I think we’re all very well aware, especially after the chaos this year has brought, that life can change in an instant. And when it does, it’s the work you’ve done up to that point that helps you through the crisis and gives you a stable foundation for the future. No matter how much you wish you could rewind time and make different choices along the way, the only thing you can do is move forward and use your new knowledge to pave a new path. That’s exactly why I became a financial advisor. Read more →
https://prosperion.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/glasses.png489977Nelisha Firestonehttps://prosperion.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/whitelogosized.pngNelisha Firestone2020-11-18 09:57:242020-11-18 09:57:24Why I Became A Financial Advisor
Investing requires one belief above all others: that generally, the world will be a better place in the future than it is today. It’s a disposition that is often at odds with daily news, political banter, and sometimes our belief system. Yet as investors, we desire to be a part of something that grows over time and rewards those who participate.
This perspective drives a desire I often see among my multigenerational clientele – to leave a legacy. Read more →
https://prosperion.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/leaving-a-legacy.jpg10141500Steve Boorenhttps://prosperion.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/whitelogosized.pngSteve Booren2020-11-16 16:23:202020-11-16 16:23:20Legacy – The Power of Time and Good Behavior
It’s that time of year again when pumpkins start appearing on porches and horror movies are on TV. Halloween is when we indulge in our fear each year. We welcome it into our homes, knowing the temporary fright is sure to pass and make way for turkey and family get-togethers. The human psyche is strange, isn’t it? We run from fear and avoid it most of the year, yet we seek it out on Halloween.
This year, though, feels a little different. For many, the fear is more than ghosts and ghouls, but the far more realistic fears are of viruses and politicians. These fears continue to haunt us, the uncertainty they create doing more to harm our long-term health and happiness than Frankenstein ever could.
What’s important to remember is that fear is an emotional reaction and one over which we have control. We can choose to either ignore and avoid it or welcome it into our homes and lives.
Election Day, Tuesday November 3rd, is only a week away. While 2020 has been historic, it seems that everyone has a dramatic expectation of what will happen in the investment markets, as if it will be the “next” big 2020 disruption.
This morning I scheduled an appointment with my dentist. While the office’s operations coordinator looked at the upcoming weeks, she asked me “What are you doing on Wednesday 11/4?” Obviously, she was inquiring about my availability, but given that I have been thinking about and discussing the elections and markets with regards to next week as often as I have, my first response was….”I’m going to take a deep breath and proceed with my regular Wednesday routine.” As you can imagine, she was a bit confused by my answer, and expected me to discuss times that I could make it in to the office. I apologized as I laughed with her, and explained that the response was automatic with regards to the election and the investment market conversations I had been having around the same time period.
https://prosperion.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/tax-planning-workshop.jpg533800Pat Alfanohttps://prosperion.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/whitelogosized.pngPat Alfano2020-10-27 09:55:402020-10-27 09:55:40What Are You Doing on November 4th?
Let me start with a story. I live in Denver, Colorado, with my husband, Brian, and our two beautiful daughters, Addie and Eden. One perfect day in Breckinridge, Colorado, we were doing what we love to do as a family—snow skiing at our favorite resort—when our lives suddenly changed forever.
We were skiing across the mountain when a sudden sharp pain in my head stopped me in my tracks. I skied over to my husband and told him my head really hurt. I bent over and held my head in my hands for 30 seconds. When I stood back up, I felt tingling at the base of my skull and shooting pain down my spine. I knew something was wrong.
https://prosperion.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Your-7-Point-Checklist-For-When-Life-Suddenly-Changes.jpg5121024Nelisha Firestonehttps://prosperion.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/whitelogosized.pngNelisha Firestone2020-10-27 09:38:052020-10-27 09:38:05Your 7-Point Checklist For When Life Suddenly Changes
Over half of the wealth in the U.S. is controlled by women.[1] You are probably reading this because you are one of those women. Finances can be intimidating, so I have dedicated my career to helping women like you gain the confidence to take control of your finances. This financial planning guide is designed to EMPOWER you to take control and achieve your dreams.
With the election a short 45 days away, the news stream is unrelenting. Political TV ads, postcards, and of course those phone calls during the dinner hour – it’s an all-out media assault designed to convince you that if the “other guy” gets elected, the world is sure to end. It’s enough to elicit one of three emotional responses: either anger and outrage toward the opposition and confirmation bias toward your selection, utter fear and terror at what may or may not happen, or complete apathy toward the whole process. Regardless of where you stand, it’s important to recognize the effect that this election might have on your portfolio… or lack thereof.
https://prosperion.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/i-voted.jpg8301500Steve Boorenhttps://prosperion.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/whitelogosized.pngSteve Booren2020-09-21 15:07:462020-09-22 12:07:49Improving Investor Behavior: Keep Politics Out of Your Portfolio
If COVID has brought anything to business owners’ attention, small and large alike, it’s the need for a financial plan before bad news drops. A year ago, the likelihood of a worldwide pandemic effectively shuttering business in the U.S. for six months seemed so outlandish that had you suggested it; you would have been laughed out of the room. In hindsight, that suggestion would have made you look like a genius or a prophet.
My point is this: every business needs a financial plan to help guide and keep them afloat no matter how good times may be or how plentiful the work may appear. In reality, it’s no different than the financial suggestions we impress upon our clients. As an independent advisor, I run a business and help my clients think about how they run theirs.
So, what have the impacts of Covid-19 taught us from a business perspective? What should businesses consider as they navigate through today and plan for the future? As I look back over the past five months, I see four key actions to take now to “LIFT” businesses.
https://prosperion.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/business-need-a-lift.jpg4261000Steve Boorenhttps://prosperion.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/whitelogosized.pngSteve Booren2020-09-08 14:00:132020-09-08 14:00:13Does Your Business Need a LIFT?
For business owners, improving investor behavior can mean more than a focus solely on financial instruments. The intent of this column has been improving investor behavior, which often discusses market investments like equities, bonds, and other financial assets. But it’s important to consider how our investor behavior applies to other critical areas of our lives, namely in the ownership and running of a business.
As an independent financial advisor, I’m in a unique spot. I own a business and am responsible for running that business while helping my clients think about running theirs. I have a dual perspective, both as an advisor and as a business owner. So this week, I want to cross over into the business world and encourage you to consider how your investment behavior (i.e., the beliefs and attitudes you have about your business) and possibly the most valuable asset you have, your employees, might be affecting your results.
We talk a lot about perspective in this article. Our perspective is the lens through which we view the world. It is our way of framing everything we see and ultimately defines how we react to what life throws at us. We believe what we believe because of our past experiences and perception of reality. In finance, investors often share their perspectives (albeit usually too much), which gives us untold insight into how people may be thinking at any given time.
The perspective du jour is that markets are not accurately pricing honest valuations (i.e., stocks are overpriced). But is this accurate or a blind spot in our perspective?
Why I Became A Financial AdvisorNovember 18, 2020 - 9:57 am
Why I Became A Financial Advisor
I think we’re all very well aware, especially after the chaos this year has brought, that life can change in an instant. And when it does, it’s the work you’ve done up to that point that helps you through the crisis and gives you a stable foundation for the future. No matter how much you wish you could rewind time and make different choices along the way, the only thing you can do is move forward and use your new knowledge to pave a new path. That’s exactly why I became a financial advisor. Read more →
Legacy – The Power of Time and Good Behavior
Investing requires one belief above all others: that generally, the world will be a better place in the future than it is today. It’s a disposition that is often at odds with daily news, political banter, and sometimes our belief system. Yet as investors, we desire to be a part of something that grows over time and rewards those who participate.
This perspective drives a desire I often see among my multigenerational clientele – to leave a legacy. Read more →
Improving Investor Behavior – Fear: Acknowledged and Avoided
It’s that time of year again when pumpkins start appearing on porches and horror movies are on TV. Halloween is when we indulge in our fear each year. We welcome it into our homes, knowing the temporary fright is sure to pass and make way for turkey and family get-togethers. The human psyche is strange, isn’t it? We run from fear and avoid it most of the year, yet we seek it out on Halloween.
This year, though, feels a little different. For many, the fear is more than ghosts and ghouls, but the far more realistic fears are of viruses and politicians. These fears continue to haunt us, the uncertainty they create doing more to harm our long-term health and happiness than Frankenstein ever could.
What’s important to remember is that fear is an emotional reaction and one over which we have control. We can choose to either ignore and avoid it or welcome it into our homes and lives.
Read more →
What Are You Doing on November 4th?
Election Day, Tuesday November 3rd, is only a week away. While 2020 has been historic, it seems that everyone has a dramatic expectation of what will happen in the investment markets, as if it will be the “next” big 2020 disruption.
This morning I scheduled an appointment with my dentist. While the office’s operations coordinator looked at the upcoming weeks, she asked me “What are you doing on Wednesday 11/4?” Obviously, she was inquiring about my availability, but given that I have been thinking about and discussing the elections and markets with regards to next week as often as I have, my first response was….”I’m going to take a deep breath and proceed with my regular Wednesday routine.” As you can imagine, she was a bit confused by my answer, and expected me to discuss times that I could make it in to the office. I apologized as I laughed with her, and explained that the response was automatic with regards to the election and the investment market conversations I had been having around the same time period.
Read more →
Your 7-Point Checklist For When Life Suddenly Changes
Let me start with a story. I live in Denver, Colorado, with my husband, Brian, and our two beautiful daughters, Addie and Eden. One perfect day in Breckinridge, Colorado, we were doing what we love to do as a family—snow skiing at our favorite resort—when our lives suddenly changed forever.
We were skiing across the mountain when a sudden sharp pain in my head stopped me in my tracks. I skied over to my husband and told him my head really hurt. I bent over and held my head in my hands for 30 seconds. When I stood back up, I felt tingling at the base of my skull and shooting pain down my spine. I knew something was wrong.
Read more →
Your Comprehensive Financial Planning Guide For Women
Over half of the wealth in the U.S. is controlled by women.[1] You are probably reading this because you are one of those women. Finances can be intimidating, so I have dedicated my career to helping women like you gain the confidence to take control of your finances. This financial planning guide is designed to EMPOWER you to take control and achieve your dreams.
Read more →
Improving Investor Behavior: Keep Politics Out of Your Portfolio
With the election a short 45 days away, the news stream is unrelenting. Political TV ads, postcards, and of course those phone calls during the dinner hour – it’s an all-out media assault designed to convince you that if the “other guy” gets elected, the world is sure to end. It’s enough to elicit one of three emotional responses: either anger and outrage toward the opposition and confirmation bias toward your selection, utter fear and terror at what may or may not happen, or complete apathy toward the whole process. Regardless of where you stand, it’s important to recognize the effect that this election might have on your portfolio… or lack thereof.
Read more →
Does Your Business Need a LIFT?
If COVID has brought anything to business owners’ attention, small and large alike, it’s the need for a financial plan before bad news drops. A year ago, the likelihood of a worldwide pandemic effectively shuttering business in the U.S. for six months seemed so outlandish that had you suggested it; you would have been laughed out of the room. In hindsight, that suggestion would have made you look like a genius or a prophet.
My point is this: every business needs a financial plan to help guide and keep them afloat no matter how good times may be or how plentiful the work may appear. In reality, it’s no different than the financial suggestions we impress upon our clients. As an independent advisor, I run a business and help my clients think about how they run theirs.
So, what have the impacts of Covid-19 taught us from a business perspective? What should businesses consider as they navigate through today and plan for the future? As I look back over the past five months, I see four key actions to take now to “LIFT” businesses.
Read more →
Improving Investor Behavior: Reframing Your Business Mindset
For business owners, improving investor behavior can mean more than a focus solely on financial instruments. The intent of this column has been improving investor behavior, which often discusses market investments like equities, bonds, and other financial assets. But it’s important to consider how our investor behavior applies to other critical areas of our lives, namely in the ownership and running of a business.
As an independent financial advisor, I’m in a unique spot. I own a business and am responsible for running that business while helping my clients think about running theirs. I have a dual perspective, both as an advisor and as a business owner. So this week, I want to cross over into the business world and encourage you to consider how your investment behavior (i.e., the beliefs and attitudes you have about your business) and possibly the most valuable asset you have, your employees, might be affecting your results.
Read more →
Improving Investor Behavior: Blind Spots & Confirmation Bias
We talk a lot about perspective in this article. Our perspective is the lens through which we view the world. It is our way of framing everything we see and ultimately defines how we react to what life throws at us. We believe what we believe because of our past experiences and perception of reality. In finance, investors often share their perspectives (albeit usually too much), which gives us untold insight into how people may be thinking at any given time.
The perspective du jour is that markets are not accurately pricing honest valuations (i.e., stocks are overpriced). But is this accurate or a blind spot in our perspective?
Read more →