Becky Walsh, CFP®

/in , , , , , , , /by

About Becky Walsh, CFP®

I have always loved a challenge. As a child, I enjoyed Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series for its pioneering spirit and “we can do hard things” embrace of life. Founding my own financial firm, with the goal of raising others while building a business, reflects my entrepreneurial background. As the daughter, granddaughter, great-granddaughter, and even great-great-granddaughter of business-founders dedicated to serving the communities where they lived, I carry on a family tradition of service oriented entrepreneurship, working with causes close to my heart, such as the Vermont Food Bank, All Brains Belong, and the Vermont Youth Orchestra Association.

My background as a classically trained musician informs my financial planning approach. My academic research and analysis skills transfer from notes and music theory to financial planning and portfolio management. Whether serving clients or playing piano, I bring joy, creativity and a healing energy to my work.

Rachel Lawrence, CFP®, MSFP

/in , , , , , , /by

About Rachel Lawrence, CFP®, MSFP

I’ve known that working with money was my calling since senior year of high school. As it turns out, I’ve poured my entire career (20+ years) into financial planning and coaching, starting with data entry and paperwork, then building financial plans and implementing the recommendations for other advisors. I started taking my own planning clients in 2007, got my CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification, an Accredited Investment Fiduciary® designation, and a few years later, a Masters degree in Personal Financial Planning from my alma mater Bentley University.

In 2012 I made the leap from traditional firms with high minimums to a new way of working with regular Americans: fintech (aka financial technology). Since then, my mission has been to find scalable ways using technology to bring financial planning to those who need it the most – in particular, women and their allies. Now I get to accomplish some of this through my work with clients at Reverie Wealth, and also through my consulting firm, Plan Ventures, where I do projects for fintech and coaching companies on topics like scaling mass market financial services or coaching and automating financial planning advice.

These days, I’m passionate about money ideas that work in the real world for real people, using your core values and your body’s intelligence (head/heart/gut) to guide financial and other life decisions, backing up financial planning principles with research and evidence, tackling systemic issues in ways that can be good for both the world and our bottom lines, and like a true Enneagram 7, finding ways to have fun while doing it all!

When I’m not working to bring good money to the masses, you can find me reading sci-fi and psychology books, watching reruns of New Girl and Parks & Rec, skiing or surfing with my partner and kids, traveling the world on a budget, and fighting the patriarchy.

Lauren Leidner Bloom, CFP®

/in , , , , /by

About Lauren Leidner Bloom, CFP®

Lauren Leidner Bloom has over 25 years of experience in the Financial Services Industry. She has always enjoyed helping people think about their financial future and then set a financial plan to match their dreams.

Bloom Investment was launched to help women at a crossroads in their life-whether you are newly divorced, widowed, single due to choice or circumstance or need professional assistance in merging finances with a new spouse, Lauren will listen to your story and craft a personalized solution.

Lauren’s strengths include compassion, confidentiality, learning the specific needs of her clients and tailoring a solution to those needs. She is a pro at translating complicated financial terms to “plain english” as well as asking the right questions.

Lauren spent 20 years working in Financial Services in Boston. Her employers including Putnam Investments, Fidelity Investments and MassMutual Retirement Plans. She has been a Certified Financial Planner® since 2004.

Christina Empedocles, CFP®

/in , , , , , , , /by

About Christina Empedocles, CFP®

THE INSIGHT METHOD

If you want to drop off a some documents, and in return get a few pie charts with hundreds of pages of confusing filler — this is not for you.

If you want to take control of your finances, learn the tools to grow assets, and be an active collaborator in your financial future — then you’re in the right place! Insight’s mission is not only to craft the perfect plan to fit your life and goals, but to educate you on the mechanics of how money works so that you’ll no longer be a by-stander in your own financial life.

THERE’S LOTS OF HAND HOLDING,
WITHOUT ANY ACTUAL HAND HOLDING

This program is part education, part rollup-our-sleeves planning, and all collaboration.

1. We’ll talk. I get to know my clients really well and want to understand your motivation, biggest fears, values, and aspirations. This is essential for building an effective plan, because when you add your real life to your money you’ll have a real reason to act.

2. I’ll put you to work, and our time together could feel a little like being back in school (the most relevant, totally empowering, useful school you’ve ever attended!). From our meetings, you’ll be given highly targeted ‘homework’ that will get you digging into your financial data, history, and habits, revealing a clear picture of what’s happening.

3. We’ll look at your goals, and determine timeframes, costs, and assign numbers. So, what was once just a dream, transforms into a detailed blueprint.

This process is hands on. If you want to do something ambitious and start putting the pieces in place for your extraordinary future — the time to start is now, and the most important ingredient is you. This plan will work, because you’ll help create it, you’ll understand it, and you’ll know the steps to take.

Our work will be formatted for easy ‘project management’ that reads with the intrigue and clarity of an illustrated travel guide. Contrast that with the thick, impenetrable plans that are output from ‘Big Finance’ and you’ll know instantly, why my strategies work: Because I’ll take you from Point A to Point Z highlighting all the manageable steps in between. Big Finance offers plans that will leave you confused and dependent. Which feels better to you?

Insight will be your ongoing mentor, to make sure your action items get done. We’ll be your partner in monitoring and adjusting your course of action, to make sure you don’t fall behind.

Read Christina’s blog here: https://www.insightpersonalfinance.com/blog

Dawn Mabery Chestnut, CFP®, MSPFP

/in , , , , /by

About Dawn Mabery Chestnut, CFP®, MSPFP, MPAS™, CFEI

Financial advice can be intimidating and complex, but I’m not your average financial advisor. I strive to make managing money simpler by speaking plainly (no jargon!) and offering genuine help instead of hard sales tactics. I prefer a more informal approach – without the stuffy suit.

When I’m not crunching numbers, you might find me tending to my backyard garden with my ducks waddling around, jogging (though trotting is more accurate), or biking with friends – an activity made even better at night thanks to colorful glow-in-the-dark lights we put on our wheels. My recent fascination is learning to sew clothes. I also have an amazing and supportive husband.

I am a natural planner and numbers lover, so it’s no surprise that I became a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ with a master’s degree in personal financial planning. I actually enjoy pouring over document details and making sense of the data. To me, it’s like putting together a puzzle. My favorite class in school was accounting – numbers don’t scare me. Beyond that, my work allows me to get to know people – their values, goals, and challenges, beyond their paperwork.

My brief behind the facts and figures journey is this. Growing up in a large family where money was tight inspired me to teach basic financial literacy voluntarily. My adult students wanted advice on retirement or social security (more info than the basic curriculum provided). This lit the spark for me to start my financial planning business! I still teach financial empowerment in underserved communities by contracting with local non-profits. I’ve had my own business for over ten years.

These experiences taught me that many people can find money talk difficult and sensitive. I’m here to provide honest, objective, and judgment-free advice for your money questions (big or small). No question is too embarrassing for me – I’ve made my share of money missteps too and I also just didn’t know a lot about money because it was not taught to me.

As a fiduciary, I’m committed to putting your needs first. With your commitment, follow-through, and patience, I can help guide you through the confusing world of money so that you can make informed decisions in reaching your idea of success.

Thank you for considering me as your advisor. Call me for a free discovery call where you can share with me about your financial needs, and I’ll share with you about my services.

Read Dawn’s blog here: https://www.maberyconsulting.com/blog

Cassandra Smalley, CFP®, CFA

/in , , , , , , , /by

About Cassandra Smalley, CFP®, CFA

Cassandra Smalley is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. She is on a mission to empower women to define and use their voices at the financial table to ensure they can enjoy a fulfilling, purposeful, creative, and joyful life.

Cassandra previously led a financial planning team that managed more than $500 million in assets. She has been recognized by Forbes and SHOOK Research as America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors 2020-2021, Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisor 2017-2020, Working Mother Magazine and Top Wealth Advisor Moms 2017-2020, among others.

Cassandra earned an MBA with a Finance concentration from the University of North Florida and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Florida.

After 15 years in the financial services industry, Cassandra felt called to publish a book based on her experiences. Her book, The Why of Wealth: Mastering the Steps to a Wealthy Mindset to Live a Joyful Life, centers on the challenges women face in building wealth and pivots obstacles into action by turning one’s unique perspective into one’s power to design their best life.

Today Cassandra is the Owner and CEO of her own financial planning and wealth management practice.

Cassandra is passionate about giving back to her community and is currently the Chair of the Leadership Development Committee on the Leadership St. Pete Alumni Association Board. She enjoys speaking to audiences about Financial Success as well as partnering with and coaching her clients to turn their goals and dreams into reality.

Cassandra is the proud mother of two young daughters, Addison and Meghan, and partnered in this amazing life with husband, Kevin Smalley.

Karen Ogden, CFP®, MBA

/in , , , , /by

About Karen Ogden, CFP®, MBA, Graduate Certificate in Sustainability

I am a financial services and capital markets professional with 30 years of experience ranging across the public, private and non-profit sectors. My experience includes economic data analysis; financial product development and education; business management; human resources; regulatory compliance; and most recently financial planning and investing.

Starting out on the floor of the Chicago Board of Trade, I had the good fortune to expand my career at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Bank of America, Amherst-Pierpont Securities, Guggenheim Partners, and Purkiss Capital Advisors.

While at Bank of America, I was asked to pilot an innovative role that connected the institutional commodities trading desk with the environmental initiatives of the overall bank. It was eye opening and fascinating to see how the private sector and global capital markets can play a proactive role in addressing some of the challenges that face our society today. To further my education on sustainability issues, I completed a 5-course graduate certificate in Sustainability through Harvard University’s Extension School in 2015.

As my career evolved, I came to realize that working with individual investors and helping them realize critical financial goals was something that would bring me a great deal of satisfaction. In fact, having done the same for my own and my extended family, I know firsthand how important it is to make, revisit, and stick with a financial plan – even (maybe especially) when things get difficult. To help refine my education in personal financial management, I enrolled in Boston University’s CPE 7-course curriculum in Financial Planning. Completing the coursework in 2021, I passed the CFP® exam in November of 2021 and completed experience requirements in March of 2022. Joining James Osborn as a Partner with Envest in 2022 meant combining two of my passions into one role. That was an easy decision to make.

Having worked with clients at many levels of financial readiness, I know the value that an objective and knowledgeable planning partner can bring to the difficult and ever-evolving financial planning process. I am excited to help clients with financial planning as well as values-driven investment strategies. I also volunteer with Savvy Ladies as help line resource providing free financial coaching to women on their financial journey.

I am a graduate of Boston College with a B.S. in Finance and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business where I earned an MBA. I was an elected member of the Board of Finance of the town of Ridgefield, CT prior to moving out of state to Vermont, where I currently live in Dorset with my husband in our recent role of empty nesters.

Ariadne Horstman, CFP®, RLP®

/in , , , , /by

About Ariadne Horstman, CFP®, RLP®

I have been practicing financial planning since 2008 and came to this profession out of a desire to help others and work in a meaningful profession where I can impact lives positively. A graduate of Smith College, I worked in consulting and marketing earlier in my career and came to financial planning later. My broad experience and liberal arts education have been helpful in understanding a range of different clients in various life situations. Having lived in France, India and the UK, I have international skills to bring to those with cross border situations. I founded my own firm in 2015 and merged with Emilie Goldman’s firm, Tamarind Financial Planning, in October of 2022. George Kinder’s Life Planning training allowed me to delve deeper into the part of client’s lives that focuses on what they want to get out of their time on this earth so we can direct their finances towards that. I love the outdoors, yoga, Pilates, reading, creative writing and meditation. Married to an academic working in Climate Finance means at times spending significant time in other countries and travelling. Our two children are now pursuing their studies so we are fresh empty nesters!

Amber Miller, CFP®, EA

/in , , , , , , , /by

About Amber Miller, CFP®, EA, CSRIC

I help clients build their net worth and use their money for good. I serve busy professionals, who work hard every day to care for others (patients, pets, kids) AND who want to do more. They’re passionate about personal, environmental, and social justice issues, and frustrated they don’t have the financial savvy (or time) to support their lifestyle and also change the world. I help clients make their extraordinary lives even better.

How you save and invest for the future, where you bank, and even the credit card you use can help make us and the planet a little better. As your partner (and fee-only fiduciary), I’ll help you understand your options, find venues to support what’s important to you, and build a better world.

I am one of less than 500 financial professionals to hold the Chartered SRI Counselor (CSRIC) designation, specializing in sustainable, responsible, and impact investments (SRI). These are investments that consider the environment as well as incorporate procedures and governance to not only generate a return for a client but also to make a positive societal impact.

Read Amber’s blog here: http://rising-financial.com/blog/

Elizabeth Snyder, CFP®

/in , , , , /by

About Elizabeth Snyder, CFP®

I am Elizabeth Snyder. I am a financial planner and investment manager. I transitioned to financial planning after 20 years as a mental health therapist. I saw a need for creating a non-judgmental and non-threatening place where individuals can get their financial questions answered and create a plan. I enjoy working with women who have recently gone through a transition: widowhood, divorce, death or other life transition. I often encounter my clients in the midst of a transition – mixed with loss or sudden money and possibly bigger financial responsibilities than they have ever had before. Ideally, I start working with people before a big transition, however sometimes it takes a big change to take the step and reach out for assistance. This can be a vulnerable time for individuals and I am protective of those I work with as a fee-only and fiduciary planner. I help you put all the financial pieces together into a cohesive strategy that matches you, your family, and your values. I help you organize, strategize, simplify. I partner with you to assist you in making the choices you want.

I am a mother of two children plus a dog and I was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. I love to get outside and enjoy our beautiful region.