Today’s episode discusses freedom, the kind of freedom that you can only find when you’re able to share your voice and your story with the world. For this conversation, I am joined by financial advisor and the CEO and founder of Michelle AB, Michelle Arpin Begina.

What differentiates Michelle from other financial advisors is that she has spent the last two-plus decades studying the non-financial aspects of life satisfaction, financial therapy (it’s a thing) and decision advising. She sees real value in being a gateway, not a gatekeeper, to helping others achieve personal financial freedom.

As I’m sure you’ve noticed in this year’s episodes of The Big Talk, we’ve been digging into the importance of understanding backstories — for actors when developing a character, and also for speakers, authors and entrepreneurs. And Michelle’s backstory is a powerful one to uncover.

Michelle grew up in a family that had a tumultuous relationship with money. Her parents cycled through making and spending huge amounts of it, and this greatly impacted their relationships with each other and with their daughter. 

As a result, Michelle developed a deep curiosity about money and its hold over people from a young age. This quest for making sense of her family’s relationship with money ultimately led her to resolve to live differently and to help others as they too try to grapple with money and finding financial freedom.