[00:00] Tara Bansal: Welcome to her life, her practice, her way. A podcast for and about female Financial advisors. Tara I’m Tara Conti Bansal and I’ve been a financial planner and life coach for over 20 years.

[00:32] I want this show to share other women financial advisors journeys, struggles and triumphs. I want to highlight the unique and similar ways to enjoying our life and our practice on our own terms.

[00:46] I hope to build a community of like minded, deeply caring and exceptional female advisors who want to help our clients and ourselves live a life that we love. One that is filled with love, learning, connection, meaning and joy.

[01:04] Hello, this is Tara Conti Bansal and I am thrilled to have Liz Hand here with me today.

[01:14] She is a certified financial planner with pleasant wealth in Canton, Ohio and I met her and have worked with her through Steph Bogan’s Limitless Advisor program and she graciously accepted to come and talk to us on this podcast.

[01:35] So welcome.

[01:36] Liz Hand : Thanks Tara. I’m delighted to be here.

[01:39] Tara Bansal: Thank you Liz.

[01:41] I always want to start because my curiosity whenever I meet people is in Brene Brown fashion. Like what’s your story? Even like little Liz, where you grew up, your family, how you know, how did you get to be where you are right now?

[02:01] Liz Hand : Well, I grew. I was born in Iowa and my family comes from a Mennonite Amish heritage. So there was a Mennonite Amish community there. My parents decided to move to Kentucky for my dad to pursue additional education in midlife.

[02:20] And so he got his Juris doctorate by age 43. And when he was figuring out what he wanted to do, how he wanted to apply that degree, he decided to become a financial advisor in Ohio, which is where he is originally from all of his family base.

[02:35] So there’s a Mennonite Amish community there. And that’s where we moved when I was about,

[02:41] I think I was about 12.

[02:43] And so then I got to Ohio. Yeah, okay. And I got to see the struggle and the flourish that ended up coming from his practice, you know, through my teens.

[02:55] Because those early years, as you’ve heard the stories from advisors, it’s a lot of just scrappy trying to figure out who will, who you can get in front of and who will say yes.

[03:05] And he was very successful in building a practice in the Amish community because of how he was niched, naturally. And then also he, he spoke the language and so the referrals that came from that were just all over the place.

[03:19] So I stepped into his practice.

[03:23] Tara Bansal: Right.

[03:23] Liz Hand : After I finished college knowing that that was where I was heading since eighth Grade.

[03:30] Tara Bansal: And how did you know in eighth grade? Just, like, seeing it or experiencing it.

[03:35] Liz Hand : Yeah, he invited me into the practice for a summer just to do some filing, some shredding, some organizational type things, and. But he let me sit in on one meeting. And being a person of great heart, what I noticed in that meeting was just the way that you were able to really get to know a family,

[03:56] and it happened to be a family that we were close to. Like, they were family friends.

[04:01] And so I knew them, I knew their kids, I was friends with them. And so to hear the way that money was talked about and how it wove in and out of the.

[04:10] The plans that they had for their children that were my friends that I cared about,

[04:14] it just. It resonated so much for me. And I thought, yes, I could do this. And then I had different people in my dad’s firm that were saying, we need women in this.

[04:23] This industry. You should consider it. And I bought it, like, hook, line, sinker. And I was like, yep, this is what I’m doing, and started charting the path towards it.

[04:32] Um, and where did you go to school?

[04:35] I went to Mount Vernon Nazarene University, which is in Ohio,

[04:41] kind of local, localized. Studied financial management. Not the.

[04:45] They did not have a CFP course at that. At that point.

[04:48] Tara Bansal: But I’m jealous that you knew from such an early age that this was what you wanted to do. But.

[04:54] Liz Hand : Well, it’s always. It’s. It is interesting. I think, being a woman,

[04:59] we’re. We’re kind of culturally trained to take care of the people around us. And I think there was something in that moment that I still haven’t fully pulled apart, honestly.

[05:11] My dad just retired last week.

[05:13] Tara Bansal: Oh, my goodness.

[05:14] Liz Hand : So, like, the whole. Oh, that just hit me with emotion. But the whole trajectory of stepping into his practice,

[05:22] becoming a manager of his practice, buying his practice, and now having him retire, it does have me reflecting back to that time and wondering, like, how much of that was for me and how much of that was this cultural ingrained piece of I have to take care of the people around me if they need me or if they suggest that they might need me.

[05:45] And I think it’s. It’s.

[05:47] What I’ve. What I’ve learned in the last couple of years is, yes, that’s part of it, but also I think there’s part of my soul that really needed to be in money and learning about it because I get so much satisfaction from the conversations in money.

[06:04] So I think. I think there are two parts there, but I don’t discredit the fact that women are often culturally trained to take care of all the people around them.

[06:15] Tara Bansal: Definitely. I will not argue that. And that’s part of why I want this podcast to focus on women, because I feel like we are, I think, uniquely and better inherently of doing financial advising because we.

[06:35] I don’t know, we communicate differently. I think we think differently. And as you’re saying, like, we’re caretakers for those around us.

[06:43] Liz Hand : Yeah.

[06:44] Tara Bansal: So do you have brothers and sisters and.

[06:48] Liz Hand : I do, Yeah. I. I’m number three of four.

[06:53] Tara Bansal: Okay.

[06:54] Liz Hand : And my oldest brother, Clinton, and I own Pleasant Loft together. And my other two siblings, Rachel and Logan, have other careers, but. Yeah.

[07:05] Tara Bansal: Are they local, too?

[07:07] Liz Hand : They are. Three of three of us are local and one. One is in another state.

[07:13] Tara Bansal: Okay. And I saw you went to graduate school in Montana.

[07:20] Liz Hand : Yes, I did.

[07:22] Tara Bansal: Drew you there. And how did that happen?

[07:26] Liz Hand : Well, so when I had been in the practice for a year or two, I knew I wanted to get this certified financial planner designation. And looking at the options, I’m someone who’s like, if it’s efficient, I’m going to get more than one thing at one time.

[07:39] Maybe you’re similar to that. So I was like, oh, I can get a master’s degree and the cfp. I’m definitely doing that. And when I looked at the master’s degree options, there was an online option at the time.

[07:50] I don’t even know if it still exists, but it was called the Great Plains Idea,

[07:55] and it was a cohort of several Great Plains universities collaborating together, so they didn’t have to create their own program. Probably that was the. The seedlings or the starts of each of them having their own individual program.

[08:09] But it was all online. And I just chose which. Which of the universities I wanted to have my degree from, and I chose Montana State University because I wanted to visit it.

[08:18] Tara Bansal: So. So you did then go visit it, but you weren’t there as a resident during that time?

[08:24] Liz Hand : Yeah, I. I had hoped to, you know, walk across the stage to get my master’s degree, but I was pregnant at that point and do, like, within days of the.

[08:35] Tara Bansal: So it did not happen?

[08:37] Liz Hand : Well, I didn’t. I didn’t get my degree, like, at the school, but I gave my final presentation earlier in the year. Um, and then my husband and I did a traveling loop in Montana and Utah.

[08:49] No, Montana and Idaho. And anyway, a couple of the different camping areas.

[08:56] Tara Bansal: Very nice. How did you meet your husband?

[08:59] Liz Hand : At school. He was a senior. I was a freshman. And it. This was in college at Mount Vernon Yazarine University, he was the student body chaplain. And so I got to hear him give sermons, essentially, and just really resonated with who he was as a person.

[09:16] Very humble, but well spoken.

[09:19] I liked the way he thought, so very nice.

[09:22] Tara Bansal: It’s great.

[09:23] Liz Hand : Yeah.

[09:23] Tara Bansal: Did you ask him out or he asked you?

[09:26] Liz Hand : We.

[09:28] That’s funny. We went. There was. At the very end of his senior year, there was a peaceful demonstration in Washington, D.C. just highlighting children who were displaced in very temporary campgrounds.

[09:48] And we both went because we had friends that were very into this demonstration. And so I went as just like, oh, yeah, I’ll go along with you.

[09:56] Tara Bansal: Support.

[09:57] Liz Hand : And they liked each other, and so they were, like, flirting with each other the whole time. And we ended up sleeping on the White House lawn. Not the White House lawn, but it’s the Washington Monument, the lawn of that.

[10:11] We all had cardboard boxes, and we shared a cardboard mat together, the four of us,

[10:18] and just really, like, connecting there. And then stayed connected on Facebook after he graduated. And the rest is history, as they say.

[10:31] Tara Bansal: How. How many children do you. You have two boys, I saw.

[10:34] Liz Hand : Yeah, I do.

[10:35] Tara Bansal: And Brennan. And how old are they?

[10:38] Liz Hand : They are now 10 and 8.

[10:40] Tara Bansal: Oh, we’ve been pretty close to me. Yeah.

[10:42] Liz Hand : Yeah, yeah. We’ve been foster parents, too, and.

[10:45] Tara Bansal: Wow.

[10:46] Liz Hand : No longer have that license, but we’ve had two daughters in our home as well through that program.

[10:52] But their kids are such a delight, and it’s fun to see them.

[10:56] I don’t know. I think with my. With my school history specifically, um, I got sick when I was a really young child when we were in Lexington and was out of school for about a year in those foundational years of, like, first grade.

[11:13] Tara Bansal: What grade?

[11:14] Liz Hand : First grade. Yeah.

[11:16] And so as they have come through that time of their life, I’ve recognized just how much of the learning process was kind of taken from me because I had very physical things that I needed to sort out,

[11:32] which is interesting. Like playing into being a female advisor when you have something like that in your history where you could not focus on the joy of learning and you’re really just kind of scraping by on the learning side to.

[11:47] And then end up. You get. You get better physically, and you jump back into school and then you just feel like you’re behind the dis. I have a significant discrediting of my aptitude.

[12:01] My.

[12:03] Like it. I.

[12:04] Tara Bansal: And you think it comes back to that?

[12:07] Liz Hand : Yeah. Oh, 100%. I am always questioning my math. I am not solid in my math. And to. To choose to go into financial planning where, you know, there is math involved.

[12:16] And you know, people expect you to be really good at math whether or not you use it to the extent that they have in their imagination. Um, I think that has played into like when we talk about imposter syndrome.

[12:28] That’s like one of the biggest voices for me of like, you don’t really know math anyway. How dare you be in this industry. And yeah, so that’s a little token of my history.

[12:40] Tara Bansal: Well, thank you for sharing that and calling that out. I mean, first grade to me.

[12:46] I mean, you know, with life coaching work, like so many of our beliefs are created, you know, around under the age of seven, you know, and I feel like that’s during that time.

[12:59] Liz Hand : Yeah. A hundred percent, huh? Yeah. So I’m continuing to sort that out and I think that has played tricks on my mind at times where I’m.

[13:12] Women need to stay in this industry. I think women get into the industry and then decide to like, this isn’t for me. It’s too cutthroat or um, there’s something that I just don’t fit in.

[13:22] And yes, because we haven’t created space for women to be in this industry. Um, and that is one place where I frequently find that I go to of like, maybe I just shouldn’t be here because I, my brain doesn’t follow the same paths that a super dialed in logical financial planner might take.

[13:45] But. But on the same token, I have to keep reminding myself I also have this very creative brain because of that. Because I didn’t follow the path of the traditional school process.

[13:55] I have a lot of creativity that’s been generated from that and that’s the kind of fun part of my job that I’m seeing start to unfurl.

[14:04] Tara Bansal: Yeah. Well, I personally, I feel like that’s what not being the numbers based logic math type makes you a better financial advisor because you,

[14:20] yeah. You had that creativity and bring that curiosity and look at it in a much different way because it’s not all about the numbers. It’s what, what’s the money for?

[14:31] And,

[14:32] and part of what I want with this podcast is to highlight exactly what you’re saying. That I want women to know they don’t have to follow the mold and actually help them find their unique path to flourishing or thriving in this business that I don’t know, I just think the mold is so presented and women,

[15:01] I don’t necessarily feel like fit the standard financial advisor role.

[15:07] Liz Hand : Sure. People and, and naturally. So like no disrespect to our male counterparts. But the financial services industry was born and developed and fine tuned and honed with men as the, in the career men having the financial conversation.

[15:27] And so naturally, yes, they’re going to follow more masculine paths of what the role fits. And so as women are in the industry and breaking the mold, of course, because we have more women that are needing to talk about money and need a different approach because the masculine way doesn’t necessarily jive for them and it doesn’t meet the needs that they have.

[15:49] Tara Bansal: And the traditional family of the man being the breadwinner no longer applies.

[15:57] Liz Hand : Right. Yeah, it doesn’t apply in my family.

[15:59] Tara Bansal: Yeah.

[16:00] Liz Hand : Yeah. My husband is now part time at home with our children and part time pastor. Um, and we afford that because I am all in with my career.

[16:11] Tara Bansal: Yeah.

[16:11] Liz Hand : And it’s super helpful because like the kids were sick this week and the school called off because of cold and having someone at home to be able to, to facilitate that is, I, I do not take that for granted.

[16:25] Tara Bansal: No. Because often it’s, it is the woman who like,

[16:30] has to juggle that and change their schedule or be able to handle it. And not everybody has that flexibility easily. So. Yeah.

[16:40] Liz Hand : And to that point also, I think there is innovation in childcare because men are stepping more into that childcare role. Like just the, the funny example that I love is when I’m scrolling through like TikTok or Facebook or whatever, and you see those videos of a guy using like a shop vac to put his daughter’s hair in a,

[17:02] in a ponytail, I’m like, that’s innovation.

[17:04] Tara Bansal: I would never do that.

[17:06] Liz Hand : Still probably won’t do it. But hey, it works.

[17:09] Tara Bansal: Yeah. That shows the difference of like, how different people’s brain, you know, works. But whatever gets the job done. And that’s wonderful.

[17:20] Why do you do what you do?

[17:24] Liz Hand : Why do I do what I do? What part of what I do?

[17:26] Tara Bansal: You tell me.

[17:32] Liz Hand : So my life is multifaceted and there’s parts of me that are still emerging that I’m giving space for and really having to redefine who I am,

[17:47] what I do with my time, and how I show up in the world.

[17:52] So we’ve got this family financial planning practice and I recognized in 2018 this, this concept that I’ve already shared of like, wait, did I, did I join this practice for me or did I join it for my dad?

[18:06] So therefore, should I stay or should I go and toyed with, you know, breaking off, taking, buying just a subset of the clients and creating my own Thing that didn’t pan out.

[18:18] And so in the past you thought about it? Oh, I definitely thought about it.

[18:24] Decided to continue and purchase the full practice from my dad with my brother. And in that process received coaching and. And really started to like. The way that I picture it is like layers of dirt.

[18:41] And dirt not meaning a bad thing. Like it just is some of it’s fertile soil, some of it’s not.

[18:48] And really just like scraping layers of dirt to really find where Liz is in life and what it is that really matters to. To me so that I can fully emerge.

[19:02] And there are layers of this business that don’t land for me or that take a lot more energy and effort. So for example, this like sitting down and crunching the numbers, as I’ve said, with my history, I’ve got a lot of doubt that clouds the picture and that ends up making,

[19:22] giving, draining me essentially.

[19:24] I don’t have a lot of doubt in any of the relationships that we hold.

[19:30] I think a unique thing to me is this, like I’ve done strengths finder before. Winning others over is my second highest strength.

[19:37] Tara Bansal: Wow.

[19:38] Liz Hand : So like the idea of having a new client relationship come in or us buying a practice, I have really high confidence that I can maintain that person as a client.

[19:51] That’s a unique skill set that’s really helpful for growing financial planning businesses.

[19:57] And so when I really look at my energy for those two areas and I say, and I set my ego aside of like, what will people think if I’m not the one crunching the numbers,

[20:10] then I can delegate that part to someone who feels really comfortable in that, that’s my brother at this point and hopefully enjoys that and enjoys it and can, you know, get lost in time with it and do it much more efficiently without the cloud of doubt and I get to focus in on the relationships,

[20:29] then my confidence level is a lot higher in the practice and I also gain time back because if I am, if I have really high confidence that I’m able to meet a client where they are, whatever shows up, anger, sadness, drastic life event buying, buying a book of business.

[20:49] And this is my first introduction. Like, I have really high confidence in that I spend almost no time worrying about it. So that time of worry I have recaptured for myself and that energy and the energy, yes, a hundred percent.

[21:02] And I’ve been able to tap into that creative power that I have. So I’m a big innovator. And with our firm,

[21:12] we have now taken.

[21:14] I’m also a certified coach, which I haven’t mentioned yet. So I love the coaching process. I love the ability of having someone fully see who they are currently who they’re being and how they can shift out of it without a lot of effort.

[21:31] It doesn’t take a ton of willpower and work.

[21:34] Tara Bansal: Yeah effort.

[21:36] Liz Hand : It’s actually just release. It’s just constantly releasing pieces of that.

[21:41] Tara Bansal: Are getting in your way and the shoulds or like I view it as like when you’re aligned, like almost. It feels like a miracle. Yeah, I feel like miracles then start happening too.

[21:54] Liz Hand : Yes, I agree.

[21:56] Tara Bansal: Yeah.

[21:57] Liz Hand : Yeah. So if I can be in that zone with people, that’s a lot of fun for me. And so I have a side coaching practice where I coach financial advisors on their mindset and help them feel, get that relief, get that miracle I idea.

[22:12] And then I’ve taken that same skill set and I’ve baked it into Pleasant Wealth. And I’m currently taking my creative power and creating a group coaching program inside Pleasant Wealth.

[22:23] And then that way we can meet clients in a one to many approach and have that transformational conversation, that power behind that that really stirs up what it is that they want, who they are truly and how they can take money and, and express themselves.

[22:44] And that’s just really exciting. That would not happen.

[22:47] That would not happen without me knowing and acknowledging and finding a solution for the fact that there’s a cloud of doubt when I’m crunching the numbers.

[23:00] Tara Bansal: Have you started the group coaching at Pleasant wealth yet?

[23:04] Liz Hand : Yes.

[23:05] Tara Bansal: And how is that going? I love to hear whatever you’re willing to share on how you have set that up. And.

[23:14] Liz Hand : So it keeps evolving.

[23:16] Year one, we did a rotating, it’s once a month for about an hour and a half at a specific time and we record it. So right now, candidly, we’ve had like five people show up and we have a big client base and you, you.

[23:31] Tara Bansal: Offer it to everyone, to everybody.

[23:34] Liz Hand : We’ve got about 500 households.

[23:37] And so the piece with that that I’ve noticed is,

[23:44] you know, there’s layers of our business.

[23:47] There’s the investment layer, there’s the financial planning layer, there’s the coaching layer.

[23:53] And so the first year we separate out each of those and I noticed that people were more engaged with the investment layer and the financial planning layer was a little bit less, but they’re still more engaged there.

[24:05] The coaching layer, people are kind of intimidated by cause they don’t really know what it is.

[24:09] Tara Bansal: Yeah, I agree with that.

[24:11] Liz Hand : And that’s okay.

[24:12] They didn’t sign up for a coaching program. They signed up for financial planning or investment management.

[24:19] And so this year what we’re doing is actually just layering them all together, kind of like segments of a, of a news show,

[24:27] for lack of a better word. And with that just,

[24:32] I’m generating a, like a calendar of how people can reassociate themselves with what’s happening around them versus their work.

[24:42] So we focus on retirees and that life transition of going from my working years to my retired years, it’s very overwhelming, very like a revolving door. And that’s only from the perspective of like I am tailoring what my expectations of this year to my work or to a school schedule,

[25:02] whatever.

[25:04] And so it’s, it’s re centering them on nature in Ohio, which is seasonally, like we’ve got all four seasons and what’s happening there and then using what’s happening in nature to guide the conversation.

[25:18] So for example, for March, the theme will be clearing out.

[25:22] And in March you tend to go to your. Yep. You spring clean. You also can go to your garden and clean out all of the like overgrowth that’s dead now and you’re getting ready for the new season, but it’s not yet come.

[25:36] So those types of themes that they can connect with and have like a deeper experience with life.

[25:43] Tara Bansal: I love that. I think that is just phenomenal. And I’m similar to you with I don’t love.

[25:52] I. Well,

[25:54] I was comfortable with numbers. I was a chemical engineer.

[26:00] Yet I do not enjoy the actual numbers part of financial planning. And I want to delegate that off because I’m like you. I love the relationship part. I love the coaching part.

[26:15] And I’ve been wondering how to like bring more coaching in. Like, of course you do in some ways just with the questions and being present and different,

[26:27] but more like direct,

[26:31] empowering coaching with the clients. Because I agree with you, most people, you say coaching and they like.

[26:38] I don’t know, I don’t even like the term because I think people shut down, they don’t know what it is and they are intimidated by it.

[26:46] Liz Hand : Yeah,

[26:48] yeah. For our exciting. Yeah. The other piece is that for our top tier clients, the engagement that I have with them is a coaching engagement. So they get two hours with me a year.

[27:02] That’s just like a coaching conversation. And we’re, we’re putting that right before our surge review so that they have this like poignant purpose related conversation before. Right before. And then if I’m picking up anything that’s like, oh, you could do, you could look at this strategy by the way maybe we’ll need to do a cash flow plan for this component of like,

[27:26] I see it all and I can, I can do it, I can get into it eventually, but I can completely avoid the cloud of doubt if I pass it off to Clinton and then he just engages with it.

[27:35] So, um, and then he comes into that meeting feeling like, okay, I’ve got all the context. I can just go right into the numbers component. So,

[27:44] yeah, we’ll see how it continues to unfold.

[27:47] Tara Bansal: That, yeah, is very exciting. Going back. Why do you do this? What’s your why?

[27:56] Liz Hand : What’s my why? That is the hardest question.

[28:03] Tara Bansal: Oh really?

[28:06] Liz Hand : Well, I think there are layers to it and I think the true why for people continues to unfold. And oftentimes we will quickly answer that question because.

[28:19] Because it’s a. It’s an uncomfortable question.

[28:22] So like, I can say on the surface level, I did this for my family. I do this,

[28:27] you know, and we can point to different family members and why I do it for them. But when I do it for me,

[28:33] the like, deep, deep, wise,

[28:39] I think it gives me access to creativity and connection at this human level that I don’t. You don’t necessarily have a permission slip to have out there in society just doing whatever.

[28:54] There are certain professions that you get the permission slip. And money is such a potent,

[29:01] electric,

[29:03] energetic thing.

[29:05] I love talking about it and the way people relate to it. And so just to combine that creativity, connection and then money and like, what is money? It’s so mysterious.

[29:16] That’s. That’s very empowering for me.

[29:20] Tara Bansal: I love that.

[29:22] And I also love how you.

[29:26] I feel like even hearing you talk, the why incorporates and gets to very personal, like, what are your strengths and your gifts to share with the world and uncovering that and utilizing that so it feels good for you and for other people.

[29:46] Right? It’s a two way.

[29:49] Liz Hand : Well, yeah. And back to being a woman in the world, we’re often looking through the lens of other people. So I can see.

[29:57] I can see the why for my parents, why I do what I do for my parents and how I’ve supported them with their financial stability, their retirement plan, all of that.

[30:09] I can see the why for my brother and I, I can see the why for my fam. Like my chosen family, my husband and my kids, and the sustainability that we need.

[30:18] But when it really comes to my choice of time and yeah, I. What am I trying to say?

[30:31] I don’t think I’ve even seen fully the capability of Liz Hand in the world and I keep getting glimpses at her, at me, and it’s exciting. The more that I’m, like, peeling off those layers of dirt and, like, oh, there she is.

[30:48] Oh, my goodness. Oh, wow. Huh. Interesting.

[30:53] And the more I get glimpses of who I am and what’s really motivating for me, not the willpower, motivation, but, like, the inherent curiosity.

[31:03] Natural, vivacious. Yeah. Like,

[31:07] unlimited energy.

[31:09] Then I’m like, oh, okay, interesting. But I don’t know that I fully can articulate it yet, because I’m still. I mean, that’s probably the process of life.

[31:16] Tara Bansal: Yeah, right. Like, that. That I agree. Like, we’re not ever hopefully, stagnant and done right. Like, it’s always new discoveries and growth and.

[31:28] Liz : Yeah.

[31:30] Tara Bansal: That’s exciting, though. What do you. I feel like we kind of touched on this. But what do you like least about being a financial advisor?

[31:43] Liz Hand : My least favorite thing is the stereotype that I’m put in and just engaging with that in the world.

[31:53] On one hand, I get to be playful with it and break down somebody’s perception of who I should be. But I noticed that because of this role, um, and because I’ve trained people, let’s be real, like, it’s.

[32:06] I’m not a victim to this. I also created it. But when I show up in groups, people are like,

[32:13] financial planner. That’s a responsible person. Hey, do you want to be our treasurer? Hey, can you plan this thing? And, yes, I’m very skilled at that. And also,

[32:23] being the person that’s always relied upon is tiring. It really is.

[32:29] Tara Bansal: It is.

[32:30] Liz Hand : And sometimes I just want my friends to be like, oh, I can do this on my own. I should plan this thing. I don’t need, you know, Liz to take over.

[32:39] But it’s not that it’s widespread where people are all relying on me. But that is a pattern that I. Once I started seeing it, I saw it everywhere. And so how would you articulate that.

[32:52] Tara Bansal: That stereotype?

[32:56] Liz Hand : When I think because people are so disengaged with their money,

[33:02] like, haven’t been trained by their parents to think about money.

[33:07] And so when they see someone who has the perception is that person has it all together, and the industry reinforces that by the way that we are called to dress, to speak, to show up in society.

[33:19] And really, the way that you’re building trust to do the work that you’re doing, you need to do,

[33:26] there’s also this. Just this layer of expectation that comes with it. That’s how I would describe it. I think if people were more would realize that money isn’t as complicated as they believe it to be.

[33:38] And they actually showed up for themselves with their money. They would not hold us on such a pedestal.

[33:47] Tara Bansal: Fascinating. I do think our industry makes. I don’t money seem more complicated and difficult than it really is? I mean, I,

[34:01] I, I don’t. I always wonder,

[34:06] is there like this evil, you know, reason behind it, or is it just like that’s what’s kind of happened?

[34:13] Because it doesn’t need to be complicated at all.

[34:17] Liz Hand : Mm.

[34:18] I wrote a poem many years ago and it’s, it continues to sit with me with this idea that money is not competition.

[34:30] And when you hold it as competition, you get to the place where, like, this is too complicated for you, or I’m better than you, or there’s it’s, it’s a scarcity mindset.

[34:41] When you remove that air of competition,

[34:46] then you also remove the complexity.

[34:50] Tara Bansal: Yeah.

[34:52] I just read serviceberry. I don’t know if you know, I’m trying to think of the author’s name, but it is exactly that. On changing our economics from scarcity and competition to one of sharing and gratitude.

[35:12] And she is indigenous and how in the, you know, the indigenous people, it was all about, you don’t take more than your fair share and you always leave enough for Mother Nature to continue to grow and how we should do that with each other more.

[35:36] Right. And it’s this short little book. I will put it in the show notes. But I agree with you on.

[35:45] And she talks about the simplicity of that. If you just, you know, if we tried to view things differently in around money and economics.

[35:57] It was very, very. I thought it was a worthwhile read, especially as a financial advisor.

[36:04] More of that.

[36:06] Liz Hand : Yeah. How did it shift what you do or who you be?

[36:11] Tara Bansal: I think it brings an awareness of the.

[36:16] For me, an antenna looking for and noticing the scarcity and the competition. Just like culturally keeping up with the Joneses,

[36:26] but also bigger picture of the way even our government is structured and our communities are structured. How can we try to shift that?

[36:40] And it’s a conversation. I would love to start having more with my clients because I think it’s bringing meaning and connection to the outer world in a more beneficial way.

[36:56] Liz Hand : Yeah.

[36:57] Tara Bansal: That was beautiful. Yeah. What do you love to do?

[37:04] Liz Hand : I love to create. So that can come in a lot of different forms. I. I’m a pianist.

[37:12] Tara Bansal: Wow.

[37:13] Liz Hand : I’m a painter. I’m. I love collages.

[37:17] Tara Bansal: Yeah. I’ve seen on your blog, like almost all.

[37:20] Liz Hand : Yeah.

[37:21] Tara Bansal: Your posts have a painting that Go with them. That I thought was really neat.

[37:25] Liz Hand : Yeah. I love contemplative painting. So. So I am not, like, a painter that goes. And I see something, and I want to paint this tree that’s outside my window. But it’s part of connecting my thoughts on paper.

[37:43] Like, it could be a form of journaling, I guess, for people where I will sit down and it’s a prayer flag is what we call it. And just, like, I’m thinking about a specific concept,

[37:56] and I’m painting the colors that come to me, and it’s not thought out. It, like, kind of comes together in the painting, and I love that. I think that’s what I love about creativity, is when you begin into the process, you have a concept, and it changes over time with the contributions of whatever is present in the room or whoever’s present in the room.

[38:17] And then you have something brand new that it’s just fun to put out in the world.

[38:22] Tara Bansal: Yeah. You seem very in touch with your right side of your brain, and that is super neat. What. What are your biggest challenges in your life right now?

[38:40] Liz Hand : So this year has been a year of transition where I have charted the path of carving out space for my role as lead coach and vision partner in our firm at Pleasant Wealth.

[38:54] At Pleasant Wealth. And so that means I’m the coach to clients. I’m the business development person, marketing, and then strategic planning for the firm. And it’s interesting to me the way that you see something clearly for yourself, like, this is what I want.

[39:11] This is what I want. And then when you go to make that transition, you’re shedding parts of you that feel very uncomfortable to shed.

[39:19] So my client base, I am not the lead financial planner for anymore. And that’s been an identity that I’ve held for 15 years. That has been quite a reckoning for me here in January and February of just kind of like.

[39:33] Actually, it’s dated back to March of last year. It’s like I’m in a canoe leaving shore of like, oh, yeah, you’re. This is. This is an identity that I’m no longer associating with.

[39:46] And I’m paddling.

[39:48] And now I’ve gotten to the point where I can’t see what the shore, but I can’t fully see the where I’m going either.

[39:55] Tara Bansal: Yeah.

[39:56] Liz Hand : And I think in January this year, I started to see the edge of the shore, but I wasn’t sure fully how to step on the land.

[40:04] And it’s. It’s re.

[40:06] Reunderstanding my schedule. It’s like Very practical things. Re understanding my schedule, re understanding what’s most important with my time. So if client meetings are not the most important thing that I’m doing, then how am I using my time?

[40:20] And yeah, it’s just like a reassociation with how I am on the team, how I show up as leader, how I show up with clients, what my expectation is, my schedule.

[40:27] And that reorientation process has been challenging.

[40:33] Tara Bansal: Do you have a coach?

[40:34] Liz Hand : Oh, yes. That helps you with that? Okay.

[40:37] I’m a well coached woman. I’ve got a spiritual director and a mindset coach. I do breath work. There’s just lots of support that I get in that process. And I’m still in limitless, you know, scoping out those pieces.

[40:50] Tara Bansal: Very nice. And I love that. I mean, I think that’s beneficial and everyone should have a coach if they can make that investment in themselves.

[41:02] Liz Hand : I think it’s imperative, honestly,

[41:04] like thinking about even just this year, there’s so much disrupt happening in society and that figuring out what’s happening, the chaos that is created from that, whether or not you agree with it, like just like me stepping into a new role that I created for myself, there is still chaos there that I have to sort through and uncertainty that I’m generating for myself.

[41:29] But it, it doesn’t feel great because I’m in the messy middle and our society is in a messy middle right now. And I think what happens is some of those deepest fears do come out in the money meetings because it ties so closely to us.

[41:44] Like what’s going to happen in the economy with my money. And so they will be spilling stuff that’s very difficult for an advisor to hold space for if they don’t have their own coach, counselor,

[41:57] spiritual director,

[41:59] way of processing it somewhere else.

[42:02] I think for mental health, for advisors this year, it is imperative.

[42:06] Tara Bansal: Yeah.

[42:08] How are you figuring out these big changes?

[42:13] Which ones from you know, seeing the new,

[42:18] the new land and figuring out how to step onto that. I assume around being the lead coach and the role at work. If that’s what you’re. I assume that’s what you’re referring to.

[42:29] Liz Hand : Yes. Um, so one,

[42:32] this is the first time I’ve ever had like a checklist of what I need to do in a day. I know that sounds crazy because you know, we work off those checklists, but I, I think when you different people work differently.

[42:45] Tara Bansal: So.

[42:45] Liz Hand : Yes. And the creative brain likes like, likes to bounce and when you’re taking over a firm and there’s lots of different areas of the practice and for our firm, there wasn’t, there wasn’t a ton of business structure already in place.

[42:58] So I wasn’t like grabbing onto something and just learning it. I was creating, learning it, creating new, setting a standard. And so the way that my brain was bouncing so much, it was like, you just gotta put out the next fire.

[43:12] And so for this year, having a checklist of this is it, this is, this is all I need to do. This is, this gets all of the high level, most important things for each of my roles today.

[43:24] And then so I think your question was like, how am I coping with it? Or how am I?

[43:29] Tara Bansal: Yeah, how are you figuring it out?

[43:31] Liz Hand : And I have to keep reminding myself, I get to the end of the week and I’m like,

[43:35] this is not as hard as you as you think it is because there’s not as much noise, there’s not as much chaos in the firm.

[43:43] We have managed it, we have brought it to a level of systematization. So if I can just show up for these tasks, that’s simple,

[43:50] that’s something.

[43:52] Tara Bansal: I love the image on your website of the clarity, confidence, ease within the middle, Expand joy.

[44:01] And just hearing you talk about that like, you know, decisions are easy when you’re clear on what you want. And that’s hearing you talk about that, that’s what I’m hear.

[44:13] Would you agree with that?

[44:15] Liz Hand : I would, I would say like for clients, their money feels good.

[44:20] It actually feels good when they have absolute clarity. When you do, when you have partial clarity and you’re making money decisions they might like half satisfy but not fully satisfy or you might doubt it later.

[44:32] So spending a little bit more time getting the clarity,

[44:35] building the confidence of the plan around it and then the ease of the way that we manage investments, all with the purpose of expanding joy. Joy is the most important component or satisfaction if, if joy is too confronting for you.

[44:48] Tara Bansal: Yeah. How much do you work every week?

[44:53] Liz Hand : So I.

[44:56] For Pleasant wealth.

[44:58] Okay. It’s kind of amorphous. I’ve got two businesses. I’ve got Pleasant wealth and I’ve got Liz Hand coaching. And both of those I fit within a 40 hour work week.

[45:06] Tara Bansal: Okay. And you’re good about those boundaries?

[45:10]: I’m pretty good. I have noticed that in the last two months I have been going into doing work on Friday night and Saturday morning. And I think I pinpointed that. That is that feeling of transition and not knowing what I’m doing.

[45:25] And so I made too much out of my week and I didn’t get the right things finished and then I’m wanting to close it out,

[45:32] but when I remind myself that this is simple, I don’t have to. There’s nothing on fire. I can just follow this list.

[45:40] Then I don’t go outside of those boundaries. But I’m actually pretty good at maintaining boundaries for the firm.

[45:47] Tara Bansal: What is the split between your two businesses? Like, percentage wise, would you say?

[45:52] Liz Hand : I don’t go more than 10 hours a week on coaching.

[45:56] Tara Bansal: Okay.

[45:57] Liz Hand : In list hand coaching. So I’m a one of the coach advisors or coach advisors advisor coaches in limitless. And that’s a couple hours a month. And then I have 10 to 15 clients, depending on the year that I meet with, depending on how much time they want to be with me.

[46:17] But.

[46:17] Tara Bansal: All right, I would love what is on your list.

[46:23] Liz Hand : What is on my list?

[46:24] Tara Bansal: Yeah, if you’re willing to share.

[46:25] Liz Hand : It’s like things that I realize I do automatically. I just don’t acknowledge that it’s part of my job. So like, marketing is part of what I do. And keeping up social media presence.

[46:36] So checking Facebook to see responses, responding back, checking for Messages, responding back.

[46:46] LinkedIn. I’m going in. Oh, and I also, like, if I’ve met someone new the previous day, I try to add them the following day. So that’s like the easiest component of the job.

[46:57] But.

[46:58] Cause I’m already just naturally on the socials. But like with strategic planning, it’s looking at my strategic plan for the year every single day and then checking in with the people who are running different projects once a week.

[47:15] It’s managing the agenda of our meeting and so making sure if. If we’re having a meeting that following week that I’m putting together the agenda. They’re very simple things when it.

[47:25] When you break it down.

[47:26] Tara Bansal: But yeah, yeah, that’s helpful. How are you growing your business? Like, what kind of marketing are you guys doing?

[47:36] Liz Hand : I have a Facebook group that has been the main source of new business for us. It’s called Pleasant Financial Conversations. It’s for women.

[47:45] Tara Bansal: Would you. Are women your focus?

[47:48] Liz Hand : Yes. At the firm? Yep. Our primary,

[47:51] our vision for Pleasant wealth is women funded and flourishing and being the premier financial planning and retirement coaching firm. So the ideal client comes in in 50s, 60s,

[48:05] making their retirement decisions and helping them work through their identity shift going into retirement as well as the cash flow plan.

[48:14] Tara Bansal: Right. Beyond the money, what else? They’re transitioning or changing. That’s exciting. Is that new or has that always been Your focus?

[48:23] Liz Hand : In 2018 is when I decided that that was. That was the focus that was the way. That was where I was getting the most, most life out of my client meetings.

[48:32] And it’s just been a steady shift towards it and solidified in 2022, I believe. 2021, something like that.

[48:42] Tara Bansal: Okay. And it’s you and your brother are. There’s other advisors and do they also focus on women or that’s just your focus?

[48:52] Liz Hand : We have the core firm, there’s one other advisor now that my dad has retired, and that is the like, we’re not letting go people because they don’t fit this niche. Um, we are just bringing new clients in, adding.

[49:06] Yes. And so, yes, that is the focus because I’m the one bringing in new clients. We have an associated advisor or we have a contracted advisor uses our brand. That’s not his focus, but very much a community oriented person.

[49:24] Tara Bansal: And you, you use the Facebook group. That’s primarily how you’re getting new clients.

[49:30] Liz Hand : You said, Um, I mean, referrals probably are more so. But it’s really difficult to split out the where people are coming from. Because what we’ve noticed is that with the amount of, of how I show up online and engage with people online and specifically in Facebook and LinkedIn,

[49:53] the brand awareness is really high. And so then when we have a referral lately it’s been referrals from existing clients, but they already had some sort of relationship with the firm from something I’ve done over the last 10 years that’s been women focused.

[50:09] Tara Bansal: So how much time are you on social media for the business?

[50:14] Liz Hand : I don’t know.

[50:16] Tara Bansal: You don’t. Okay, so you don’t track that?

[50:18] Liz Hand : I don’t because that’s. It’s kind of the MO of Liz Hand.

[50:22] I don’t know how my time gets split up with that. When inspiration hits, I am writing something and it might be that I’m in my hot tub and I’m like, oh, this is the thing.

[50:32] I need to write it right now. And it’s the evening on a Thursday night. So from that perspective, no, I don’t hold my stark work boundaries, but I don’t answer client stuff outside of my work boundaries.

[50:43] It’s more of just like following an intuitive.

[50:46] Gonna write this thing, kind of post it. Okay.

[50:50] Tara Bansal: And even that. Is that on a schedule or. It is. When inspiration hits you, you do it and then post it. Is what, what would you say is the regularity of doing that?

[51:00] Liz Hand : I go in seasons, but I’m trying to be more consistent now that I have the actual space for it to where I’m writing on Wednesdays.

[51:06] Tara Bansal: Okay, nice. What do you view as the biggest opportunities for you right now?

[51:17] Liz Hand : Opportunities in. I would view my biggest opportunities right now to be actually just leveraging my intuition. Probably not the answer you were like, thinking of.

[51:34] Tara Bansal: No, I love that because I think all too often we diminish or don’t pay attention to our intuition. And I love that you’re highlighting that because I think most of us, that is our opportunities and to pay attention to it.

[51:53] Liz Hand : I think there is extreme power in intuition that is very unsettling for people who don’t get it because it’s like, where did you get this idea? Where did you get that concept?

[52:06] How did you know this information?

[52:09] And so societally, historically that that skill set has been squashed because it is dangerous if you don’t know where the source is.

[52:20] Well.

[52:21] Tara Bansal: And it’s not logical.

[52:22] Liz Hand : Like I said, it’s not logical because you can’t find. Yeah, right. Exactly. And so if you can’t logic your way to it, then society has trained us to just get rid of it.

[52:32] What I’ve noticed with my own intuition is that it is solid. I wrote a book last year that I haven’t put out into the world,

[52:41] but I wrote it completely from this space of flow, intuition of divine, like, spark of information and insight.

[52:52] And it’s really delightful. Like, it’s delightful to have. The way that it got written was fun.

[52:59] That it’s formed into a book that’s fun. And I think the opportunities that I have with that and I think it speaks to this really deep desire for abundance. That’s not the, like, mainstream way of talking about abundance.

[53:17] It’s like this super satisfying engagement with life is what the root of the book is. And I am just seeing a lot of opportunity to put that out into the world.

[53:26] Whether it’s through the insight series that I talked about earlier, whether it’s through social media channels, whether it’s the speaking opportunities, whether it’s actually getting it mass produced.

[53:36] I don’t know. We shall see. I’m going to continue following the nudges.

[53:41] Tara Bansal: Yeah. And that’s part of what I’m doing with this podcast is this is. Sounds fun to me and why I want to help others,

[53:53] like listen to their intuition and realize they don’t. I don’t know, their own power and their own interest and curiosity too. Because it should feel fun.

[54:03] Liz Hand : Right.

[54:03] Tara Bansal: And if it’s not, then okay, let’s. Let’s look at that or change that or. Yeah, yeah.

[54:11] What we’re at time and I. What question do you wish I had asked that? I didn’t.

[54:18] Liz Hand : Hmm.

[54:21] It’s not specific, but it kind of dovetails off of the list exchange that we had. And I think this is, like, just so important for women of this idea of doing work that’s enjoyable and really spending time to notice what is enjoyable.

[54:42] And it’ll start out like a pinprick of information on a. Like a pin ***** on a cloth that you can’t see through, but you can see just a little light coming through that little hole.

[54:53] And over time, that will expand and expand and expand. And when you expand, the joy, the. The satisfaction that you have with the work that you’re doing, and it really resonates for you.

[55:05] The power, the confidence, the community that’s built from that is massive. And I think that is what the world is really craving,

[55:14] which is why I’m so passionate about women being in the industry and, like, just encouraging women to stay. I think women get in the industry and leave, and we need women to stay.

[55:25] That also requires women advisors to be willing to drop the notion of only one woman gets to be at the table and remove our own sense of competition, of queen being women that come through a.

[55:43] A financial advising company that we disagree with because they have crummy business practices that we. That don’t land for us. It takes a while for people, if they just land in a mutual fund selling group, to evolve to financial planning or to coaching, and that’s okay.

[56:06] They’re allowed to be on that journey. And can we continue to support women wherever they land in the industry and to allow them to evolve? I’m very passionate about that.

[56:16] Tara Bansal: Very nice. What advice do you have for women entering this industry or for those that are already here?

[56:30] Liz Hand : You find what you’re looking for. So if you are trying to confirm that the world is cutthroat and financial services has cutthroat, you will find cutthroat.

[56:42] And if you want to find that financial services is a community, is building each other up, you will find those people. And when you find those people,

[56:53] those are a delightful group of people that really sharpen your sword while holding you.

[56:59] Like, we’re allowed to be human and we’re allowed to pursue excellence. Those are not two separate things. So look. Look for those people that really care, community that support.

[57:09] Tara Bansal: Yeah. And help you. Wonderful. Last question. What podcasts or books would you recommend or what. Maybe I should even phrase that. What do you. It doesn’t have to be that you listen to.

[57:23] It doesn’t have to be related to financial services or what.

[57:28] Liz Hand : What do you listen to candidly on that? I’ve stopped listening to podcasts, and I’ve stopped taking in most content that is generated for advisors, unless I’m just really intrigued by the title.

[57:42] And I found a lot more being the creative brain that I am. I really love Matt Haig.

[57:48] Tara Bansal: Okay.

[57:49] Liz Hand : He’s an author. He’s got.

[57:51] Tara Bansal: I know the name that I’ve.

[57:52] Liz Hand : That I’m. I’m just finishing up the second book, and it’s so good. The first book is Midnight Library.

[57:57] Tara Bansal: Oh, yeah. That’s how I know the name.

[57:59] Liz Hand : And the second book is Life Impossible. Life is Impossible.

[58:04] Something. Something like that. It’s a blue book, and it’s about water and this mysterious energy that’s in the water. And it’s so good. These are just novels.

[58:14] Tara Bansal: I’m a huge reader.

[58:15] Liz Hand : So they speak to this deeper human piece, which is our life can go any direction. We get to choose.

[58:22] And when you let go of what you thought could have been and live in the now, you have much possibility that comes from there. And so wonderful.

[58:35] Tara Bansal: And why did you choose? Why did you decide not to continue listening to podcasts?

[58:41] Liz Hand : And it’s just following my intuition. I, like, literally feel sick or feel a resistance within me where I used to feel like a craving of information. And so I’m just honoring that and not forcing myself to stay up with Kitsis or with anything.

[59:00] Carl Richards or any. Any of the other, like, really big names that I’m like, I should know what they’re saying, or maybe I shouldn’t, and maybe I should just let my own voice come forth.

[59:09] Maybe that’s why it’s doing that. So we’ll see.

[59:11] Tara Bansal: Oh, I like that idea of just, like, even not hearing the shoulds, just having the silence for you and your own creativity to come out.

[59:22] Liz Hand : Yeah, absolutely.

[59:24] Tara Bansal: Oh, I have so many more questions, but I’ll have you back if you’re willing.

[59:28] Liz Hand : Oh, yeah, yeah, absolutely.

[59:30] Tara Bansal: This was a delight for me.

[59:33] Wow.

[59:34] I hope you are enjoying these conversations half as much as I am enjoying them.

[59:42] Here’s just the random collection of highlights and what stood out to me.

[59:48] I loved Liz’s term of calling herself a person of great heart. I hope all of us in this community identify with that and agree with it, and I’m going to use that again.

[01:00:04] What stood out for me is also how many metaphors Liz used in talking about the different layers gave good pictures and additional meaning to how she was describing different things.

[01:00:21] I loved where she talked about that. Parts of her are still emerging and she’s giving herself space for that. I think that’s true for all of us and how intentional Liz is with thinking about that and wanting that.

[01:00:39] I loved her answer to the question of what podcast is she listening to and that she is choosing not to listen to podcasts right now to give herself that space and the silence to listen to herself and her own intuition.

[01:00:59] That is something else I feel like is a theme that’s been standing out to me. I do believe in women’s intuition and I want all of us to listen to ourselves and our intuition more.

[01:01:15] I think that will lead to more miracles, more being in the flow, and hopefully more alignment with what we want in our life. I like the idea of just the layers that the like the outer layer is investments, the next layer is financial planning and the inner core is more around transformation and coaching.

[01:01:40] That is where I want to focus. And just the way she described that I do think is true. Investments is one part of the financial planning, but financial planning I think of as bigger picture than just investments.

[01:01:58] And then the coaching is even more core and more central to what our clients want and what they’re looking for.

[01:02:10] I thought it was funny how she hates the stereotype of being a financial planner. And I can relate to this. When I go out to dinner with girlfriends, they often say you’re, you’re the money person, you figure it out.

[01:02:26] And I also agree with Liz. I don’t really enjoy that and to be honest, I hate doing my taxes and people just assume that is something I like. It’s very different to me than the holistic planning and troubleshooting and solution looking part of being a financial planner and life coach.

[01:02:54] I also like how she emphasized how common it is for people to be disengaged with their money. And that’s a role I think we can do as women and especially female financial advisors.

[01:03:12] I think we are good at trying to help people engage with their money because as I always say, maybe I say it too much. What is the money for? And in order to know that, you have to engage with it and get in alignment with your values and how you want to use your money.

[01:03:32] But those. I mean there were many other golden nuggets, but those are the few that just stood out to me. I would love to hear your thoughts and what stood out to you.

[01:03:45] Until next time,

[01:03:47] have a great day. Thank you for listening to her life, her practice, her way. A podcast for and about female financial advisors. I truly hope you have enjoyed this podcast and got some value from it.

[01:04:01] If so I would love to ask a favor of you. Please go to Apple Podcasts or Spotify and rate and review my podcast. This will help me get the word out to other amazing like minded female financial advisors.

[01:04:16] You can also send it to a friend or two who you think would gain something from listening to it. I’m wishing you the very best.

[01:04:23] Liz Hand : The opinions expressed on this show are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individuals. To determine which investments or solutions may be appropriate for you, consult with your attorney, accountant, financial advisor or tax advisor prior to investing securities offered through Kestra Investment Services llc.

[01:04:44] Kestra is member FINRA SIPC Investment Advisory Services offered through Kestra Advisory Services llc. Kestra as an affiliate of Kestra IS Pleasant Wealth LLC is not an affiliate of Kestra IS or Kestra as.

[01:04:59] Neither Kestra IS nor Kestra AS provides legal or tax advice.

https://www.lizhandcoaching.com/

https://pleasantwealth.com/

www.youtube.com/ElizabethHandCFP/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethkhand

https://www.facebook.com/elizabethkateh

Stephanie Bogan‘s Limitless Advisor Program – limitlessadviser.com

Matt Haig

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

The Great Plains IDEA CFP Program – greatplainsidea.org

Book Mention: The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Facebook Group – Pleasant Financial Conversations (Women-focused financial education community)

Liz Hand is a dynamic Mindset Coach and Certified Financial Planner who specializes in transformative professional development for financial planners. Drawing from her experience as co-owner of Pleasant Wealth, LLC, she brings a unique perspective to helping advisors reshape their practices and personal approaches to success.

Liz’s coaching goes beyond traditional business strategies. She focuses on helping financial advisors build resilience, align their professional goals with personal values, and achieve sustainable growth while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Her approach blends financial expertise with insightful mindset coaching, enabling advisors to overcome challenges and create meaningful, purpose-driven practices.

Liz guides financial advisors through transformative change and helps them reimagine their potential, develop confident leadership skills, and create practices that not only achieve financial success but also bring joy and fulfillment to their professional lives.

[00:00] Tara Bansal: Welcome to her life, her practice, her way. A podcast for and about female Financial advisors. Tara I’m Tara Conti Bansal and I’ve been a financial planner and life coach for over 20 years.

[00:32] I want this show to share other women financial advisors journeys, struggles and triumphs. I want to highlight the unique and similar ways to enjoying our life and our practice on our own terms.

[00:46] I hope to build a community of like minded, deeply caring and exceptional female advisors who want to help our clients and ourselves live a life that we love. One that is filled with love, learning, connection, meaning and joy.

[01:04] Hello, this is Tara Conti Bansal and I am thrilled to have Liz Hand here with me today.

[01:14] She is a certified financial planner with pleasant wealth in Canton, Ohio and I met her and have worked with her through Steph Bogan’s Limitless Advisor program and she graciously accepted to come and talk to us on this podcast.

[01:35] So welcome.

[01:36] Liz Hand : Thanks Tara. I’m delighted to be here.

[01:39] Tara Bansal: Thank you Liz.

[01:41] I always want to start because my curiosity whenever I meet people is in Brene Brown fashion. Like what’s your story? Even like little Liz, where you grew up, your family, how you know, how did you get to be where you are right now?

[02:01] Liz Hand : Well, I grew. I was born in Iowa and my family comes from a Mennonite Amish heritage. So there was a Mennonite Amish community there. My parents decided to move to Kentucky for my dad to pursue additional education in midlife.

[02:20] And so he got his Juris doctorate by age 43. And when he was figuring out what he wanted to do, how he wanted to apply that degree, he decided to become a financial advisor in Ohio, which is where he is originally from all of his family base.

[02:35] So there’s a Mennonite Amish community there. And that’s where we moved when I was about,

[02:41] I think I was about 12.

[02:43] And so then I got to Ohio. Yeah, okay. And I got to see the struggle and the flourish that ended up coming from his practice, you know, through my teens.

[02:55] Because those early years, as you’ve heard the stories from advisors, it’s a lot of just scrappy trying to figure out who will, who you can get in front of and who will say yes.

[03:05] And he was very successful in building a practice in the Amish community because of how he was niched, naturally. And then also he, he spoke the language and so the referrals that came from that were just all over the place.

[03:19] So I stepped into his practice.

[03:23] Tara Bansal: Right.

[03:23] Liz Hand : After I finished college knowing that that was where I was heading since eighth Grade.

[03:30] Tara Bansal: And how did you know in eighth grade? Just, like, seeing it or experiencing it.

[03:35] Liz Hand : Yeah, he invited me into the practice for a summer just to do some filing, some shredding, some organizational type things, and. But he let me sit in on one meeting. And being a person of great heart, what I noticed in that meeting was just the way that you were able to really get to know a family,

[03:56] and it happened to be a family that we were close to. Like, they were family friends.

[04:01] And so I knew them, I knew their kids, I was friends with them. And so to hear the way that money was talked about and how it wove in and out of the.

[04:10] The plans that they had for their children that were my friends that I cared about,

[04:14] it just. It resonated so much for me. And I thought, yes, I could do this. And then I had different people in my dad’s firm that were saying, we need women in this.

[04:23] This industry. You should consider it. And I bought it, like, hook, line, sinker. And I was like, yep, this is what I’m doing, and started charting the path towards it.

[04:32] Um, and where did you go to school?

[04:35] I went to Mount Vernon Nazarene University, which is in Ohio,

[04:41] kind of local, localized. Studied financial management. Not the.

[04:45] They did not have a CFP course at that. At that point.

[04:48] Tara Bansal: But I’m jealous that you knew from such an early age that this was what you wanted to do. But.

[04:54] Liz Hand : Well, it’s always. It’s. It is interesting. I think, being a woman,

[04:59] we’re. We’re kind of culturally trained to take care of the people around us. And I think there was something in that moment that I still haven’t fully pulled apart, honestly.

[05:11] My dad just retired last week.

[05:13] Tara Bansal: Oh, my goodness.

[05:14] Liz Hand : So, like, the whole. Oh, that just hit me with emotion. But the whole trajectory of stepping into his practice,

[05:22] becoming a manager of his practice, buying his practice, and now having him retire, it does have me reflecting back to that time and wondering, like, how much of that was for me and how much of that was this cultural ingrained piece of I have to take care of the people around me if they need me or if they suggest that they might need me.

[05:45] And I think it’s. It’s.

[05:47] What I’ve. What I’ve learned in the last couple of years is, yes, that’s part of it, but also I think there’s part of my soul that really needed to be in money and learning about it because I get so much satisfaction from the conversations in money.

[06:04] So I think. I think there are two parts there, but I don’t discredit the fact that women are often culturally trained to take care of all the people around them.

[06:15] Tara Bansal: Definitely. I will not argue that. And that’s part of why I want this podcast to focus on women, because I feel like we are, I think, uniquely and better inherently of doing financial advising because we.

[06:35] I don’t know, we communicate differently. I think we think differently. And as you’re saying, like, we’re caretakers for those around us.

[06:43] Liz Hand : Yeah.

[06:44] Tara Bansal: So do you have brothers and sisters and.

[06:48] Liz Hand : I do, Yeah. I. I’m number three of four.

[06:53] Tara Bansal: Okay.

[06:54] Liz Hand : And my oldest brother, Clinton, and I own Pleasant Loft together. And my other two siblings, Rachel and Logan, have other careers, but. Yeah.

[07:05] Tara Bansal: Are they local, too?

[07:07] Liz Hand : They are. Three of three of us are local and one. One is in another state.

[07:13] Tara Bansal: Okay. And I saw you went to graduate school in Montana.

[07:20] Liz Hand : Yes, I did.

[07:22] Tara Bansal: Drew you there. And how did that happen?

[07:26] Liz Hand : Well, so when I had been in the practice for a year or two, I knew I wanted to get this certified financial planner designation. And looking at the options, I’m someone who’s like, if it’s efficient, I’m going to get more than one thing at one time.

[07:39] Maybe you’re similar to that. So I was like, oh, I can get a master’s degree and the cfp. I’m definitely doing that. And when I looked at the master’s degree options, there was an online option at the time.

[07:50] I don’t even know if it still exists, but it was called the Great Plains Idea,

[07:55] and it was a cohort of several Great Plains universities collaborating together, so they didn’t have to create their own program. Probably that was the. The seedlings or the starts of each of them having their own individual program.

[08:09] But it was all online. And I just chose which. Which of the universities I wanted to have my degree from, and I chose Montana State University because I wanted to visit it.

[08:18] Tara Bansal: So. So you did then go visit it, but you weren’t there as a resident during that time?

[08:24] Liz Hand : Yeah, I. I had hoped to, you know, walk across the stage to get my master’s degree, but I was pregnant at that point and do, like, within days of the.

[08:35] Tara Bansal: So it did not happen?

[08:37] Liz Hand : Well, I didn’t. I didn’t get my degree, like, at the school, but I gave my final presentation earlier in the year. Um, and then my husband and I did a traveling loop in Montana and Utah.

[08:49] No, Montana and Idaho. And anyway, a couple of the different camping areas.

[08:56] Tara Bansal: Very nice. How did you meet your husband?

[08:59] Liz Hand : At school. He was a senior. I was a freshman. And it. This was in college at Mount Vernon Yazarine University, he was the student body chaplain. And so I got to hear him give sermons, essentially, and just really resonated with who he was as a person.

[09:16] Very humble, but well spoken.

[09:19] I liked the way he thought, so very nice.

[09:22] Tara Bansal: It’s great.

[09:23] Liz Hand : Yeah.

[09:23] Tara Bansal: Did you ask him out or he asked you?

[09:26] Liz Hand : We.

[09:28] That’s funny. We went. There was. At the very end of his senior year, there was a peaceful demonstration in Washington, D.C. just highlighting children who were displaced in very temporary campgrounds.

[09:48] And we both went because we had friends that were very into this demonstration. And so I went as just like, oh, yeah, I’ll go along with you.

[09:56] Tara Bansal: Support.

[09:57] Liz Hand : And they liked each other, and so they were, like, flirting with each other the whole time. And we ended up sleeping on the White House lawn. Not the White House lawn, but it’s the Washington Monument, the lawn of that.

[10:11] We all had cardboard boxes, and we shared a cardboard mat together, the four of us,

[10:18] and just really, like, connecting there. And then stayed connected on Facebook after he graduated. And the rest is history, as they say.

[10:31] Tara Bansal: How. How many children do you. You have two boys, I saw.

[10:34] Liz Hand : Yeah, I do.

[10:35] Tara Bansal: And Brennan. And how old are they?

[10:38] Liz Hand : They are now 10 and 8.

[10:40] Tara Bansal: Oh, we’ve been pretty close to me. Yeah.

[10:42] Liz Hand : Yeah, yeah. We’ve been foster parents, too, and.

[10:45] Tara Bansal: Wow.

[10:46] Liz Hand : No longer have that license, but we’ve had two daughters in our home as well through that program.

[10:52] But their kids are such a delight, and it’s fun to see them.

[10:56] I don’t know. I think with my. With my school history specifically, um, I got sick when I was a really young child when we were in Lexington and was out of school for about a year in those foundational years of, like, first grade.

[11:13] Tara Bansal: What grade?

[11:14] Liz Hand : First grade. Yeah.

[11:16] And so as they have come through that time of their life, I’ve recognized just how much of the learning process was kind of taken from me because I had very physical things that I needed to sort out,

[11:32] which is interesting. Like playing into being a female advisor when you have something like that in your history where you could not focus on the joy of learning and you’re really just kind of scraping by on the learning side to.

[11:47] And then end up. You get. You get better physically, and you jump back into school and then you just feel like you’re behind the dis. I have a significant discrediting of my aptitude.

[12:01] My.

[12:03] Like it. I.

[12:04] Tara Bansal: And you think it comes back to that?

[12:07] Liz Hand : Yeah. Oh, 100%. I am always questioning my math. I am not solid in my math. And to. To choose to go into financial planning where, you know, there is math involved.

[12:16] And you know, people expect you to be really good at math whether or not you use it to the extent that they have in their imagination. Um, I think that has played into like when we talk about imposter syndrome.

[12:28] That’s like one of the biggest voices for me of like, you don’t really know math anyway. How dare you be in this industry. And yeah, so that’s a little token of my history.

[12:40] Tara Bansal: Well, thank you for sharing that and calling that out. I mean, first grade to me.

[12:46] I mean, you know, with life coaching work, like so many of our beliefs are created, you know, around under the age of seven, you know, and I feel like that’s during that time.

[12:59] Liz Hand : Yeah. A hundred percent, huh? Yeah. So I’m continuing to sort that out and I think that has played tricks on my mind at times where I’m.

[13:12] Women need to stay in this industry. I think women get into the industry and then decide to like, this isn’t for me. It’s too cutthroat or um, there’s something that I just don’t fit in.

[13:22] And yes, because we haven’t created space for women to be in this industry. Um, and that is one place where I frequently find that I go to of like, maybe I just shouldn’t be here because I, my brain doesn’t follow the same paths that a super dialed in logical financial planner might take.

[13:45] But. But on the same token, I have to keep reminding myself I also have this very creative brain because of that. Because I didn’t follow the path of the traditional school process.

[13:55] I have a lot of creativity that’s been generated from that and that’s the kind of fun part of my job that I’m seeing start to unfurl.

[14:04] Tara Bansal: Yeah. Well, I personally, I feel like that’s what not being the numbers based logic math type makes you a better financial advisor because you,

[14:20] yeah. You had that creativity and bring that curiosity and look at it in a much different way because it’s not all about the numbers. It’s what, what’s the money for?

[14:31] And,

[14:32] and part of what I want with this podcast is to highlight exactly what you’re saying. That I want women to know they don’t have to follow the mold and actually help them find their unique path to flourishing or thriving in this business that I don’t know, I just think the mold is so presented and women,

[15:01] I don’t necessarily feel like fit the standard financial advisor role.

[15:07] Liz Hand : Sure. People and, and naturally. So like no disrespect to our male counterparts. But the financial services industry was born and developed and fine tuned and honed with men as the, in the career men having the financial conversation.

[15:27] And so naturally, yes, they’re going to follow more masculine paths of what the role fits. And so as women are in the industry and breaking the mold, of course, because we have more women that are needing to talk about money and need a different approach because the masculine way doesn’t necessarily jive for them and it doesn’t meet the needs that they have.

[15:49] Tara Bansal: And the traditional family of the man being the breadwinner no longer applies.

[15:57] Liz Hand : Right. Yeah, it doesn’t apply in my family.

[15:59] Tara Bansal: Yeah.

[16:00] Liz Hand : Yeah. My husband is now part time at home with our children and part time pastor. Um, and we afford that because I am all in with my career.

[16:11] Tara Bansal: Yeah.

[16:11] Liz Hand : And it’s super helpful because like the kids were sick this week and the school called off because of cold and having someone at home to be able to, to facilitate that is, I, I do not take that for granted.

[16:25] Tara Bansal: No. Because often it’s, it is the woman who like,

[16:30] has to juggle that and change their schedule or be able to handle it. And not everybody has that flexibility easily. So. Yeah.

[16:40] Liz Hand : And to that point also, I think there is innovation in childcare because men are stepping more into that childcare role. Like just the, the funny example that I love is when I’m scrolling through like TikTok or Facebook or whatever, and you see those videos of a guy using like a shop vac to put his daughter’s hair in a,

[17:02] in a ponytail, I’m like, that’s innovation.

[17:04] Tara Bansal: I would never do that.

[17:06] Liz Hand : Still probably won’t do it. But hey, it works.

[17:09] Tara Bansal: Yeah. That shows the difference of like, how different people’s brain, you know, works. But whatever gets the job done. And that’s wonderful.

[17:20] Why do you do what you do?

[17:24] Liz Hand : Why do I do what I do? What part of what I do?

[17:26] Tara Bansal: You tell me.

[17:32] Liz Hand : So my life is multifaceted and there’s parts of me that are still emerging that I’m giving space for and really having to redefine who I am,

[17:47] what I do with my time, and how I show up in the world.

[17:52] So we’ve got this family financial planning practice and I recognized in 2018 this, this concept that I’ve already shared of like, wait, did I, did I join this practice for me or did I join it for my dad?

[18:06] So therefore, should I stay or should I go and toyed with, you know, breaking off, taking, buying just a subset of the clients and creating my own Thing that didn’t pan out.

[18:18] And so in the past you thought about it? Oh, I definitely thought about it.

[18:24] Decided to continue and purchase the full practice from my dad with my brother. And in that process received coaching and. And really started to like. The way that I picture it is like layers of dirt.

[18:41] And dirt not meaning a bad thing. Like it just is some of it’s fertile soil, some of it’s not.

[18:48] And really just like scraping layers of dirt to really find where Liz is in life and what it is that really matters to. To me so that I can fully emerge.

[19:02] And there are layers of this business that don’t land for me or that take a lot more energy and effort. So for example, this like sitting down and crunching the numbers, as I’ve said, with my history, I’ve got a lot of doubt that clouds the picture and that ends up making,

[19:22] giving, draining me essentially.

[19:24] I don’t have a lot of doubt in any of the relationships that we hold.

[19:30] I think a unique thing to me is this, like I’ve done strengths finder before. Winning others over is my second highest strength.

[19:37] Tara Bansal: Wow.

[19:38] Liz Hand : So like the idea of having a new client relationship come in or us buying a practice, I have really high confidence that I can maintain that person as a client.

[19:51] That’s a unique skill set that’s really helpful for growing financial planning businesses.

[19:57] And so when I really look at my energy for those two areas and I say, and I set my ego aside of like, what will people think if I’m not the one crunching the numbers,

[20:10] then I can delegate that part to someone who feels really comfortable in that, that’s my brother at this point and hopefully enjoys that and enjoys it and can, you know, get lost in time with it and do it much more efficiently without the cloud of doubt and I get to focus in on the relationships,

[20:29] then my confidence level is a lot higher in the practice and I also gain time back because if I am, if I have really high confidence that I’m able to meet a client where they are, whatever shows up, anger, sadness, drastic life event buying, buying a book of business.

[20:49] And this is my first introduction. Like, I have really high confidence in that I spend almost no time worrying about it. So that time of worry I have recaptured for myself and that energy and the energy, yes, a hundred percent.

[21:02] And I’ve been able to tap into that creative power that I have. So I’m a big innovator. And with our firm,

[21:12] we have now taken.

[21:14] I’m also a certified coach, which I haven’t mentioned yet. So I love the coaching process. I love the ability of having someone fully see who they are currently who they’re being and how they can shift out of it without a lot of effort.

[21:31] It doesn’t take a ton of willpower and work.

[21:34] Tara Bansal: Yeah effort.

[21:36] Liz Hand : It’s actually just release. It’s just constantly releasing pieces of that.

[21:41] Tara Bansal: Are getting in your way and the shoulds or like I view it as like when you’re aligned, like almost. It feels like a miracle. Yeah, I feel like miracles then start happening too.

[21:54] Liz Hand : Yes, I agree.

[21:56] Tara Bansal: Yeah.

[21:57] Liz Hand : Yeah. So if I can be in that zone with people, that’s a lot of fun for me. And so I have a side coaching practice where I coach financial advisors on their mindset and help them feel, get that relief, get that miracle I idea.

[22:12] And then I’ve taken that same skill set and I’ve baked it into Pleasant Wealth. And I’m currently taking my creative power and creating a group coaching program inside Pleasant Wealth.

[22:23] And then that way we can meet clients in a one to many approach and have that transformational conversation, that power behind that that really stirs up what it is that they want, who they are truly and how they can take money and, and express themselves.

[22:44] And that’s just really exciting. That would not happen.

[22:47] That would not happen without me knowing and acknowledging and finding a solution for the fact that there’s a cloud of doubt when I’m crunching the numbers.

[23:00] Tara Bansal: Have you started the group coaching at Pleasant wealth yet?

[23:04] Liz Hand : Yes.

[23:05] Tara Bansal: And how is that going? I love to hear whatever you’re willing to share on how you have set that up. And.

[23:14] Liz Hand : So it keeps evolving.

[23:16] Year one, we did a rotating, it’s once a month for about an hour and a half at a specific time and we record it. So right now, candidly, we’ve had like five people show up and we have a big client base and you, you.

[23:31] Tara Bansal: Offer it to everyone, to everybody.

[23:34] Liz Hand : We’ve got about 500 households.

[23:37] And so the piece with that that I’ve noticed is,

[23:44] you know, there’s layers of our business.

[23:47] There’s the investment layer, there’s the financial planning layer, there’s the coaching layer.

[23:53] And so the first year we separate out each of those and I noticed that people were more engaged with the investment layer and the financial planning layer was a little bit less, but they’re still more engaged there.

[24:05] The coaching layer, people are kind of intimidated by cause they don’t really know what it is.

[24:09] Tara Bansal: Yeah, I agree with that.

[24:11] Liz Hand : And that’s okay.

[24:12] They didn’t sign up for a coaching program. They signed up for financial planning or investment management.

[24:19] And so this year what we’re doing is actually just layering them all together, kind of like segments of a, of a news show,

[24:27] for lack of a better word. And with that just,

[24:32] I’m generating a, like a calendar of how people can reassociate themselves with what’s happening around them versus their work.

[24:42] So we focus on retirees and that life transition of going from my working years to my retired years, it’s very overwhelming, very like a revolving door. And that’s only from the perspective of like I am tailoring what my expectations of this year to my work or to a school schedule,

[25:02] whatever.

[25:04] And so it’s, it’s re centering them on nature in Ohio, which is seasonally, like we’ve got all four seasons and what’s happening there and then using what’s happening in nature to guide the conversation.

[25:18] So for example, for March, the theme will be clearing out.

[25:22] And in March you tend to go to your. Yep. You spring clean. You also can go to your garden and clean out all of the like overgrowth that’s dead now and you’re getting ready for the new season, but it’s not yet come.

[25:36] So those types of themes that they can connect with and have like a deeper experience with life.

[25:43] Tara Bansal: I love that. I think that is just phenomenal. And I’m similar to you with I don’t love.

[25:52] I. Well,

[25:54] I was comfortable with numbers. I was a chemical engineer.

[26:00] Yet I do not enjoy the actual numbers part of financial planning. And I want to delegate that off because I’m like you. I love the relationship part. I love the coaching part.

[26:15] And I’ve been wondering how to like bring more coaching in. Like, of course you do in some ways just with the questions and being present and different,

[26:27] but more like direct,

[26:31] empowering coaching with the clients. Because I agree with you, most people, you say coaching and they like.

[26:38] I don’t know, I don’t even like the term because I think people shut down, they don’t know what it is and they are intimidated by it.

[26:46] Liz Hand : Yeah,

[26:48] yeah. For our exciting. Yeah. The other piece is that for our top tier clients, the engagement that I have with them is a coaching engagement. So they get two hours with me a year.

[27:02] That’s just like a coaching conversation. And we’re, we’re putting that right before our surge review so that they have this like poignant purpose related conversation before. Right before. And then if I’m picking up anything that’s like, oh, you could do, you could look at this strategy by the way maybe we’ll need to do a cash flow plan for this component of like,

[27:26] I see it all and I can, I can do it, I can get into it eventually, but I can completely avoid the cloud of doubt if I pass it off to Clinton and then he just engages with it.

[27:35] So, um, and then he comes into that meeting feeling like, okay, I’ve got all the context. I can just go right into the numbers component. So,

[27:44] yeah, we’ll see how it continues to unfold.

[27:47] Tara Bansal: That, yeah, is very exciting. Going back. Why do you do this? What’s your why?

[27:56] Liz Hand : What’s my why? That is the hardest question.

[28:03] Tara Bansal: Oh really?

[28:06] Liz Hand : Well, I think there are layers to it and I think the true why for people continues to unfold. And oftentimes we will quickly answer that question because.

[28:19] Because it’s a. It’s an uncomfortable question.

[28:22] So like, I can say on the surface level, I did this for my family. I do this,

[28:27] you know, and we can point to different family members and why I do it for them. But when I do it for me,

[28:33] the like, deep, deep, wise,

[28:39] I think it gives me access to creativity and connection at this human level that I don’t. You don’t necessarily have a permission slip to have out there in society just doing whatever.

[28:54] There are certain professions that you get the permission slip. And money is such a potent,

[29:01] electric,

[29:03] energetic thing.

[29:05] I love talking about it and the way people relate to it. And so just to combine that creativity, connection and then money and like, what is money? It’s so mysterious.

[29:16] That’s. That’s very empowering for me.

[29:20] Tara Bansal: I love that.

[29:22] And I also love how you.

[29:26] I feel like even hearing you talk, the why incorporates and gets to very personal, like, what are your strengths and your gifts to share with the world and uncovering that and utilizing that so it feels good for you and for other people.

[29:46] Right? It’s a two way.

[29:49] Liz Hand : Well, yeah. And back to being a woman in the world, we’re often looking through the lens of other people. So I can see.

[29:57] I can see the why for my parents, why I do what I do for my parents and how I’ve supported them with their financial stability, their retirement plan, all of that.

[30:09] I can see the why for my brother and I, I can see the why for my fam. Like my chosen family, my husband and my kids, and the sustainability that we need.

[30:18] But when it really comes to my choice of time and yeah, I. What am I trying to say?

[30:31] I don’t think I’ve even seen fully the capability of Liz Hand in the world and I keep getting glimpses at her, at me, and it’s exciting. The more that I’m, like, peeling off those layers of dirt and, like, oh, there she is.

[30:48] Oh, my goodness. Oh, wow. Huh. Interesting.

[30:53] And the more I get glimpses of who I am and what’s really motivating for me, not the willpower, motivation, but, like, the inherent curiosity.

[31:03] Natural, vivacious. Yeah. Like,

[31:07] unlimited energy.

[31:09] Then I’m like, oh, okay, interesting. But I don’t know that I fully can articulate it yet, because I’m still. I mean, that’s probably the process of life.

[31:16] Tara Bansal: Yeah, right. Like, that. That I agree. Like, we’re not ever hopefully, stagnant and done right. Like, it’s always new discoveries and growth and.

[31:28] Liz : Yeah.

[31:30] Tara Bansal: That’s exciting, though. What do you. I feel like we kind of touched on this. But what do you like least about being a financial advisor?

[31:43] Liz Hand : My least favorite thing is the stereotype that I’m put in and just engaging with that in the world.

[31:53] On one hand, I get to be playful with it and break down somebody’s perception of who I should be. But I noticed that because of this role, um, and because I’ve trained people, let’s be real, like, it’s.

[32:06] I’m not a victim to this. I also created it. But when I show up in groups, people are like,

[32:13] financial planner. That’s a responsible person. Hey, do you want to be our treasurer? Hey, can you plan this thing? And, yes, I’m very skilled at that. And also,

[32:23] being the person that’s always relied upon is tiring. It really is.

[32:29] Tara Bansal: It is.

[32:30] Liz Hand : And sometimes I just want my friends to be like, oh, I can do this on my own. I should plan this thing. I don’t need, you know, Liz to take over.

[32:39] But it’s not that it’s widespread where people are all relying on me. But that is a pattern that I. Once I started seeing it, I saw it everywhere. And so how would you articulate that.

[32:52] Tara Bansal: That stereotype?

[32:56] Liz Hand : When I think because people are so disengaged with their money,

[33:02] like, haven’t been trained by their parents to think about money.

[33:07] And so when they see someone who has the perception is that person has it all together, and the industry reinforces that by the way that we are called to dress, to speak, to show up in society.

[33:19] And really, the way that you’re building trust to do the work that you’re doing, you need to do,

[33:26] there’s also this. Just this layer of expectation that comes with it. That’s how I would describe it. I think if people were more would realize that money isn’t as complicated as they believe it to be.

[33:38] And they actually showed up for themselves with their money. They would not hold us on such a pedestal.

[33:47] Tara Bansal: Fascinating. I do think our industry makes. I don’t money seem more complicated and difficult than it really is? I mean, I,

[34:01] I, I don’t. I always wonder,

[34:06] is there like this evil, you know, reason behind it, or is it just like that’s what’s kind of happened?

[34:13] Because it doesn’t need to be complicated at all.

[34:17] Liz Hand : Mm.

[34:18] I wrote a poem many years ago and it’s, it continues to sit with me with this idea that money is not competition.

[34:30] And when you hold it as competition, you get to the place where, like, this is too complicated for you, or I’m better than you, or there’s it’s, it’s a scarcity mindset.

[34:41] When you remove that air of competition,

[34:46] then you also remove the complexity.

[34:50] Tara Bansal: Yeah.

[34:52] I just read serviceberry. I don’t know if you know, I’m trying to think of the author’s name, but it is exactly that. On changing our economics from scarcity and competition to one of sharing and gratitude.

[35:12] And she is indigenous and how in the, you know, the indigenous people, it was all about, you don’t take more than your fair share and you always leave enough for Mother Nature to continue to grow and how we should do that with each other more.

[35:36] Right. And it’s this short little book. I will put it in the show notes. But I agree with you on.

[35:45] And she talks about the simplicity of that. If you just, you know, if we tried to view things differently in around money and economics.

[35:57] It was very, very. I thought it was a worthwhile read, especially as a financial advisor.

[36:04] More of that.

[36:06] Liz Hand : Yeah. How did it shift what you do or who you be?

[36:11] Tara Bansal: I think it brings an awareness of the.

[36:16] For me, an antenna looking for and noticing the scarcity and the competition. Just like culturally keeping up with the Joneses,

[36:26] but also bigger picture of the way even our government is structured and our communities are structured. How can we try to shift that?

[36:40] And it’s a conversation. I would love to start having more with my clients because I think it’s bringing meaning and connection to the outer world in a more beneficial way.

[36:56] Liz Hand : Yeah.

[36:57] Tara Bansal: That was beautiful. Yeah. What do you love to do?

[37:04] Liz Hand : I love to create. So that can come in a lot of different forms. I. I’m a pianist.

[37:12] Tara Bansal: Wow.

[37:13] Liz Hand : I’m a painter. I’m. I love collages.

[37:17] Tara Bansal: Yeah. I’ve seen on your blog, like almost all.

[37:20] Liz Hand : Yeah.

[37:21] Tara Bansal: Your posts have a painting that Go with them. That I thought was really neat.

[37:25] Liz Hand : Yeah. I love contemplative painting. So. So I am not, like, a painter that goes. And I see something, and I want to paint this tree that’s outside my window. But it’s part of connecting my thoughts on paper.

[37:43] Like, it could be a form of journaling, I guess, for people where I will sit down and it’s a prayer flag is what we call it. And just, like, I’m thinking about a specific concept,

[37:56] and I’m painting the colors that come to me, and it’s not thought out. It, like, kind of comes together in the painting, and I love that. I think that’s what I love about creativity, is when you begin into the process, you have a concept, and it changes over time with the contributions of whatever is present in the room or whoever’s present in the room.

[38:17] And then you have something brand new that it’s just fun to put out in the world.

[38:22] Tara Bansal: Yeah. You seem very in touch with your right side of your brain, and that is super neat. What. What are your biggest challenges in your life right now?

[38:40] Liz Hand : So this year has been a year of transition where I have charted the path of carving out space for my role as lead coach and vision partner in our firm at Pleasant Wealth.

[38:54] At Pleasant Wealth. And so that means I’m the coach to clients. I’m the business development person, marketing, and then strategic planning for the firm. And it’s interesting to me the way that you see something clearly for yourself, like, this is what I want.

[39:11] This is what I want. And then when you go to make that transition, you’re shedding parts of you that feel very uncomfortable to shed.

[39:19] So my client base, I am not the lead financial planner for anymore. And that’s been an identity that I’ve held for 15 years. That has been quite a reckoning for me here in January and February of just kind of like.

[39:33] Actually, it’s dated back to March of last year. It’s like I’m in a canoe leaving shore of like, oh, yeah, you’re. This is. This is an identity that I’m no longer associating with.

[39:46] And I’m paddling.

[39:48] And now I’ve gotten to the point where I can’t see what the shore, but I can’t fully see the where I’m going either.

[39:55] Tara Bansal: Yeah.

[39:56] Liz Hand : And I think in January this year, I started to see the edge of the shore, but I wasn’t sure fully how to step on the land.

[40:04] And it’s. It’s re.

[40:06] Reunderstanding my schedule. It’s like Very practical things. Re understanding my schedule, re understanding what’s most important with my time. So if client meetings are not the most important thing that I’m doing, then how am I using my time?

[40:20] And yeah, it’s just like a reassociation with how I am on the team, how I show up as leader, how I show up with clients, what my expectation is, my schedule.

[40:27] And that reorientation process has been challenging.

[40:33] Tara Bansal: Do you have a coach?

[40:34] Liz Hand : Oh, yes. That helps you with that? Okay.

[40:37] I’m a well coached woman. I’ve got a spiritual director and a mindset coach. I do breath work. There’s just lots of support that I get in that process. And I’m still in limitless, you know, scoping out those pieces.

[40:50] Tara Bansal: Very nice. And I love that. I mean, I think that’s beneficial and everyone should have a coach if they can make that investment in themselves.

[41:02] Liz Hand : I think it’s imperative, honestly,

[41:04] like thinking about even just this year, there’s so much disrupt happening in society and that figuring out what’s happening, the chaos that is created from that, whether or not you agree with it, like just like me stepping into a new role that I created for myself, there is still chaos there that I have to sort through and uncertainty that I’m generating for myself.

[41:29] But it, it doesn’t feel great because I’m in the messy middle and our society is in a messy middle right now. And I think what happens is some of those deepest fears do come out in the money meetings because it ties so closely to us.

[41:44] Like what’s going to happen in the economy with my money. And so they will be spilling stuff that’s very difficult for an advisor to hold space for if they don’t have their own coach, counselor,

[41:57] spiritual director,

[41:59] way of processing it somewhere else.

[42:02] I think for mental health, for advisors this year, it is imperative.

[42:06] Tara Bansal: Yeah.

[42:08] How are you figuring out these big changes?

[42:13] Which ones from you know, seeing the new,

[42:18] the new land and figuring out how to step onto that. I assume around being the lead coach and the role at work. If that’s what you’re. I assume that’s what you’re referring to.

[42:29] Liz Hand : Yes. Um, so one,

[42:32] this is the first time I’ve ever had like a checklist of what I need to do in a day. I know that sounds crazy because you know, we work off those checklists, but I, I think when you different people work differently.

[42:45] Tara Bansal: So.

[42:45] Liz Hand : Yes. And the creative brain likes like, likes to bounce and when you’re taking over a firm and there’s lots of different areas of the practice and for our firm, there wasn’t, there wasn’t a ton of business structure already in place.

[42:58] So I wasn’t like grabbing onto something and just learning it. I was creating, learning it, creating new, setting a standard. And so the way that my brain was bouncing so much, it was like, you just gotta put out the next fire.

[43:12] And so for this year, having a checklist of this is it, this is, this is all I need to do. This is, this gets all of the high level, most important things for each of my roles today.

[43:24] And then so I think your question was like, how am I coping with it? Or how am I?

[43:29] Tara Bansal: Yeah, how are you figuring it out?

[43:31] Liz Hand : And I have to keep reminding myself, I get to the end of the week and I’m like,

[43:35] this is not as hard as you as you think it is because there’s not as much noise, there’s not as much chaos in the firm.

[43:43] We have managed it, we have brought it to a level of systematization. So if I can just show up for these tasks, that’s simple,

[43:50] that’s something.

[43:52] Tara Bansal: I love the image on your website of the clarity, confidence, ease within the middle, Expand joy.

[44:01] And just hearing you talk about that like, you know, decisions are easy when you’re clear on what you want. And that’s hearing you talk about that, that’s what I’m hear.

[44:13] Would you agree with that?

[44:15] Liz Hand : I would, I would say like for clients, their money feels good.

[44:20] It actually feels good when they have absolute clarity. When you do, when you have partial clarity and you’re making money decisions they might like half satisfy but not fully satisfy or you might doubt it later.

[44:32] So spending a little bit more time getting the clarity,

[44:35] building the confidence of the plan around it and then the ease of the way that we manage investments, all with the purpose of expanding joy. Joy is the most important component or satisfaction if, if joy is too confronting for you.

[44:48] Tara Bansal: Yeah. How much do you work every week?

[44:53] Liz Hand : So I.

[44:56] For Pleasant wealth.

[44:58] Okay. It’s kind of amorphous. I’ve got two businesses. I’ve got Pleasant wealth and I’ve got Liz Hand coaching. And both of those I fit within a 40 hour work week.

[45:06] Tara Bansal: Okay. And you’re good about those boundaries?

[45:10]: I’m pretty good. I have noticed that in the last two months I have been going into doing work on Friday night and Saturday morning. And I think I pinpointed that. That is that feeling of transition and not knowing what I’m doing.

[45:25] And so I made too much out of my week and I didn’t get the right things finished and then I’m wanting to close it out,

[45:32] but when I remind myself that this is simple, I don’t have to. There’s nothing on fire. I can just follow this list.

[45:40] Then I don’t go outside of those boundaries. But I’m actually pretty good at maintaining boundaries for the firm.

[45:47] Tara Bansal: What is the split between your two businesses? Like, percentage wise, would you say?

[45:52] Liz Hand : I don’t go more than 10 hours a week on coaching.

[45:56] Tara Bansal: Okay.

[45:57] Liz Hand : In list hand coaching. So I’m a one of the coach advisors or coach advisors advisor coaches in limitless. And that’s a couple hours a month. And then I have 10 to 15 clients, depending on the year that I meet with, depending on how much time they want to be with me.

[46:17] But.

[46:17] Tara Bansal: All right, I would love what is on your list.

[46:23] Liz Hand : What is on my list?

[46:24] Tara Bansal: Yeah, if you’re willing to share.

[46:25] Liz Hand : It’s like things that I realize I do automatically. I just don’t acknowledge that it’s part of my job. So like, marketing is part of what I do. And keeping up social media presence.

[46:36] So checking Facebook to see responses, responding back, checking for Messages, responding back.

[46:46] LinkedIn. I’m going in. Oh, and I also, like, if I’ve met someone new the previous day, I try to add them the following day. So that’s like the easiest component of the job.

[46:57] But.

[46:58] Cause I’m already just naturally on the socials. But like with strategic planning, it’s looking at my strategic plan for the year every single day and then checking in with the people who are running different projects once a week.

[47:15] It’s managing the agenda of our meeting and so making sure if. If we’re having a meeting that following week that I’m putting together the agenda. They’re very simple things when it.

[47:25] When you break it down.

[47:26] Tara Bansal: But yeah, yeah, that’s helpful. How are you growing your business? Like, what kind of marketing are you guys doing?

[47:36] Liz Hand : I have a Facebook group that has been the main source of new business for us. It’s called Pleasant Financial Conversations. It’s for women.

[47:45] Tara Bansal: Would you. Are women your focus?

[47:48] Liz Hand : Yes. At the firm? Yep. Our primary,

[47:51] our vision for Pleasant wealth is women funded and flourishing and being the premier financial planning and retirement coaching firm. So the ideal client comes in in 50s, 60s,

[48:05] making their retirement decisions and helping them work through their identity shift going into retirement as well as the cash flow plan.

[48:14] Tara Bansal: Right. Beyond the money, what else? They’re transitioning or changing. That’s exciting. Is that new or has that always been Your focus?

[48:23] Liz Hand : In 2018 is when I decided that that was. That was the focus that was the way. That was where I was getting the most, most life out of my client meetings.

[48:32] And it’s just been a steady shift towards it and solidified in 2022, I believe. 2021, something like that.

[48:42] Tara Bansal: Okay. And it’s you and your brother are. There’s other advisors and do they also focus on women or that’s just your focus?

[48:52] Liz Hand : We have the core firm, there’s one other advisor now that my dad has retired, and that is the like, we’re not letting go people because they don’t fit this niche. Um, we are just bringing new clients in, adding.

[49:06] Yes. And so, yes, that is the focus because I’m the one bringing in new clients. We have an associated advisor or we have a contracted advisor uses our brand. That’s not his focus, but very much a community oriented person.

[49:24] Tara Bansal: And you, you use the Facebook group. That’s primarily how you’re getting new clients.

[49:30] Liz Hand : You said, Um, I mean, referrals probably are more so. But it’s really difficult to split out the where people are coming from. Because what we’ve noticed is that with the amount of, of how I show up online and engage with people online and specifically in Facebook and LinkedIn,

[49:53] the brand awareness is really high. And so then when we have a referral lately it’s been referrals from existing clients, but they already had some sort of relationship with the firm from something I’ve done over the last 10 years that’s been women focused.

[50:09] Tara Bansal: So how much time are you on social media for the business?

[50:14] Liz Hand : I don’t know.

[50:16] Tara Bansal: You don’t. Okay, so you don’t track that?

[50:18] Liz Hand : I don’t because that’s. It’s kind of the MO of Liz Hand.

[50:22] I don’t know how my time gets split up with that. When inspiration hits, I am writing something and it might be that I’m in my hot tub and I’m like, oh, this is the thing.

[50:32] I need to write it right now. And it’s the evening on a Thursday night. So from that perspective, no, I don’t hold my stark work boundaries, but I don’t answer client stuff outside of my work boundaries.

[50:43] It’s more of just like following an intuitive.

[50:46] Gonna write this thing, kind of post it. Okay.

[50:50] Tara Bansal: And even that. Is that on a schedule or. It is. When inspiration hits you, you do it and then post it. Is what, what would you say is the regularity of doing that?

[51:00] Liz Hand : I go in seasons, but I’m trying to be more consistent now that I have the actual space for it to where I’m writing on Wednesdays.

[51:06] Tara Bansal: Okay, nice. What do you view as the biggest opportunities for you right now?

[51:17] Liz Hand : Opportunities in. I would view my biggest opportunities right now to be actually just leveraging my intuition. Probably not the answer you were like, thinking of.

[51:34] Tara Bansal: No, I love that because I think all too often we diminish or don’t pay attention to our intuition. And I love that you’re highlighting that because I think most of us, that is our opportunities and to pay attention to it.

[51:53] Liz Hand : I think there is extreme power in intuition that is very unsettling for people who don’t get it because it’s like, where did you get this idea? Where did you get that concept?

[52:06] How did you know this information?

[52:09] And so societally, historically that that skill set has been squashed because it is dangerous if you don’t know where the source is.

[52:20] Well.

[52:21] Tara Bansal: And it’s not logical.

[52:22] Liz Hand : Like I said, it’s not logical because you can’t find. Yeah, right. Exactly. And so if you can’t logic your way to it, then society has trained us to just get rid of it.

[52:32] What I’ve noticed with my own intuition is that it is solid. I wrote a book last year that I haven’t put out into the world,

[52:41] but I wrote it completely from this space of flow, intuition of divine, like, spark of information and insight.

[52:52] And it’s really delightful. Like, it’s delightful to have. The way that it got written was fun.

[52:59] That it’s formed into a book that’s fun. And I think the opportunities that I have with that and I think it speaks to this really deep desire for abundance. That’s not the, like, mainstream way of talking about abundance.

[53:17] It’s like this super satisfying engagement with life is what the root of the book is. And I am just seeing a lot of opportunity to put that out into the world.

[53:26] Whether it’s through the insight series that I talked about earlier, whether it’s through social media channels, whether it’s the speaking opportunities, whether it’s actually getting it mass produced.

[53:36] I don’t know. We shall see. I’m going to continue following the nudges.

[53:41] Tara Bansal: Yeah. And that’s part of what I’m doing with this podcast is this is. Sounds fun to me and why I want to help others,

[53:53] like listen to their intuition and realize they don’t. I don’t know, their own power and their own interest and curiosity too. Because it should feel fun.

[54:03] Liz Hand : Right.

[54:03] Tara Bansal: And if it’s not, then okay, let’s. Let’s look at that or change that or. Yeah, yeah.

[54:11] What we’re at time and I. What question do you wish I had asked that? I didn’t.

[54:18] Liz Hand : Hmm.

[54:21] It’s not specific, but it kind of dovetails off of the list exchange that we had. And I think this is, like, just so important for women of this idea of doing work that’s enjoyable and really spending time to notice what is enjoyable.

[54:42] And it’ll start out like a pinprick of information on a. Like a pin ***** on a cloth that you can’t see through, but you can see just a little light coming through that little hole.

[54:53] And over time, that will expand and expand and expand. And when you expand, the joy, the. The satisfaction that you have with the work that you’re doing, and it really resonates for you.

[55:05] The power, the confidence, the community that’s built from that is massive. And I think that is what the world is really craving,

[55:14] which is why I’m so passionate about women being in the industry and, like, just encouraging women to stay. I think women get in the industry and leave, and we need women to stay.

[55:25] That also requires women advisors to be willing to drop the notion of only one woman gets to be at the table and remove our own sense of competition, of queen being women that come through a.

[55:43] A financial advising company that we disagree with because they have crummy business practices that we. That don’t land for us. It takes a while for people, if they just land in a mutual fund selling group, to evolve to financial planning or to coaching, and that’s okay.

[56:06] They’re allowed to be on that journey. And can we continue to support women wherever they land in the industry and to allow them to evolve? I’m very passionate about that.

[56:16] Tara Bansal: Very nice. What advice do you have for women entering this industry or for those that are already here?

[56:30] Liz Hand : You find what you’re looking for. So if you are trying to confirm that the world is cutthroat and financial services has cutthroat, you will find cutthroat.

[56:42] And if you want to find that financial services is a community, is building each other up, you will find those people. And when you find those people,

[56:53] those are a delightful group of people that really sharpen your sword while holding you.

[56:59] Like, we’re allowed to be human and we’re allowed to pursue excellence. Those are not two separate things. So look. Look for those people that really care, community that support.

[57:09] Tara Bansal: Yeah. And help you. Wonderful. Last question. What podcasts or books would you recommend or what. Maybe I should even phrase that. What do you. It doesn’t have to be that you listen to.

[57:23] It doesn’t have to be related to financial services or what.

[57:28] Liz Hand : What do you listen to candidly on that? I’ve stopped listening to podcasts, and I’ve stopped taking in most content that is generated for advisors, unless I’m just really intrigued by the title.

[57:42] And I found a lot more being the creative brain that I am. I really love Matt Haig.

[57:48] Tara Bansal: Okay.

[57:49] Liz Hand : He’s an author. He’s got.

[57:51] Tara Bansal: I know the name that I’ve.

[57:52] Liz Hand : That I’m. I’m just finishing up the second book, and it’s so good. The first book is Midnight Library.

[57:57] Tara Bansal: Oh, yeah. That’s how I know the name.

[57:59] Liz Hand : And the second book is Life Impossible. Life is Impossible.

[58:04] Something. Something like that. It’s a blue book, and it’s about water and this mysterious energy that’s in the water. And it’s so good. These are just novels.

[58:14] Tara Bansal: I’m a huge reader.

[58:15] Liz Hand : So they speak to this deeper human piece, which is our life can go any direction. We get to choose.

[58:22] And when you let go of what you thought could have been and live in the now, you have much possibility that comes from there. And so wonderful.

[58:35] Tara Bansal: And why did you choose? Why did you decide not to continue listening to podcasts?

[58:41] Liz Hand : And it’s just following my intuition. I, like, literally feel sick or feel a resistance within me where I used to feel like a craving of information. And so I’m just honoring that and not forcing myself to stay up with Kitsis or with anything.

[59:00] Carl Richards or any. Any of the other, like, really big names that I’m like, I should know what they’re saying, or maybe I shouldn’t, and maybe I should just let my own voice come forth.

[59:09] Maybe that’s why it’s doing that. So we’ll see.

[59:11] Tara Bansal: Oh, I like that idea of just, like, even not hearing the shoulds, just having the silence for you and your own creativity to come out.

[59:22] Liz Hand : Yeah, absolutely.

[59:24] Tara Bansal: Oh, I have so many more questions, but I’ll have you back if you’re willing.

[59:28] Liz Hand : Oh, yeah, yeah, absolutely.

[59:30] Tara Bansal: This was a delight for me.

[59:33] Wow.

[59:34] I hope you are enjoying these conversations half as much as I am enjoying them.

[59:42] Here’s just the random collection of highlights and what stood out to me.

[59:48] I loved Liz’s term of calling herself a person of great heart. I hope all of us in this community identify with that and agree with it, and I’m going to use that again.

[01:00:04] What stood out for me is also how many metaphors Liz used in talking about the different layers gave good pictures and additional meaning to how she was describing different things.

[01:00:21] I loved where she talked about that. Parts of her are still emerging and she’s giving herself space for that. I think that’s true for all of us and how intentional Liz is with thinking about that and wanting that.

[01:00:39] I loved her answer to the question of what podcast is she listening to and that she is choosing not to listen to podcasts right now to give herself that space and the silence to listen to herself and her own intuition.

[01:00:59] That is something else I feel like is a theme that’s been standing out to me. I do believe in women’s intuition and I want all of us to listen to ourselves and our intuition more.

[01:01:15] I think that will lead to more miracles, more being in the flow, and hopefully more alignment with what we want in our life. I like the idea of just the layers that the like the outer layer is investments, the next layer is financial planning and the inner core is more around transformation and coaching.

[01:01:40] That is where I want to focus. And just the way she described that I do think is true. Investments is one part of the financial planning, but financial planning I think of as bigger picture than just investments.

[01:01:58] And then the coaching is even more core and more central to what our clients want and what they’re looking for.

[01:02:10] I thought it was funny how she hates the stereotype of being a financial planner. And I can relate to this. When I go out to dinner with girlfriends, they often say you’re, you’re the money person, you figure it out.

[01:02:26] And I also agree with Liz. I don’t really enjoy that and to be honest, I hate doing my taxes and people just assume that is something I like. It’s very different to me than the holistic planning and troubleshooting and solution looking part of being a financial planner and life coach.

[01:02:54] I also like how she emphasized how common it is for people to be disengaged with their money. And that’s a role I think we can do as women and especially female financial advisors.

[01:03:12] I think we are good at trying to help people engage with their money because as I always say, maybe I say it too much. What is the money for? And in order to know that, you have to engage with it and get in alignment with your values and how you want to use your money.

[01:03:32] But those. I mean there were many other golden nuggets, but those are the few that just stood out to me. I would love to hear your thoughts and what stood out to you.

[01:03:45] Until next time,

[01:03:47] have a great day. Thank you for listening to her life, her practice, her way. A podcast for and about female financial advisors. I truly hope you have enjoyed this podcast and got some value from it.

[01:04:01] If so I would love to ask a favor of you. Please go to Apple Podcasts or Spotify and rate and review my podcast. This will help me get the word out to other amazing like minded female financial advisors.

[01:04:16] You can also send it to a friend or two who you think would gain something from listening to it. I’m wishing you the very best.

[01:04:23] Liz Hand : The opinions expressed on this show are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individuals. To determine which investments or solutions may be appropriate for you, consult with your attorney, accountant, financial advisor or tax advisor prior to investing securities offered through Kestra Investment Services llc.

[01:04:44] Kestra is member FINRA SIPC Investment Advisory Services offered through Kestra Advisory Services llc. Kestra as an affiliate of Kestra IS Pleasant Wealth LLC is not an affiliate of Kestra IS or Kestra as.

[01:04:59] Neither Kestra IS nor Kestra AS provides legal or tax advice.

https://www.lizhandcoaching.com/

https://pleasantwealth.com/

www.youtube.com/ElizabethHandCFP/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethkhand

https://www.facebook.com/elizabethkateh

Stephanie Bogan‘s Limitless Advisor Program – limitlessadviser.com

Matt Haig

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

The Great Plains IDEA CFP Program – greatplainsidea.org

Book Mention: The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Facebook Group – Pleasant Financial Conversations (Women-focused financial education community)

Liz Hand is a dynamic Mindset Coach and Certified Financial Planner who specializes in transformative professional development for financial planners. Drawing from her experience as co-owner of Pleasant Wealth, LLC, she brings a unique perspective to helping advisors reshape their practices and personal approaches to success.

Liz’s coaching goes beyond traditional business strategies. She focuses on helping financial advisors build resilience, align their professional goals with personal values, and achieve sustainable growth while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Her approach blends financial expertise with insightful mindset coaching, enabling advisors to overcome challenges and create meaningful, purpose-driven practices.

Liz guides financial advisors through transformative change and helps them reimagine their potential, develop confident leadership skills, and create practices that not only achieve financial success but also bring joy and fulfillment to their professional lives.