.

In this episode of The Healthy Advisor, host Diana Britton speaks with Caro, founder of My Retirement Network, a financial education resource for clients and the advisors who serve them, on how she navigated caregiving while managing her career and other responsibilities.

She discusses the emotional complexity of caregiving, the gap in financial literacy for those without advisors, and how her experience shaped her mission to help people understand their finances during life’s most challenging moments.

She discusses:

  • Her journey into financial services
  • The sudden shift from professional routine to full-time caregiving
  • The financial, physical and emotional toll caregiving can have on a person
  • The things that helped her cope and get through the struggling times
  • How financial fear intensifies during illnesses
  • How her caregiving experience shaped the work she does today with My Retirement Network
  • How personal loss can help advisors listen, communicate and frame their role with clients

Resources:

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About Our Guest:

Melissa Caro is a Certified Financial Education Instructor, CFP, and the founder of My Retirement Network, a digital media platform dedicated to promoting financial literacy. With a mission rooted in the belief that knowledge empowers people to create the future they envision, Melissa brings decades of experience in finance and education to her work. She has witnessed firsthand the positive impact that understanding finances can have on people’s lives, far beyond just numbers.

Melissa’s goal is to make financial literacy accessible and meaningful for everyone. My Retirement Network was created to bridge the gap between complex financial concepts and the everyday decisions that shape financial futures. The platform empowers individuals at every stage, whether they’re planning for retirement, starting a career, or teaching their children about money, to understand and take control of their financial well-being. Through education and awareness, Melissa supports people on their journey to building a stronger, more informed financial foundation.

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The Healthy Advisor: A Heart for Serving the Neurodivergent with Ryan Marcus

The Healthy Advisor: A Heart for Serving the Neurodivergent with Ryan Marcus

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Ryan Marcus has a passion for helping the wealth management industry better serve the neurodivergent community. He argues that the industry is not serving them in an intentional way.

Neurodivergence refers to divergence in mental or neurological function from what is considered typical or normal. It’s frequently used with reference to autistic spectrum disorders.

The issue is personal to Ryan, whose nephew, Nicholas, is on the spectrum. That experience revealed how unprepared the wealth management industry is to serve this growing community, even as trillions in wealth shift to younger generations.

In this episode of The Healthy Advisor podcast, WealthManagement.com Executive Editor Diana Britton speaks with Ryan Marcus, chief business development and engagement officer at Binah Capital, about what he’s learned from his nephew, why authenticity matters, and how advisors can embrace practical, human changes that make a big impact.

Ryan discusses:

  • His personal connection with his nephew and the lessons he’s learned about authenticity
  • The financial obstacles neurodivergent clients face, from sensory overload to complex communication  
  • Small office and meeting adjustments that remove barriers and improve comfort
  • The gap in how the financial services industry serves the neurodivergent community
  • The opportunity advisors have to better serve individuals on the spectrum
  • How financial literacy and wealth management both play critical roles in long-term well-being

Resources:

Connect with Ryan Marcus:

Connect with WealthManagement.com:

About Our Guest:

A recognized connector in the wealth management industry, Ryan Marcus has over two decades of experience leading strategy and client engagement across respected firms such as United Capital, RBC Advisor Services, and MarketCounsel Consulting. He has driven growth by aligning people, ideas, and opportunities, with a focus on enhancing client experience and deepening relationships. Known for building trust and offering strategic insight, Ryan has shared his perspective through industry panels and publications. His work continues to shape how firms think about client service, business development, and scalable infrastructure in an evolving regulatory and competitive landscape.

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