How To Make Your Financial Business Work...For You

Have you ever wanted to get creative with your business, but didn’t know how to take the first step?

I recently interviewed Jessica Weaver, CFP®, CDFA™, CFS, for my Growing Your Financial Business. . . The Woman’s Way podcast, and I am always impressed by her creative business strategies. Jessica is a wealth advisor, best-selling author, and blogger who helps busy business women manage their money and live on their own terms. As the blogger behind Not Your Father’s Advisor, Jessica’s brand is all about creatively helping women succeed.

But Jessica didn’t start where she is now! Like me — and probably like you — she started by using the pre-approved materials provided by her firm. She was doing pretty well getting prospects to retirement seminars (though it cost a pretty penny), but she was struggling to convert them into clients. Plus, she wasn’t reaching her full potential as an advisor or influencer, by just following the traditional financial planning methods.

She told me, “I felt desperate. Not desperate for the money, but desperate to make a real change and impact.”

She wasn’t happy. It was affecting her relationships. She wanted change.

This was Jessica when I met her 4 years ago. She was hardworking and driven, so she was perfect for my FEMM — Female Empowered Money Makers — Mentorship program.

With a Little Help from a Mentor. . . & Community

“To be in a room of women,” Jessica said about FEMM, “who were just like me, understood me, and were ambitious and determined? It was just amazing! I realized there were other women, like me out there.”

With a little help and support, Jessica started to find her voice. She quickly realized she could form better relationships with her clients by ditching the pre-approved materials and sharing about her own journey. Money is a vulnerable subject, so Jessica opened up about her own vulnerabilities. Her clients could resonate with her story, and this built trust in their relationship.

“They could see the track that they were on, “ Jess said, “And where it was going to lead them, versus the track they would be on with me, which would get them there faster”

This was a great start toward making that impact she really wanted, but Jessica suddenly had another problem: not enough time in the day for all of these amazing clients.

The traditional financial planning industry doesn’t meet the needs of a busy working mom like Jessica. How could she continue to grow her business while also raising her kids? She needed to find the woman’s way to succeed.

A lightbulb went off. 

As Jessica benefited more and more from being part of a community of women advisors like her, she realized that a community for her clients would be just as valuable to them. 

Also, with Jessica’s busy schedule as a mom and business owner, it didn’t make sense to keep repeating the same information in one-on-one meetings all week, so she created larger group programs that would leverage her time while letting the women support each other and get even more value.

Her clients were inspired by each other’s success, thinking... “Well, if that woman did what Jess told her to do and made an extra $2000 a month, then I can do that, too!”

So not only did Jessica find a way that works best for her lifestyle, but she also created a community of women who help each other thrive. Seeing how well these group programs work, Jessica eventually started #pinkfix, a national holiday (on May 17th) for women to find financial support, and LIFT, a community of empowered women. (You can find out more in Jessica’s episode of The Woman’s Way podcast, or on her website.)

I am so proud of Jessica and her amazing growth as a woman and a wealth advisor, and I’m thankful that she trusted me and FEMM to advise her along the way.

“It happened all because of you and FEMM,” Jessica told me (My heart!). “It's just amazing. Nurturing, but also pushing and challenging us — that environment you've built is just amazing.”

Want More of Jessica Weaver?

If you want to hear Jessica’s take on the importance of personal messaging, expanding your business virtually, and so much more, head over to the latest episode of Growing Your Financial Business. . . The Woman’s Way on your favorite platform!

And before you go, tell us about a woman you’re proud of below!

Talk soon!