Tag: Mental Wellbeing

FEATURE
The Healthy Advisor: From Near-Death to New Purpose with Martine Lellis

The Healthy Advisor: From Near-Death to New Purpose with Martine Lellis

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While studying at Duke University, Martine Lellis started to feel sick. It developed quickly into a hospital visit where she was diagnosed with pneumonia in both her lungs. The condition escalated into a near-deadly situation, so her doctors decided to induce a coma even before her parents were able to reach her.

 It became so serious that while in a coma, she received her last rites, the religious ceremony performed by a Catholic priest for someone who was dying.

 Thankfully, she woke up three weeks later to make a full recovery, although the road back to normal functionality was difficult.

 Diana Britton speaks with Martine Lellis, principal of M&A partner development at Mercer Advisors, on her near-death experience, its profound impact on her life, and how it has fueled her passion for making bold, compassionate choices in the financial services industry.

 

Diana and Martine discuss:

  • Martine’s near-death experience and its aftermath
  • Her recent experience meeting with the doctor who saved her life at Duke
  • Another health scare she had with long COVID
  • How overcoming significant health challenges shaped her professional and personal outlook
  • The importance of gratitude and resilience in her leadership role
  • Her current philanthropic efforts and commitment to giving back to the community

 Resources:

 Connect With Martine Lellis:

 Connect With Wealth Management & NREI:

 About Our Guest:

 Martine is Principal, M&A Partner Development, and is responsible for driving the growth and expansion of the organization through strategic mergers and acquisitions of other RIAs. Based on her more than two decades of experience in the independent wealth management space, she leads like-minded firms in their transition decisions, including assessment of fit, due diligence, financial analysis, talent mapping, and deal negotiations. Martine also currently serves as Chief Talent Officer, overseeing Talent Management and HR Operations for the company, with a focus on developing and growing the talent of the organization. She has been a member of the Executive Leadership Team at Mercer Advisors since joining the firm in 2020.

 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: Living Life Urgently with Kristine McManus

The Healthy Advisor: Living Life Urgently with Kristine McManus

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At the end of 2022, Kristine McManus got an unexpected breast cancer diagnosis. Yet doctors thought it was the least aggressive form and easily treatable. 

Shortly after her surgery, she received multiple messages from the hospital; it turns out she had the most aggressive form of breast cancer, triple-negative. Her outlook on life changed as she was forced to miss one of the most important years in her children’s lives due to treatments. From that moment on, she focused on the value of living life urgently and cherishing meaningful moments.

In this episode of the Healthy Advisor Podcast, WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton speaks with Kristine McManus, chief advisor growth officer at Commonwealth Financial Network, about her journey battling breast cancer and the profound lessons learned about living life to the fullest and not “saving for best.” 

Kristine discusses: 

  • Her initial breast cancer diagnosis and the unexpected turn of events
  • The challenges and treatments she faced during her battle with breast cancer
  • The importance of not saving the best for later and embracing the present
  • Lessons learned about gratitude, cherishing moments, and living a more urgent life

Resources: 

Connect With Kristine McManus:

Connect With Wealth Management & NREI:

About Our Guest:

Kristine McManus consults with financial services companies and advisors to enhance revenue growth and establish robust practices. Central to her approach is highlighting the unique qualities of the advisor, utilizing branding, communications, client events and marketing strategies to foster business development.

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 Emotional and Financial Strains of Addiction with Cheryl Canzanella

The Healthy Advisor: The Emotional and Financial Strains of Addiction with Cheryl Canzanella

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As the staggering number of Opioid overdoses and deaths continue to increase, so does the threat on family finances and retirement dreams. Cheryl Canzanella knows that all too well.

In August 2017, she lost her husband to an accidental overdose, exposing her to the horrific realities of the opioid crisis.

Since his death, she’s made it her mission to educate employers and her peers in the financial services industry on how the Opioid epidemic is not only ripping families apart emotionally but also financially by diminishing careers, draining financial assets, and crushing retirement dreams.

Join WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton and Cheryl Canzanella, a Retirement Solutions Advisor at Movement Mortgage, in discussing the emotional and financial strains of addiction and how the financial industry can become part of the solution through awareness, education, and empathetic client support.

Cheryl touches on: 

  • How her husband’s struggle with substance use disorder affected her life
  • Addiction signs and red flags
  • Financial burdens and challenges faced by families dealing with addiction
  • How she first talked about her husband’s death and the realization she wanted to share his story more openly
  • The role financial advisors should play in the Opioid epidemic

Resources: 

Connect With Cheryl Canzanella:

Connect With Wealth Management:

About Our Guest:

With over 23 years of experience in the insurance and financial services industry, Cheryl has joined Movement Mortgage as a Retirement Solutions Advisor to continue her passion for helping individuals reach their retirement goals. Although she is not a licensed loan officer, her primary focus is working with financial professionals to offer strategies of using a Reverse Mortgage for Financial and Estate Planning. She is an active member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), where she serves at the local, state and national levels and had the honor of serving as the past president of NAIFA Northeast Florida and has been awarded the NAIFA Florida President’s Award. Additionally, in 2019, she was recognized as the NAIFA National Young Advisor Team Leader of the Year. She is a member of Financial Planning Association (FPA) and Women in Insurance and Financial Services (WIFS). 

 

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: Leaning Into a Diagnosis in the Family With Will Hoffman

The Healthy Advisor: Leaning Into a Diagnosis in the Family With Will Hoffman

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At just 10 years old, William Hoffman’s son Liam was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis (NF), a rare genetic condition that causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body. When Will and his family got the news, they could have succumbed to despair. 

Instead, Will leaned into it, and has made it his mission to find a cure for Liam and set an example for his sons around overcoming the struggles that life may deal you. He and his wife have been active participants in the NF community, raising awareness and money for a cure. 

In this episode, WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton speaks with Hoffman, founder of Hoffman Wealth Management, about his journey with Liam’s diagnosis and his dedication to raising awareness about the struggles of those with NF.

Will focuses on: 

  • How Liam’s diagnosis impact Will and the family
  • How it reshaped his priorities in business and life
  • How he is raising awareness for this diagnosis
  • Why families must stay together and lean on their support system during difficult times
  • Why mental health awareness is important for financial advisors

Resources: 

Connect With Will Hoffman:

Connect With Wealth Management & NREI:

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: What Makes Advisors Happy With Michael Kitces

The Healthy Advisor: What Makes Advisors Happy With Michael Kitces

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While wellbeing and mental health have become a more mainstream conversation among the wider U.S. population since the pandemic, it’s a topic still largely untouched by the financial services industry. New research from Kitces.com aims to measure and track trends across advisor wellbeing, just as the industry benchmarks anything else. 

Over 1500 members of financial advisory teams responded to The Kitces Report: 2023 Advisor Wellbeing Study. Respondents reported on their current level of life quality, or wellbeing, on a 0–10 scale. The average was 6.84, with solo practitioners feeling better about life compared to mid-size or larger firm advisors.

In this episode, Diana Britton speaks with Michael Kitces, blogger and chief financial planning nerd at Kitces.com, about the key highlights of the study, including the positive impact of team involvement, the strategic delegation of less desirable tasks, and the necessity of fair compensation, particularly for those advisors who are service-oriented. 

Michael discusses: 

  • The impetus behind launching this study
  • How he defines wellbeing and happiness in the study
  • The correlation between firm size and advisor well-being
  • The top drivers of advisor well-being: autonomy, experience, team and service 
  • How firms can foster happiness and engagement among their advisors

Resources: 

Connect With Michael Kitces:

Connect With Wealth Management & NREI:

About Our Guest:

Michael E. Kitces is the Head of Planning Strategy for Buckingham Wealth Partners, a private wealth management firm located in St Louis, Missouri, that oversees approximately $50 billion of client assets. In addition, he is the co-founder of the XY Planning Network, AdvicePay, fpPathfinder, and New Planner Recruiting, former practitioner editor of the Journal of Financial Planning, and the publisher of the e-newsletter The Kitces Report and the popular financial planning industry blog Nerd’s Eye View through his website www.Kitces.com, dedicated to advancing knowledge in financial planning.

 

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 Year of Health with Tina Powell

The Healthy Advisor: The Year of Health with Tina Powell

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After selling her business in November 2022, Tina Powell earmarked 2023 her “year of health.” The first step on that journey was to get a full body scan at the Princeton Longevity Center on Martin Luther King day 2023. That scan would change the trajectory of her life. 

That day, her doctors discovered a 2.1 cm tumor on her right lung. Despite being a healthy, fit non-smoker, she was launched into a challenging and emotional journey battling lung cancer.

Diana Britton, managing editor at WealthManagement.com, interviews Tina Powell, Partner and Chief of Community at Intention.ly, about her struggles with the cancer diagnosis, treatment, and recovery, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing health and well-being.

Tina discusses: 

  • The signs leading up to her diagnosis 
  • The three stages of treatment she underwent
  • The need to be your own health advocate and prioritize your well-being
  • Her decision to go public with her diagnosis and change the narrative around lung cancer
  • The power of vulnerability in seeking support and building connections

Resources: 

Connect With Tina Powell:

Connect With Wealth Management & NREI:

About Our Guest:

Tina Powell is a trailblazer in the digital marketing industry, with over 20 years of experience driving growth for financial services companies. As the Chief of Community at Intention.ly, she works alongside Co-Founders Kelly Waltrich and Meghan Richter, revolutionizing how financial technology and services companies approach marketing. Tina’s track record of delivering results for her clients led to her founding C-Suite Social Media, a high-growth digital marketing agency that Intentional.ly later acquired. Her passion for helping financial services companies thrive in the digital age is further demonstrated through her industry-renowned podcast, In The Suite, where she spotlights the careers and leadership of mid to senior-level women in the financial services industry. Tina earned a Master’s from NYU in Graphic Communications Management and Technology and the NYU Prism Alumni Achievement Award. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, magna cum laude, from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

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: Using Wealth to Improve Your Health With James Bogart

The Healthy Advisor: Using Wealth to Improve Your Health With James Bogart

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As a busy and often stressed-out executive at one of the top RIAs in the country, James Bogart found himself neglecting his well-being, resulting in weight gain and various health issues. 

A series of hospital visits prompted him to hire a concierge doctor and a nutritionist, leading to a remarkable 70-pound weight loss over the course of several months.  

In this episode, Diana Britton, managing editor at WealthManagement.com, is joined by James Bogart, CEO and president at Bogart Wealth. James shares his personal journey through health and wellness, revealing the importance of paying attention to your physical and mental well-being.

James explores:

  • His lifestyle before he lost the weight 
  • Why he went on his personal health journey
  • How his career contributed to his personal health struggles
  • What changes he made to his daily routine and diet to benefit his health
  • How mindfulness played into his journey
  • What challenges he faced in implementing health and wellness initiatives in the workplace and social settings

Resources: 

Connect With James Bogart:

Connect With Wealth Management:

About Our Guest:

A seasoned wealth advisor, James Bogart takes personal pride in assisting executives, entrepreneurs and professionals pursue their dreams through striking, highly customized financial planning strategies. As Principal of Bogart Wealth, he focuses both on maintaining the highest level of customer service and attention to detail possible, and on seeking to deliver the most effective technology, reporting tools and analysis to every Bogart Wealth client.

 

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: Overcoming Limited Opportunities and a Learning Disorder with Heather Kelly

The Healthy Advisor: Overcoming Limited Opportunities and a Learning Disorder with Heather Kelly

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Facing the hurdles of disadvantaged youth, Heather Kelly’s life was marked by a single mother, a disabled sister, and limited opportunities. She moved out of her home in Ozone Park, Queens, at the young age of 16. On top of that, she has struggled with dyslexia, a learning disorder and neurological condition that posed additional challenges in her educational journey.

Despite these obstacles, Heather climbed the corporate ladder and become a very successful executive in the insurance and wealth management industries, a mentor to many, and a sought-after speaker at industry events. And she did all that without a college degree (although she recently achieved that as well).  

In this episode, Diana Britton, managing editor of WealthManagement.com, is joined by Heather Kelly, owner of Kelly Like Consulting and formerly with Allianz, Goldman Sachs, and United Capital. Her story shows how determination, a strong support system, and an indomitable spirit can triumph over adversity.

Heather discusses: 

 

  • Her struggles growing up with a single mom and disabled sister
  • How she found out about her dyslexia and the challenges associated with it
  • How dyslexia has shaped who she is today
  • Her journey into financial services
  • The relationship with her sister and how she inspired Heather
  • The impact of her mentors and supportive team members

Resources: 

Connect With Heather Kelly:

Connect With Wealth Management & NREI:

About Our Guest:

Heather Kelly is a seasoned senior executive and board member who leverages a competitive spirit, strategic vision, and strong work ethic to achieve results. As a senior distribution executive and board member at Allianz, Heather significantly advanced the FinTech strategy and New Market endeavors while enhancing and growing core distribution to record levels. New Market strategies include the RIA channel, launching an asset management offering, buffered outcome ETFs, and employer markets business line. Another critical area of impact is her role as a lead member of the transformation team, fostering and facilitating company-wide change management. Equally notable is her previous executive management role with one of the largest national independent RIAs in the country, United Capital, building the first successful national RIA insurance platform and the FinLife 360 platform, which embodied all products and services that amplified the adviser experience.

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: Finding Courage to Leave an Abusive Relationship with Cary Carbonaro

The Healthy Advisor: Finding Courage to Leave an Abusive Relationship with Cary Carbonaro

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When financial advisor Cary Carbonaro met her first husband, she thought she had it all. She had a great upbringing in New York, wonderful family and friends. She was very successful. And while her fiancé looked very good on paper, the relationship turned out to be toxic.  

Behind closed doors, the marriage was a nightmare, with Cary facing physical, mental and verbal abuse from this man on a daily basis. 

She got the courage to leave him in 2009, but then endured a lengthy and painful divorce process. Getting out of that relationship set her free in a lot of ways, and then in 2019 she found herself in another bad relationship—this time with her firm, Goldman Sachs. She became a Goldman Sachs advisor when the Wall Street firm acquired United Capital that year. (Goldman recently announced plans to sell the business to Creative Planning.) 

In this episode, Diana Britton, managing editor at WealthManagement.com, speaks with Cary Carbonaro, senior vice president and director of women and wealth at ACM Wealth, about her personal experiences of being in an abusive relationship and the challenges she faced with her previous employer.

Cary discusses: 

  • How she connected with her first husband and why she chose to marry him
  • The abuse and manipulation she faced while living with her ex-husband
  • How she compartmentalized her work life and home life
  • How she got the courage to leave the relationship 
  • Her journey to help others facing the same struggle
  • Her experience at Goldman Sachs

Resources: 

Connect With Cary Carbonaro:

Connect With Wealth Management:

About Our Guest:

Cary Carbonaro is senior vice president and director of women and wealth with ACM Wealth. An award-winning Certified Financial Planner with over 25 years of experience, Cary is a tireless advocate for women in the financial industry and is passionate about increasing financial literacy and empowering women to overcome any financial challenge they face.

Before joining ACM Wealth, Cary was Vice President, Head of Office at Goldman Sachs. Following the firm’s acquisition of United Capital, she founded and served as Head of Women’s Leadership. During her tenure there, she served in a range of capacities, including Managing Director, Partner, FINLIFE Coach, and more. While there, she also earned several distinctions, including MVP Managing Director and the United Capital Diamond Office Winner, among others.



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FEATURE
The Healthy Advisor: Resiliency and Other Lessons Inside Lehman

The Healthy Advisor: Resiliency and Other Lessons Inside Lehman

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When Mike Wunderli started his journey into wealth management, he was excited about a career that had a combination of sales and finance, interpersonal and analytical. He built up an impressive book of business, helping entrepreneurs and business owners engineer liquidity events for their companies. 

But then, the 2008 financial crisis hit, causing the downfall of large financial institutions like Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers, where he worked at the time. Lehman became the largest bankruptcy ever, and that event would have a profound impact on Wunderli’s life—personally, and professionally. 

In this episode, WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton is joined by Mike Wunderli, current managing director at ECHELON Partners, who opens up about that dark time in his life, his struggles with unfulfillment, and the lessons learned watching Lehman and the economy collapse from inside the trenches. 

Mike discusses:

  • How he entered the wealth management industry
  • Advisor satisfaction and culture at Lehman
  • His experience inside Lehman leading up to the bankruptcy
  • Why client assets were tied up after the bankruptcy
  • Rehypothecation and other risks that surfaced during the financial crisis 
  • Why he felt unfulfilled professionally in the years following the collapse
  • How he came back from tough time in his life

Resources: 

Connect With Mike Wunderli:

 

Connect With Wealth Management:

About Our Guest:

Mike Wunderli is a Managing Director at ECHELON Partners and is integrally involved in all aspects of the firm’s activities. Prior to joining ECHELON, Mr. Wunderli founded Connect Capital Group (CCG) where he advises private, middle-market companies on pre-transaction planning, growth financing options and the development and execution of exit strategies. He also works closely with the private-equity and venture-capital communities to evaluate acquisition and investment targets and source proprietary deal flow.

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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