Sept. 11, 2024

StrongHer Money: Christine Wedell's Mission to Educate and Empower Women

"I believe in this mission of helping educate women, helping women live financially fearless."

Welcome back to WomenShare: a celebration of women in financial services. In this episode, our Leah and Joanna sit down with Christine Wedell, cofounder of StrongHer Money and a prominent financial advisor at Volare Wealth Advisors, to discuss holistic financial planning with a focus on the importance of financial stability, health, and social connections for a successful and happy retirement.

Christine Wedell, who describes herself as a "financial life coach," brings a unique perspective to financial planning. For Christine, it’s not just about managing money but also about envisioning a fulfilling life. She shares her own journey from growing up in a financially tense household to becoming a successful financial advisor dedicated to empowering women with financial knowledge.

Key Takeaways:

The Three Pillars of a Happy Retirement:

  1. Financial Investment: While necessary, financial investment is only one aspect. Christine emphasizes that financial planning should integrate life vision and purpose, not just wealth accumulation.
  2. Social Network: Christine underscores the importance of spending quality time with loved ones. A robust social network helps prevent loneliness and boosts mental well-being, which are crucial components of a fulfilling retirement.
  3. Health: Both mental and physical health are vital. Christine advocates proactively investing in health before retirement to ensure reduced healthcare costs and better mobility in the future.

 

Holistic Client Care:

  • Christine believes that caring for clients should go beyond financial advice. She nurtures a deep, familial-like bond with her clients, sharing in both their joys and struggles.
  • She promotes the idea that women, with their empathetic and nurturing traits, make exceptional financial advisors.

 

Career Advice and Industry Insights:

  • Christine delivers impactful career advice with phrases like, "Get comfortable being uncomfortable" and "No is a complete sentence."
  • She identifies a need for more women in the financial advisory industry, attributing the current underrepresentation to the profession’s “salesy” image. She advocates for a more educational and nurturing approach to financial advice.
  • Christine discusses her transition from banking to financial planning and the importance of financial education for women, regardless of their wealth status.

 

StrongHer Money and Mentorship:

  • "StrongHer Money," co-founded by Christine, is an initiative aimed at educating women and boosting their confidence in managing finances.
  • The first public event for StrongHer Money faced logistical challenges, but it reaffirmed Christine's mission to provide an inviting space for women to discuss financial matters openly.
  • The importance of having visible female role models and mentors in the industry is highlighted, as Christine credits her own growth to mentorship from Shannon Spotswood and Stephanie Bogan.

 

Partnership with RFG Advisory:

  • Since joining RFG Advisory in 2017, Christine has found a supportive environment to further her mission. She emphasizes prioritizing the mission over profits, believing that financial success will naturally follow purpose-driven efforts.

 

Health and Financial Wellness:

  • Christine integrates physical fitness into her financial advisory approach, advocating for holistic wellness. She organizes events focused on stress relief and physical fitness, promoting activities that enhance both health and financial longevity.

 

Transcript

Christine Wedell [00:00:00]:
My response to that is it isn't sales, it's educating and nurturing and and empathy and, you know, heart first. You know, we talk at RFG a lot about servant heart, warrior mindset. And so I think women need to see that to know, like, yeah, I can do that. Like, I can't sell this product, but I could be this problem solver.

Leah Alter [00:00:33]:
Hi there. Thanks so much for joining us. I'm Leah Alter.

Joanna Ehresman [00:00:37]:
And I'm Joanna Ehresman. And this is WomenShare,

Leah Alter [00:00:40]:
a celebration of women in financial services. Before we get into today's episode, we'd like to thank Catchlight, our presenting sponsor of WomenShare. Catchlight helps firms save time and grow AUM by predicting which leads will most likely convert and suggest content and ways to engage them. Learn more at catchlight.ai/womenshare. That's catchlight.ai/womenshare.

Joanna Ehresman [00:01:09]:
Great. Well, today, we're so happy to welcome Christine Wedell, a wealth adviser with Volare Wealth Advisors. Chris isn't your average financial adviser, however. Driven by a personal mission to empower women with financial knowledge, she helps clients navigate every stage of their financial journey. Chris is also a cofounder of StrongHer Money, an educational platform specifically designed to shatter financial barriers for women. But her story goes even deeper. Finance wasn't always a source of strength in her life, and we're about to hear how Chris turned her financial experiences into a passion for empowering others. Abby Salome at RFG Advisory introduced us to Chris, and we want to thank RFG Advisory for being today's pay it forward sponsor, where past women share guests can support our mission by sponsoring a future episode.

Joanna Ehresman [00:01:58]:
So thank you, Abby and RFG. RFG Advisory is an award winning support platform for independent advisors, empowering them to focus on what they do best, serving their clients. Learn more at rfgadvisory.com. So, Chris, thank you so much for joining us, and welcome to WomenShare.

Christine Wedell [00:02:16]:
Thank you so much for having me. I am truly, like, honored and humbled. This is, this is awesome. Thank you.

Leah Alter [00:02:24]:
We are so excited that you're you're with us today. And when the team at RFG Advisory introduced us to you, it was such an immediate yes for us, and we're just so excited to have you come on and share your story with our listeners. So let's start there. You've shared that growing up, money was a source of pain and tension for your family. Can you tell us more about that and how it's really influenced your drive in becoming an adviser and the clients that you serve?

Christine Wedell [00:02:56]:
Absolutely. I think it's helpful, to note a few things. 1, I am the oldest of 6 children, and we are all about a year ish apart.

Leah Alter [00:03:09]:
And

Christine Wedell [00:03:09]:
we grew up I actually looked this up because I wanted to know specifically, you know, the upbringing I had. We grew up in a house that had a little over a 1000 square feet, you know, 1 bathroom, and was on a lot that was less than 4,000 square feet in size. So when I say, like, money was a source of financial tension growing up, like, I just kinda wanted to paint that that picture. And funny enough, like, growing up, I didn't feel like we were poor necessarily, like, it I just all my needs were met. Right? But there there was certainly, like, a lot of tension in the household over money decisions, and I I knew we didn't have a lot, you know, there weren't, you know, big family trips. I didn't have the coolest new tennis shoes, you know, I didn't have a lot of name brand anything. So I just I knew I knew we were lacking. And I knew my parents really they weren't educated on the subject of money.

Christine Wedell [00:04:10]:
And I just remember kinda always growing up thinking, like, I am never gonna fight with my husband about money, like, the way they do. Like, I there I just can't live like this. I can't imagine, like, this being a fight forever. There's gotta be a better way. Like, I wanna understand it. I I don't understand. They don't understand it, so my parents certainly can't teach me. And that, I I think, just all those years and those experiences is what kinda drove me to, you know, my first, career in finance was actually in banking.

Christine Wedell [00:04:45]:
So it was, like, literally the simple, you know, how does balancing a checkbook work? Let's understand loans and the impact of a credit score and finance charges and, like, overdraft charges and, you know, just, like, the most basic of concepts that, that I got to learn just by being a bank employee immediately after college. And that, that opened the doors to, like, something bigger, which is not just making money and saving money and paying bills on time, but it's investing money, you know. And that's where really the, where really one could change the trajectory of, like, your past. So it doesn't repeat in the future is, I believe through education and and, you know, making those bigger kind of decisions with your money. And so that's really what attracted me to financial planning and investment management and kinda crossing over the bridge from banking to something bigger.

Joanna Ehresman [00:05:51]:
Well and I can imagine that your story, you know, your history here, like, really resonates with client. Like, it's a great we we've talked about the power of your why, right, in establishing your brand and and who you are as as an advisor or who your firm is. And have you found that to be an common connection with many of your clients or something that resonates?

Christine Wedell [00:06:15]:
For sure. There's a lot, I have a lot of clients that, you know, earned everything they have. Right?

Leah Alter [00:06:20]:
There's Yes.

Christine Wedell [00:06:21]:
Self made. That's right. They are completely self made. They don't feel that they're really wealthy. Right? Because they didn't always have it. So there's a different mindset, I think, that scarcity mindset of when you when you, you know, grow up or or kind of, you know, earn your own way through it, I think there's this there's this kind of fear that you could lose it at any time and you don't wanna go back to where you were. So, yeah, there's certainly a lot of relatability there. You know, it's interesting.

Christine Wedell [00:06:51]:
I've also learned, and I know we'll get into some of the work with stronger money that, you know, there's especially with women, there's just, like, that that educational piece to to what I love about what I do. Like, that doesn't matter for women that have had a lot growing up or not. For some reason, like, women across the board just feel like they didn't have proper education related to money. So that was something that was, you know, that I only experienced through the work that I do with, like, the the women's initiatives. So whereas was like, wow, it's not just, you know, the the poor people that need help, You know?

Joanna Ehresman [00:07:33]:
Yeah. Yeah.

Christine Wedell [00:07:35]:
Specifically, women really, really, really, really need education.

Joanna Ehresman [00:07:41]:
Well and I wonder too. We're actually it's making me think, like, in past episodes, we've talked with our guests about the fact that women have a tendency to want to check all the boxes, you know, and make sure, yes, I meet all of these requirements before we do anything. And I'm what's occurring to me as you're talking is I wonder if that's an element of regardless of your financial background as a woman, do we feel this need to really educate ourselves in order to feel comfortable getting into making more financial decisions and having that kind of empowerment? I I don't know. This is me Yeah. Philosophizing on the fly. Right? But being

Leah Alter [00:08:18]:
having enough money saved and having enough debt paid off and having enough, like, all of those kind of boxes being, like, okay. Once I do all of those things, then I'll start to invest.

Christine Wedell [00:08:30]:
And worry about the next phase. I think you're right. Right. I think women, that yeah. They have this tendency to like I don't know. For some reason, we limit ourselves a little bit with that kinda check the box thinking. It's the same when I think about, do I need an estate plan, like, I'm not rich. I don't have, you know, I don't need an estate plan if I'm not wealthy.

Christine Wedell [00:08:49]:
And it's like, no, if if you have assets, you need an estate plan. And it's like, if you have earnings, you should be investing kinda kinda thought process. Right? But for for some reason and I think that's just again, the lack of education. I mean, really that the financial services industry for a long time, you know, has failed to provide, and I think it prevents a lot of people from thinking they're quote qualified to be making these big time decisions. And it's like it's really not that, you know, as soon as you graduate, most jobs anymore have a 401 k plan. And and so you have to make investment decisions for some folks as young as 18 years old, certainly in your early twenties. So to think that you should check certain boxes on, did I save enough? Is my debt in check? You know, did I buy a house yet? Or whatever it is that's in your head, am I married? That's that thinking has to go away and that has to be part of the education process because, you're being presented with investment decisions regardless. Like, whether you like it or not, you have to be ready for it.

Joanna Ehresman [00:09:53]:
It's such a good point. Well and this actually goes very naturally into StrongHer Money. So we'd love to hear about that educational platform, the mission, and and what you're up to with StrongHer.

Christine Wedell [00:10:05]:
Yeah. So I guess I should probably step back a little bit. I affiliated with RFG advisory back in 2017. And, at the time, Shannon Spotswood was the president of the firm. She is now the CEO, which, and a podcast which is celebrating women in financial services, is super exciting to be able to say. I think, you know, for me, for the first time publicly, that was just announced last week. So, anyways, that kind of being the background, I met Shannon obviously in 2017, and, you know, she and I kind of brainstormed this strong her money idea, which is, like, women need more education, you know, like, the majority of money is gonna be controlled by women by 2030. Like, we've seen all the statistics, and back in 2017, we were talking about this.

Christine Wedell [00:10:56]:
And so we literally, like, whiteboarded stronger money, like, the mission. We wanna help women live financially fearless. How are we gonna do this? We're gonna have meetups, in person events, like, just started dreaming it and had the first event in 2018. Now, something you should know about Shannon is, if you haven't met her, I mean, she's just she's amazing. She's a doer. Right? Like, she's and she has been such a great role model for me because she has always nudged me just to the, like, edge of my comfort zone. And so if you would

Leah Alter [00:11:35]:
so important to have in your life. Right? I mean,

Christine Wedell [00:11:38]:
if you would have told me back in 2017 that, part of what I do for a living would be getting up in front of groups of people and speaking, I would have said no way. Like, I I was perfectly content just, like, helping the people that I helped on a daily basis. I felt like I I was kinda coasting. Life was good, and I I I didn't have to get out there. And Shannon was like, oh, no. Like, you're gonna like, you someone has to do it, and why wouldn't it be you? And I thought, well, why wouldn't it be me? And, so here we are, you know, 6 years later, and I probably do anywhere from 6 to 12 events a year where I'm just getting up in front of groups of women and helping educate them. And I will tell you after the first one, that was when it hit me that it didn't matter what someone's financial background was. Like, there was a need for this kind of, you know, intimidation free discussion kinda setting to get women together where they can share experiences and stories and learn from one another and ask questions were just just freely.

Christine Wedell [00:12:48]:
Right? And there was just there was real magic to it. And if I'm perfectly honest, the first event we ever did was a total flop. I mean, the room was a disaster. The lighting, the sound, like, it was terrible. I left in tears. But what I learned from it was women needed it and wanted it, and that I had to, you know, alright, make it better and do it better going forward. And now it's my favorite part of what I get to do is bring women together in a room, and let's talk about money, which is amazing because that's women would literally rather talk about anything than money. And the fact that I can get, you know, 20 to 40 people in a room to specifically talk about money, it's awesome.

Christine Wedell [00:13:36]:
You know, it's my I think it's my purpose.

Leah Alter [00:13:39]:
We your passion certainly comes through when you talk about it. And, you know, it sounds congratulations to Shannon. That's, like, amazing. You know, that is a theme we see a lot is the women that we have on the show have had these really strong women that have mentored them and sponsored them throughout their career to push them because they saw in them maybe things they didn't see in themselves. So what an amazing opportunity to have someone like her in your life. So

Christine Wedell [00:14:14]:
That's and now we have Abby on the team. So it's, like, super firepower. Yeah. Yeah. It's a lot of fun.

Leah Alter [00:14:21]:
Team for sure. Well, I can't lie. I got pretty excited when I looked at the Blair Wealth Advisor website and saw that you have a predominantly female team. Yes. So you're definitely practicing what you're preaching to, which is amazing. So can you talk a little more about why advocating for bringing more women into the industry is important to you? And what do you think, as an industry, we could be doing to help attract and usher more women in?

Christine Wedell [00:14:53]:
Oh, that's a great question and something that for the past couple of months has been just, like, center, you know, of my thought processes almost every day. I had this epiphany. I work with Stephanie Bogan who's a, you know, financial advisor coach, and and, you know, she was helping me craft my vision for Valere. And I've always said for years, you know, I just I just wanna help as many people as I can without sacrificing the time I give to my family, which is really hard to do because we all only have 24 hours in a day. And and, you know, she kinda if you know her, you love her and you would know what I mean when I say she was kind of in my face pretty hard one day about, well, what do you do that's so different, that's so important, like, could nobody else be an advisor the way you're an advisor? And and and made me kind of say out loud, well, I guess I just have to clone myself, And and then it hit me, I said, oh my gosh. In order to help more people, I need to clone myself. I need there needs to be I need to create or find or develop more financial advisers. That's the only way I can help more people is to have there needs to be more female advisers.

Christine Wedell [00:16:06]:
And and to answer your question, like, I've been kinda racking my brain on, why aren't there more females? This is the best the best industry, I think, for women. I mean, we have that work life balance. I have, you know, 2 sons of my own, 5 kids if I count the bonus kids, and and I'm running my own company and and I have kind of my own schedule and, you know, you you can put as much into it as you want. So I think there's a a few reasons we don't have as many women and maybe it answers the question answers the question of what needs to change or what needs to happen to get more women in. You know, 1, women have seen a a lot of male financial advisors do it the way a lot of males do it, which comes across very salesy. And I think a lot of women say, like, I just don't wanna sell. I don't wanna be a salesperson, and and I understand why they think that and why they've why they think that, you know, this is the way it is. And my response to that is it isn't sales, it's educating and nurturing and and empathy and, you know, heart first, you know, we talk at RFG a lot about servant heart, warrior mindset.

Christine Wedell [00:17:24]:
And so I think women need to see that to know, like, yeah, I can do that. Like, I can't sell this product, but I could be this problem solver. Right? So there needs to be, like, a path for women to have a a role model or someone they can follow in their footsteps, and I I think that leads to the other issue of, you know, I think a lot of women, especially in the independent channel, kind of think you have to, you know, we use phrases like eat what you kill, which means, hey, like, you're gonna earn what you can earn, you know, you build your business and and that's how you make money. And I think we've haven't created a lot of paths where women can just earn a really healthy w two kind of salary, like, not everybody wants to eat what they kill. Yes. Some people just wanna do good and get compensated appropriately and not be an admin behind the scenes and and feel like they're making a difference in the world. So I think we gotta create more of those more paths like that for women to get into the space where they can be just heavily rewarded today and not have to worry about, quote, having their own business if they don't want their own business. So I think there has to be more, you know, developing from within, but then allowing, you know, women that are willing to, you know, they they have their own books, they have their, and they're they're looking to plug into a team that, so they don't feel like they're on an island.

Christine Wedell [00:18:58]:
Like, I want Belair to provide that too. So I kinda I see a path to growth for advisors at least for our firm, in a couple of ways. And one is, you know, existing advisors that are looking for a home and to not feel like they're on an island and and then kind of, a path for, like, para planners or assistance that say, hey, no, I wanna do more and I believe in this mission of helping educate women, helping women live financially fearless. And by all means, we don't just have female clients, but, you know, 90% of the couples we work with are gonna end up with the female making the decisions at the end of the day. So, you know, that's why this mission is important. So I don't know. I just think the financial services has industry really as a whole has to look at paths for developing from within, and, sadly, a lot of male advisers really like their support staff as is because it helps them make a lot of money, and it's not doesn't really help them to move that person out of the shadows and into the spotlight. And that has to change.

Leah Alter [00:20:03]:
Well and even just the language. Right? Like, eat what you kill is just not language that is attractive to most women. Right? We're not we're not really the hunters. I'm not I mean, that's a general you know, I'm generalizing a little bit, but language does matter.

Christine Wedell [00:20:20]:
I

Leah Alter [00:20:20]:
think a lot of times.

Christine Wedell [00:20:22]:
And how sad that, like, I said that phrase, and we all knew exactly what that meant because we've been in the industry long enough. I mean, heck, I got into the industry in 2,006, So I've heard all the phrases. You know? Yeah. And some I would never ever repeat.

Joanna Ehresman [00:20:39]:
Well and I think that's a really important and specific point that you make though about the compensation models and how innovation in that space to attract more people, you know, that, like you said, are maybe looking for it's not that they don't want the upside because there's a lot of upside in a variable compensation model, but maybe that's not the number one goal for them, and it's more about stability and making an impact. And, yeah, just in past experience where we were experimenting with a lot of different compensation models, I think I just had a number of conversations, and not just with women, but, like, how hard it was specifically for a next generation adviser to come in and build their book to the point where it was financially viable. Like, they're doing the calculus of, gosh. Can I take a compensation hit for 5 years with in order to hit these growth benchmarks, in order to get to that earning threshold? And, anyway, it's really

Christine Wedell [00:21:32]:
Yeah. And it's and it's been something I'm exploring. Like, obviously, we all wanna be profitable, but I think there's just a bigger mission at large here. And there's a lot of people that need help and there's gonna be a lot of women that need education and, you know, the majority of women wanna work with women. So there's certainly space, you know, for for growth for females in this industry, but it's gonna take a lot more than a handful of people to say, okay, I'm willing to invest in that.

Joanna Ehresman [00:22:02]:
Yeah.

Christine Wedell [00:22:02]:
And I I think if your priority isn't, you know, the the dollars first, and yes, the dollars have to be part of the conversation. But if it isn't, you know, profit first, then I think it becomes easier to see okay. I mean, at least for me, the goal is helping people. And if at the end of the day, I've learned that I physically have to help less people in order to be able to help more people. If I take the time from maybe a handful of clients and invest that time into potential advisors and each of those advisors could help a couple 100 clients, well, we can see how that that math, plays out and and you can just serve more people. And I believe when you kinda put the the mission of people first, you know, I don't know. I think the dollars just follow naturally.

Joanna Ehresman [00:22:54]:
Yeah. They take care of themselves. Yeah.

Christine Wedell [00:22:56]:
That's right. Mhmm.

Joanna Ehresman [00:22:57]:
Yeah. Oh, I love that. Such such a great perspective. Before we get to our next question, however, I think it's safe to assume that you, as a listener, like podcasts that help you with professional goals. Well, we've got a recommendation for you. Our presenting sponsor, Catchlight, hosts the Grow Organically podcast, where Dan Gilmartin, head of marketing at Catchlight, holds candid discussions with wealth management and financial pros.

Leah Alter [00:23:22]:
Each episode breaks down growth factors at wealth management firms and how organizations can continue to be forward thinkers in today's competitive landscape. Add Grow Organically to your podcast rotation. You can learn more at catchlot.ai/womenshare.

Joanna Ehresman [00:23:41]:
Okay. So, Chris, back to you. Now another area that you shared with us is that link between physical and financial wellness is part of what you educate people on, and you are personally a self proclaimed health enthusiast. I love it. I think from what I could gather in, you know, getting getting to know your background, it seems like you're a pretty phenomenal athlete. But health enthusiast, it is. Okay. So let's I'd love to hear more about, how you integrate health and wealth in your client relationships.

Christine Wedell [00:24:10]:
Yeah. Thank you. I I appreciate this, you know, opportunity to talk about health and wealth. It's become, a bigger focus here in the past year or 2. You know, in the beginning, it was just money, money, money. But I I firmly believe advisors, we're gonna have to do a lot more than just talk about investments and dollars in financial planning. You know, I think I consider myself more of a financial life coach, if you will. And so it's not just about do I have enough dollars to retire, it's about, you know, what does that look like in helping clients with kind of that life vision, if you will.

Christine Wedell [00:24:51]:
You know, I think money is money is just the tool that gets us from point a to point b. It gets us to where we wanna go. And if we don't know what that is, then, well, the dollars are gonna be kinda spent without intention. So, when I think about retiring and retiring happily, I I believe there are 3 pillars to that. And so money is the one we focus on, and it's certainly one of the pillars, but I don't think it's the, you know, really the most important. One of those is your social network. So who are you spending time with, family and friends? And I think a lot of times, we don't think about investing time with the people we love. And then, you know, in retirement, that could be very lonely.

Christine Wedell [00:25:36]:
And that's, you know, loneliness is not great for mental health and and and that health aspect. But then, the the third pillar is health, and that's both mental and physical health. And not only because being healthy makes retirement cost less, right, because you don't have as many medications or doctors bills, but it's the kind of lifestyle that you can have. Can you travel? Can you move? Are you mobile? And so I'm just a a big believer that, investing in your health, you know, before retirement will pay dividends later on. You know, I've I've always been an athlete, you know, so, of course, that's, you know, part of why it's been ingrained in me to to be healthy. It just feels good for me. But I've also seen in family members, you know, what happens when you're and even clients when you're not mobile. Right? And

Joanna Ehresman [00:26:30]:
Yeah.

Christine Wedell [00:26:30]:
And there's a there's, you know, there are 76 year old clients that you would never guess. They're 76 because they're out and about and doing this and not only have the health aspect going on, but the social aspect of their lives going on. And then I've seen very unhealthy, you know, 50 year olds. And I I don't know. I just to me, I don't I don't want people to just live and, you know, breathe in and out. I want them to live. You know? So we started in our Stronger Money events, talking about, you know, earlier this year, a lot of stress relieving techniques, you know, how to get ahead of your stress or deal with your stress in the, in, in the interim. Tonight, I actually am doing an event where we have a personal trainer as a guest speaker who's just gonna talk about, you know, movements that you should be doing as you age.

Christine Wedell [00:27:25]:
As women, we know, like, muscular strength is in is important for bone health and and so I think it's just all kind of interrelated. So I wanna talk about it more and and get out there and ask clients, hey, what are you doing? You know, movement wise, you've been working out, you're going on walks. Like, I just like to kind of plant the seeds. I had a woman last week say, I know you're big on this health stuff, and I I've been walking, and I need to lift weights. So, like, who do you know? Like, I need some who should I talk to? And, you know, people is starting to create a little buzz, and I don't know. That's exciting for me because I know they'll be happier. And and that's just, you know, that's the kind of, happiness spreads. It's contagious.

Christine Wedell [00:28:08]:
So I I am all all for a little positivity in this world that can be dark and negative sometimes.

Leah Alter [00:28:16]:
Yeah. Absolutely. And that's I mean, it's also such a great way to show your clients how much you care about them beyond a financial plan or a bank statement. Right? That, like, you're really invested in their holistic health and and having a a happy retirement. Right? Like, getting to do all the things they want to do, and not just, stop working.

Christine Wedell [00:28:42]:
Yeah. I've always said, you know, our clients are are like family, and I I believe that. And and, again, I think that's just another reason women make such great advisers. I think we do care, you know. I'm not saying not saying men don't care about their clients. I would never say that, but there's just some empathetic, nurturing effect that women have. Right? Like like, we take care of people that we care about, like, they're our own. We just do it.

Christine Wedell [00:29:10]:
We are like mama bears. We're a bunch of mama bears inside. And, so I do, like, I truly care and when they, you know, when they cry, I cry. And when they celebrate, I'm celebrating with them. And and again, I just think that's why women make such great advisers because I don't think I'm the only one that has this kind of relationship with their clients. God, I hope not.

Leah Alter [00:29:36]:
Okay, Carissa. So we ask every guest that comes on the show, what is the best career advice that you've ever received?

Christine Wedell [00:29:44]:
Okay. Well, I kinda got 2. Get comfortable being uncomfortable. And I think that's how we got here with stronger money and things to spend.

Leah Alter [00:29:54]:
You live in that one. Of it.

Christine Wedell [00:29:55]:
That's right. Live in that one. But more recently, no is a complete sentence.

Leah Alter [00:30:03]:
Oh. That's a good one.

Christine Wedell [00:30:05]:
Yeah. Oh. Yeah. Boundaries are okay. Boundaries are good.

Leah Alter [00:30:12]:
Yeah. Well, and, it creates such a healthy way to relate.

Christine Wedell [00:30:19]:
And it's and you don't have to apologize for everything you don't want to or can't do. Right?

Joanna Ehresman [00:30:23]:
Yes.

Christine Wedell [00:30:24]:
It's just it's no. No. Thanks. Like, not no. I would, but I'm sorry. Why why do women do this? Like, stop feeling bad. Like, we already carry the weight of the world, right, on our shoulders. We're we're taking care of our children and our parents and everybody all the time, and no is a complete sentence.

Leah Alter [00:30:45]:
Mic drop. Mic drop. I know.

Joanna Ehresman [00:30:48]:
As a mom of 3 boys, I'm definitely conveying that to them. Yes.

Christine Wedell [00:30:53]:
Yes. I love it.

Joanna Ehresman [00:30:54]:
Okay. And then, so, Chris, one other question for you. What can we celebrate with you today beyond your professional life?

Christine Wedell [00:31:01]:
Oh, goodness. Beyond my professional life. You know, I've got the coolest family I mentioned earlier. I have 5, you know, total kids and bonus kids ranging in age from 17 to 10. And, you know, I'm just so blessed to have them get along with each other with, you know, my husband with my boys and me with his girls. And, yeah, I that's something I celebrate and I'm grateful for every day.

Leah Alter [00:31:35]:
Yes. Fantastic. Celebrating with you. Blended families are so beautiful.

Christine Wedell [00:31:40]:
Right.

Joanna Ehresman [00:31:40]:
And appreciating the harmony, right, when it's there. Like Oh, yeah. Not taking it for granted.

Leah Alter [00:31:47]:
That's amazing. Well, Chris, this flew by. It has been such a fantastic conversation. Thank you so much for being here and for sharing your story. It has been enlightening and educational, and we're just really, really appreciative of that.

Christine Wedell [00:32:04]:
Thank you for having me. I appreciate you both. Thanks so much.

Leah Alter [00:32:08]:
Once again, we wanna give a shout out to to Catch Lite for backing our mission here at WomenShare. Catch Lite's platform can build data rich profiles and score your leads to help you increase efficiency and improve conversion. Check them out at catchlight.ai/womenshare.

Joanna Ehresman [00:32:27]:
With that, that is our show for today. If ours is a mission that you want to share in, subscribe to WomenShare on your favorite podcast platform. With that, I'm Joanna Erisman.

Leah Alter [00:32:37]:
And I'm Leah Alter, and we'll catch you on the next episode of WomenShare.

Christine Wedell Profile Photo

Christine Wedell

Financial Planner / Mom / Health Enthusiast

Chris is an award-winning Certified Financial Planner™ and Wealth Advisor who is passionate about helping her clients create powerful plans and make smart choices as they prepare for a secure, rewarding financial future. She helps clients at every stage in their lives, from starting out, to wealth building, to retirement and beyond.

“I became a Financial Advisor because I grew up in a house where money was the source of a lot of pain and tension. I vowed to not only build a different future for myself but to raise my family with the peace of mind that only comes from financial literacy and planning.”

Chris is the co-founder of StrongHer Money, an educational platform designed to help women take control of their financial lives. She is also a Certified Financial Planner® and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®. Chris is a seven-time recipient of the Five Star Wealth Manager Award as featured in St. Louis Magazine*.

Chris and her husband, Rick, are health enthusiasts who love to travel with their five awesome children.