Ep #249: 3 Years Into a Career as a Financial Planner with Valerie Carpenter and Bryan Lee

Keith Wayne, Senior Financial Planner at Mercer Advisors, returns to the show to share how his career has progressed since he first joined us back in episode 97. If you're interested in advancing your career within a firm, developing specialized expertise, or understanding the realities of moving from analyst to senior planner, this episode is for you! Listen in as Keith shares how his role has evolved over the past three years from analyst to financial planner to senior financial planner, where he now builds financial plans in a centralized planning role. He also explains how he pursued additional technical specialties, including college and student loan planning, to deepen his expertise and expand the value he brings. You'll learn how long it took him to feel comfortable with the software, the challenges he’s faced, and his advice for navigating the learning curve. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/4nrWEEz

Today I’m joined by two guests from Strategic Financial Planning: Bryan Lee, the firm’s founder, and Valerie Carpenter, a financial planner on the team. They share their career journeys and key insights for anyone interested in launching and scaling a firm, growing as a new planner with the right mentorship, or picking up practical tips for entrepreneurial success. Listen in to hear how Bryan launched his own firm at just 27, grew it strategically, and focused on hiring and developing new planners. Valerie reflects on what inspired her to pursue the financial planning program, how she connected with Bryan, and why their professional partnership has been such a strong fit. You'll learn how Valerie has grown her confidence, Bryan’s perspective on sustaining and scaling a firm, and the lessons they both learned along the way. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3K9sozB

Jeanna Fifer is a partner and Kristin Baker is an associate financial planner with Cordis Financial, and they join the show today to talk about their distinct paths into financial planning. If you're interested in exploring career pivots, finding the right professional fit, or learning how collaboration can create long-term success in financial planning, this episode is for you! Listen in as Kristin reflects on her career in banking, corporate America, and her time as a stay-at-home mom before stepping into her current role. Jeanna explains how starting right after college and working at two RIAs positioned her to join Cordis, transition the firm from a broker-dealer to an RIA, become a partner, and eventually buy out the founding partner. Together, they discuss why Jeanna hired Kristin, why their collaboration has been such a strong fit, and what they’ve learned while growing in the profession. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://tinyurl.com/4np6rc9j 

Caroline Piehl is a partner at TimeWise Financial, and she joins the show today to share her non-traditional path to financial planning. If you're interested in navigating career pivots, building a family-founded firm into your own, or learning what it takes to merge and grow a business, this episode is for you! Listen in as Caroline shares how she went from pursuing her dream job at Nike in brand management to realizing it wasn’t the long-term path she wanted. She explains how she pivoted to join her father’s financial planning firm, starting from the ground up before becoming an advisor, then a partner—and eventually buying the firm. Caroline also opens up about merging her firm shortly after, as well as the challenges she’s faced along the way. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/46syJ1D

Today I'm joined by Kaitlyn Carlson, Founder of Theory Planning Partners, and Jordan Paul, Lead Advisor there. Kaitlyn and Jordan share insights on navigating career pivots and key lessons they learned on their journeys in the field. If you're interested in launching a firm and fostering a culture built for long-term success, you won’t want to miss this episode! Listen in as Kaitlyn and Jordan talk about how their distinct paths led them into financial planning, as well as the challenges that come with starting and scaling a firm. They also open up about rethinking career choices and finding the right fit in the profession. You'll learn how they’ve grown their firm together, built a strong culture, and created a quality control plan to support future growth. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/45T8hNk

Xander Larsen and Matt Pyron are associate advisors at 5280 Associates, and they join the show today to share how they transitioned from financial planning students to thriving professionals. If you're interested in learning how to make the most of mentorship, gain confidence through early career experiences, and add value as an associate advisor, this episode is for you! Listen in as Xander and Matt share how their journeys have paralleled each other, from the mentors who guided them to the skills they developed through school jobs and early career roles. You'll learn what made 5280 a great fit for both of them, the training and mentorship they’ve received, the value they’ve contributed, and the important lessons they learned along the way. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/45MJ1bm

Megan Madden is a financial advisor at the Bethesda Wealth Planning Group, and she joins the show today to share her career journey from wanting to go to beauty school to using her knowledge to empower women through financial planning. If you’re interested in hearing how she built a meaningful career in financial planning while staying true to her values, you won’t want to miss this conversation. Listen in as Megan shares why she initially resisted going to college, but ultimately found her way to a small program in financial planning that matched her passions—and led to an internship turned full-time role. You'll hear about the challenges of relocating to a new city, working with a new clientele, and finding her footing with a new firm. Megan also opens up about leaving behind the security of a salary, the risks and rewards of betting on herself, and what she’s learned from each transition. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/4miP6Dv

Andrea Eaton is a financial planner at Cornerstone Wealth Advisors, and she joins the show today to share how a guest lecture by a financial planning faculty member opened her eyes to a new career path. If you're interested in building a long-term career with one firm, finding the right cultural fit, or learning how to develop and mentor new planners, this episode is for you! Listen in as Andrea shares her journey from the financial planning program at Texas Tech University to her current firm, where she started as an intern and has now been for over 20 years. She discusses how she landed her internship, the alignment of timing, values, and culture, and how her role has evolved alongside her career growth. Andrea also explains how her firm’s resident program supports both client needs and the training of entry-level planners, as well as why she’s stayed with the same firm throughout her career. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/4meuVGS

Dustin Cidorowich is an Associate Financial Planner at R.W. Rogé & Company and he joins the show today to share his journey from corporate America to an entry-level financial planner position. If you're interested in making a career change into financial planning, understanding the realities of entry-level roles, or learning how to grow and thrive in a firm, this episode is for you! Listen in as Dustin shares how he made the leap from corporate America to a financial planning role - navigating a significant pay cut to pursue a more fulfilling career. He talks about how his responsibilities have expanded, the steepest learning curves he's faced, and how he brings value to his firm. Stay tuned to hear what he finds most enjoyable about the job and his advice for aspiring financial planners. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/46y1Zo9

Samuel Kim is a Senior Client Services Associate at Questar Capital Partners and he joins the show today to share his path from pastor to financial planner. If you're interested in pursuing a non-traditional route into financial planning, balancing dual careers, or learning how to grow within a small firm, this episode is for you! Listen in as Samuel shares how a career assessment sparked his interest in financial planning and why he chose a bi-vocational path to balance two careers. He discusses how networking helped him land his first role at a small firm, where he added value, grew his responsibilities, and sharpened his planning skills. Stay tuned to hear how he navigated an unexpected job transition and what he learned in the process. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://bit.ly/40yH9Bo