Her Life, Her Practice, Her Way

What This First Season Taught Me

As Tara closes out the first season of Her Life, Her Practice, Her Way, she reflects on what these conversations have revealed—about the profession, about the women in it, and about herself. Through powerful themes like mentorship, meaningful work, and the desire to build a life that feels aligned, Tara shares what stood out the most from her conversations with this inaugural season of female financial advisors. She also speaks candidly about the quiet struggles many women face—juggling too much, navigating an industry that hasn’t always been built or welcoming for them, and questioning whether they belong. This episode is both a reflection and an invitation—to think differently, to create more space, and to trust yourself in building a life and practice that truly fits. Before taking a break, Tara shares what’s next, what she’s still figuring out, and why she believes this work—and this community—matters more than ever.

From Tax to Planning: Joanne Burke’s Path to Birch Street Advisors

Joanne Burke [https://birchstreetadvisors.com/about-me] didn’t start her career in financial planning. She began in tax at KPMG, working with ultra-high-net-worth families and developing deep technical expertise. But over time she realized that what interested her most wasn’t just the numbers—it was the conversations about what people actually wanted their lives to look like. That realization led Joanne to build Birch Street Advisors [https://birchstreetadvisors.com/], where she focuses on thoughtful planning and long-term client relationships. In this episode of Her Life, Her Practice, Her Way [https://herlifeherpracticeherway.com/podcast/], Tara talks with Joanne Burke about her journey from tax to planning, the courage it takes to evolve your career, and how her definition of success has changed over time. Joanne also shares how she is entering the next phase of her firm—hiring and mentoring a new team member—and what she hopes the future of her practice will look like. It’s a thoughtful conversation about clarity, growth, and building a practice that supports the life you actually want to live.

Passionate Clarity: Impact and Enough with Ella Taylor

What happens when you get crystal clear about your impact — and equally clear about what is enough for you? In this episode, Tara sits down with Oakland-based CFP®, Ella Taylor [https://www.ellafinancialadvising.com/] to explore environmental sustainability, systemic investing, philanthropy, and designing a life that truly fits. Ella’s mission is bold: move as much capital as possible toward positive impact for our planet and the people on it. Her firm integrates sustainable investing, shareholder engagement, philanthropy consulting, and systemic investing — all grounded in deep, relational financial planning. But this conversation is about more than investing. Motherhood reshaped her ambition. She paused growing her firm. She stopped taking new clients for more than two years. She redefined what “enough” looked like. And now she is growing again — with more clarity and intention than ever. In this episode, we explore: * What systemic investing really means * Why outsourcing felt harder than it looked * How scarcity mindset can hide inside high performers * Designing a firm around your values * Letting ambition evolve without losing your drive * Defining success on your own terms Ella reminds us that impact does not require burnout — and that success can expand and evolve as we do. Episode Highlights * From pastry chef to CFP® — and rediscovering creativity inside finance * Launching her firm at the start of COVID and feeling unexpectedly abundant * Environmental sustainability as a true north * What “systemic investing” means and why it’s the next iteration of impact investing * Including a philanthropic consultant as part of the advisory experience * Wrestling with money scarcity while building a thriving firm * Extending maternity leave and pausing growth without regret * Redefining ambition and deciding what “enough” looks like * Choosing 60 households, four days a week, and deep relationships as her version of success * Hiring from alignment, not urgency

What Is Enough? with Melissa Yano

Melissa Yano [https://capitalwealthplanner.com/team/melissa-yano/] didn’t get into financial planning because it was some lifelong dream. She got into it because she thought she needed it as a young single mom. Growing up, money was a source of stress and wasn’t talked about. It wasn’t something that was taught but she thought it was something she should learn so she started taking the financial planning classes and kept going. She enrolled in a CFP program because she wanted and needed those skills for herself. She then wanted to help others with the knowledge and skills that she had learned. She knew that this information could make a difference in people’s lives. Today, Melissa owns her own firm, Capital Wealth Planners [https://capitalwealthplanner.com/], and primarily works with small business owners — many of them women who are the primary breadwinners in their families like she is. She understands them deeply because she had to learn how to run her own business too. She wasn’t trying to become a business expert — she had to become one. In this conversation, we talk about: * Why money is a learned skill (and why no one should feel embarrassed about not knowing it) * The pressure women feel in this industry to prove themselves * Choosing depth over scale * Letting go of “more is better” * And defining what “enough” really looks like Melissa loves the impact she has on her clients’ lives. She helps business owners move from just trying to make ends meet… to being strategic, intentional, and building something that supports both today and their future. There is always more to learn in this profession. And there is always more room to grow — not just financially, but personally. This conversation felt honest and steady. I could relate to so many of the things Melissa said. I hope the episode gives you permission to build your practice — and your life — in a way that truly fits you. Episode Highlights * Melissa’s path into financial planning as a single mom who needed and wanted the skills for herself * Growing up without conversations about money — and how that shaped her mission * Why money is a learned skill, not a moral judgment * Becoming a business owner — and realizing she had to learn how to run one and once again wanting to share that knowledge and expertise * Working with small business owners who are often just trying to “keep the doors open” * Helping clients shift from reactive to strategic * The unique pressures women face in a male-dominated industry * Choosing a smaller, deeper practice instead of chasing scale * Delegating, outsourcing, and creating margin for herself * Defining what “enough” looks like — personally and professionally

Kim Abmeyer: Becoming the Advisor You’re Meant to Be

In this episode, Tara talks with Kim Abmeyer [https://wealth.ascentis.co/team/kim-abmeyer-cfa-cfp-ea/], founding equity partner of Ascentis Wealth [https://wealth.ascentis.co/] and Ascentis Asset Management [https://www.ascentis.co/], about responsibility, growth, and the importance of women supporting one another in financial services. Kim shares how she grew into the role of advisor over time—initially not wanting to be an advisor—and why that early hesitation may be one of her greatest strengths today. She reflects on building long-term client relationships, creating asset models, and finding fulfillment in the positive impact she makes. The conversation also explores the value of community, including the women’s group Kim is part of that prioritizes connection, friendship, and mutual support over competition. This episode is a reminder that there’s no single right way into this profession—and that caring deeply, even feeling scared at first, can be a sign you’re exactly where you’re meant to be. _________________ Disclaimer - The opinions expressed in this podcast are for general informational purposes only and not for specific, individualized advice. The information does not constitute financial or legal advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. The RIA is not liable for actions taken based on the podcast content.