When Life Changes, So Does Your Money: Navigating Transitions Without Losing Yourself with Dr. Meghaan Lurtz

When Life Changes, So Does Your Money: Navigating Transitions Without Losing Yourself with Dr. Meghaan Lurtz

[embed]https://youtu.be/UKZikbCaQAM?si=24vJLYlqOTyJZ5Jq[/embed] What if the hardest part of a financial transition isn't the money at all, but figuring out who you are on the other side of it? Dr. Meghaan Lurtz joins us to unpack why retirement, divorce, career changes, and other major life shifts hit so much harder than the numbers suggest, and what that means for anyone guiding someone through one. Dr. Meghaan Lurtz is a financial psychology researcher, educator, and practitioner who studies the deep connection between money and identity. In this episode, she breaks down why financial transitions are never just about dollars and cents. They are about navigating the life changes that reshape who we are and how we make decisions about money. Here is the short version: major life events rarely touch only your finances. Retirement, career shifts, marriage, divorce, or any other significant transition tend to reshape your sense of identity too, which is exactly why the financial decisions tied to those moments feel so much more emotional and complicated than they look on paper. Meg explains why understanding the human side of these transitions is becoming a core skill for advisors, and for anyone supporting someone through a major decision. Instead of leading with strategy, she shows how the right kind of conversation can help people move through uncertainty with more confidence, clarity, and purpose. A few highlights from our conversation: why your relationship with money shifts alongside life's biggest milestones, how advisors can show up better for clients in the middle of change, and the small conversational moves that build trust when someone is unsure of what comes next. If you work in financial services, or you are in the middle of a major life transition yourself, this episode is a thoughtful look at why understanding identity may matter just as much as understanding finances. KEY TOPICS COVERED * Why financial transitions are also identity transitions * How life changes reshape our relationship with money * The role of financial psychology in client conversations * Helping clients navigate uncertainty with confidence * Building trust during emotionally significant financial decisions * Practical ways to approach financial transitions more intentionally * Why understanding people is just as important as understanding financial plans Resources & Links: * (Less) Lonely Money [https://meghaanlurtz.substack.com/]- read more about Meg and her work * Meg's speaker page [https://financialbehaviorkeynote.com/meghaan-lurtz/]— learn more about her background and areas of expertise * Meg's keynote topics [https://www.canva.com/design/DAGW8m4jcrk/LeGPhdx-VMq7YAUdYfCvqg/view?utm_content=DAGW8m4jcrk&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=editor#1]— explore the talks she brings to audiences Connect with Meg: * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghaanlurtz/]

The Invisible Close: Influence Techniques That Turn Prospects Into Clients with Evan T. Beach

[embed]https://youtu.be/mZv6AJbaNkE[/embed] What if the reason prospects choose one advisor over another has less to do with credentials and more to do with how they feel in the first five minutes of a conversation? Evan T. Beach, CFP, EA, AWMA, is a nationally recognized financial advisor, CNBC and Bloomberg contributor, and founder of Exit 59 Advisory, where he has spent years helping advisors grow through trust-based influence and behavioral client strategies. In this episode of Financial Behavior Thought Leaders, Evan draws on the work of psychologist Robert Cialdini to unpack three principles of influence that are already shaping how prospects make decisions, whether advisors realize it or not: reciprocity, scarcity, and social proof. He explains how these behavioral dynamics play out in real advisor-prospect conversations and how financial professionals can apply them ethically to build stronger relationships and improve conversion rates. The result is a conversation that is both grounded in behavioral science and immediately practical. Evan walks through how small shifts in the way advisors structure first meetings, intake experiences, and follow-up can significantly change how prospects perceive and respond to them. One insight that stands out: prospects are often making up their minds before the credentials ever come up. Knowing that changes everything about how you prepare for and run a client conversation. If you are a financial advisor, wealth management professional, event planner, or anyone who wants to understand the psychology behind how financial decisions get made, this episode is for you. Evan T. Beach is a speaker with Financial Behavior Keynote Group. To learn more or bring him to your next event, visit https://financialbehaviorkeynote.com/evan-beach Resources & Links: * Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini [https://www.harpercollins.com/products/influence-new-and-expanded-robert-b-cialdini?variant=32903969996834] * More about Evan T. Beach's Speaking [https://financialbehaviorkeynote.com/evan-beach/] Connect with Evan T. Beach: * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/evan-beach-cfp%C2%AE-ea-awma%C2%AE-64195916/]

Nudge 2.0: How AI Shapes Financial Behavior with Dr. Michael Thomas

[embed]https://youtu.be/VAQi5Az6XMA?si=VoItpJKluAO8jbTf[/embed] Dr. Michael G. Thomas Jr. studies the emotional and behavioral side of money, but in this episode, he focuses on something increasingly difficult to ignore: the way AI, algorithms, and personalized digital marketing are quietly shaping financial decisions before people even realize it. This conversation is centered on a reality many consumers and many advisors still underestimate. Financial influence is no longer broad or generic. It is personalized, data-driven, and constantly adapting based on the digital footprints people leave behind every day. Michael explains how these systems are designed to nudge behavior in subtle but powerful ways, often influencing spending, saving, and financial decision-making beneath the level of conscious awareness. What makes this episode especially valuable is that it does not stay theoretical. Michael connects these larger technological shifts directly back to real conversations advisors are already having with clients — especially clients who feel frustrated, overwhelmed, or unable to explain why their financial habits seem harder to control than they used to. Throughout the episode, he breaks down how algorithmic nudging works, why emotional awareness matters more than ever in financial conversations, and what advisors can do to help clients recognize the forces shaping their behavior without creating shame or defensiveness. A few standout moments from the conversation include the idea that consumers are now being influenced by systems trained on their own data, why awareness is the first line of defense against manipulative digital environments, and how even small shifts in conversation can help clients regain a sense of agency over their financial choices. If you work in financial services or simply want to better understand the invisible forces influencing modern financial behavior, this is a conversation worth paying attention to.

The Irreplaceable Advisor with Ashley Quamme

[embed]https://youtu.be/pMiNkdNrAsU[/embed] Ashley Quamme is a licensed therapist and behavioral finance expert, and she is one of the few people working at the intersection of mental health and financial advising in a genuinely practical way. In this episode, she lays out seven relational competencies that separate the advisors who will thrive in an AI-driven industry from those who will struggle to explain why clients should still choose a human. The short version: AI and technical knowledge are now table stakes. They are what gets you in the room, not what keeps clients there. What keeps clients there is something AI cannot replicate—the ability to recognize behavioral patterns, navigate emotionally charged conversations, and make people feel genuinely understood. Ashley walks through each of the seven skills with the kind of specificity that makes this episode immediately usable. This is not a general case for soft skills. It is a concrete, practitioner-level conversation about what these competencies look like in real client interactions, how to develop them deliberately, and what you risk if you keep treating relationship-building as an afterthought. A few things worth pulling out from the conversation: the distinction between sympathy and the kind of empathy that actually moves a client relationship forward, how small targeted shifts in how you show up in a conversation can change the entire dynamic, and why these skills matter just as much in your personal relationships as they do in your practice. If you are a financial advisor who is paying attention to where the industry is heading, this episode is one you will want to come back to. Key Topics Covered: * Why relational skills are now the primary differentiator in financial advising * How to recognize and work with behavioral patterns in your clients * Navigating sensitive and emotionally charged conversations * Building trust through collaborative decision-making * How to practice and integrate these skills intentionally * The cost of staying in a purely technical approach * Why ongoing education in financial psychology is no longer optional Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to the future of financial conversations 01:20 - Ashley shares how relational skills became a differentiator 03:19 - Clients’ desire for emotional support, not just financial advice 06:31 - The risk and cost of ignoring relational skills 10:38 - The origins of the Beyond the Plan framework 16:22 - The importance of collaborative decision-making 19:46 - Practice as a contact sport: applying skills across all relationships RESOURCES & LINKS: * Beyond the Plan - Ashley Quamme [https://www.beyondthefp.com/] * More about Ashley Quamme's Speaking [https://financialbehaviorkeynote.com/ashley-quamme/] * Mastering the Seven Skills that AI Cannot Replace [https://www.canva.com/design/DAGRCdIEV4E/rYMZuqv83gKq-e9VzskNwQ/view?utm_content=DAGRCdIEV4E&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=viewer] CONNECT WITH ASHLEY QUAMME: * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-quamme/]

The Speaker Success Toolkit: Turning Speaking Into Visibility with Allie Zendrian

[embed]https://youtu.be/Aq7gaykLsdU[/embed] In this episode of The Speaker’s Success Toolkit, Dr. Mary Bell Carlson is joined by PR strategist Allie Zendrian to explore how speakers can extend their impact beyond the stage through strategic visibility. As the founder of A to Z Communications and a former journalist, Allie brings a unique perspective on how thought leaders can turn their expertise into credibility, helping them get featured, quoted, and invited into larger opportunities. The conversation unpacks what public relations actually is, how it differs from marketing, and why it plays such a critical role in building a sustainable speaking career. Together, they emphasize that a great talk is only the starting point; what matters is how that message continues to live on. The discussion offers a behind-the-scenes look at how PR works in practice, from leveraging conferences as full ecosystems of opportunity to understanding why many talented speakers remain “best kept secrets.” Mary and Allie dive into the mindset shift required to move from waiting to be recognized to proactively creating visibility. Allie shares how speakers can repurpose their existing content into articles, media pitches, and thought leadership, while also highlighting the importance of aligning expertise with timely, relevant topics. The episode also addresses common misconceptions, including the belief that PR delivers instant results, instead framing it as a long-term strategy built on relationships and consistency. The conversation closes with practical advice for speakers at any stage, encouraging them to rethink how they use their content and consider how even one presentation can open the door to far-reaching influence.