Healthy Advisor

It was not just one struggle in her life that shaped Marissa Nehlsen. Since her formative years, she’s faced adversity and come out stronger every time. 

Despite significant hardships, including the loss of her family farm, enduring domestic abuse from her father, and coping with Stargardt disease, which has led to blindness, Marissa has built a seven-figure business and become a coach, speaker, and podcast host. 

In this episode, Nehlsen, the founder and CEO of Freedom Financial Group, discusses her journey from a challenging childhood on a North Dakota farm to leading a successful financial advisory firm. She offers a story of hope for others in pain, as she has yet to slow down or limit her goals.  

Marissa discusses:

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About Our Guest:

Marissa Nehlsen is the founder and CEO of Freedom Financial Group. She rose from humble beginnings as a rural North Dakota farm girl to build a multi-million dollar financial services company.

As an accomplished leader with proven results, Marissa Nehlsen’s unique style and approach enable clients to achieve extraordinary and sustainable outcomes. Fueled by the growth of others, she has over 23 years of solid experience. She built a holistic planning firm based on the core principles of educating, empowering, and equipping individuals, organizations, and businesses to make wise choices. Marissa Nehlsen delivers results by connecting with people to share her practical ideas and techniques, helping them achieve their goals and transform their lives through coordinated tax plans, legal plans, and financial plans.

If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at [email protected].

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

In her role as head of culture and field experience at RBC Wealth Management U.S., Shareen Luze is responsible for making sure the firm’s 2,200 financial advisors feel supported and have a similar employee experience as those in the home office.

One particular area of focus, which has become more acute in the global pandemic, has been mental wellbeing. 

 But Shareen has had her own mental health challenges, having struggled with anxiety for years. She first realized she had the mental health disorder after the birth of her first child, a son. At the time, she wanted to make it look like she had everything together to the outside world. But on the inside, she was dealing with feelings of excessive worry, an inability to relax or sit still, and lack of sleep. She was diagnosed with postpartum anxiety.

 WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton speaks with

Shareen Luze, head of culture and field experience at RBC Wealth Management U.S., who opens up about her mental health and how these experiences have shaped her approach to employee well-being.

 Shareen discusses: 

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 About Our Guest:

 In her role as head of culture and field experience for RBC Wealth Management–U.S., Shareen Luze dedicates herself to ensuring the firm’s purpose-driven culture and strong values are at the core of every business decision. She has built a career around providing compassionate advice and counsel to employees, managers, and leaders.

If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at [email protected].

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

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:

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 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 [email protected].

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

Kimberly Sanders followed a typical path into financial services, gaining an undergrad in finance and working for a series of banks and brokerage firms. When she became pregnant, she made the decision to stay home for eight years to raise her kids. But when it was time to return to work, the path was not so smooth.

 For Anna Howard, her path into the industry was driven by a desire to earn validation from her father, also an executive in financial services. Later in her career, she realized the path she took and focused on building a more authentic and fulfilling life for herself. She and her husband recently went through a multi-year process to become foster parents, so now they’re managing four kids, two of which have special needs, while working full-time.

 In this episode, WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton explores the balance between work and home life with Anna Howard, head of Private Wealth at LPL Financial, and Kimberly Sanders, head of Strategic Wealth Services at LPL.

 They touch on:

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 About Our Guests:

 At LPL Financial, Anna Howard focuses on serving high-net-worth advisors and their clients, launching LPL Private Wealth Management to offer industry-leading benefits and enhanced service. Prior to LPL, she advanced her career at First Republic Bank and Wells Fargo Private Bank, where she developed innovative resources and grew assets under management.

 Kimberly Sanders, Senior Vice President, Advisor Solutions at LPL Financial, leads LPL Strategic Wealth Services, a modern supported independence solution that enables advisors and business owners to build and grow their firms according to their vision. In this role, Kimberly oversees a seasoned management team that enables advisors to optimize on LPL’s relationships, resources, and services to build equity in their brand and business so advisors can continue to thrive. Prior to LPL, Kimberly served RIA clients and prospects at Schwab Advisor Services, providing business consulting to support the custodian’s existing and potential clients. 

 If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at [email protected].

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

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: 

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Connect With Kristine McManus:

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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 [email protected].

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

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: 

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Connect With Cheryl Canzanella:

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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 [email protected].

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

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: 

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If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at [email protected].

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

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: 

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Connect With Michael Kitces:

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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 [email protected].

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

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: 

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Connect With Tina Powell:

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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 [email protected].

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

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:

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Connect With James Bogart:

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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 [email protected].

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