Brand Leaders

Are you a subject matter expert, leader or entrepreneur ready to expand your influence but unsure how to position yourself for the next level.

Hi, I’m Michelle, a speaker, author, advisor and founder of Brand Leaders, a professional branding and LinkedIn visibility training platform. 

I help experts, leaders and teams position their personal brands, grow visibility on LinkedIn, and become in-demand authorities in their industries. 

Your personal brand should be your business advantage, but it needs a foundational strategy and plan first. That's why I created my Own Your L.A.N.E. framework to make so you're clear, credible and competitively advantaged in your field:

OWN YOUR LANE. OWN YOUR FUTURE. 

After years of watching brilliant professionals stay overlooked, I created the Own Your L.A.N.E.™ System, a proven roadmap for business development. 

L – Launch Your Vision (Purpose)
A – Assert Your Difference (Positioning)
N – Navigate Your Brand (Presence)
E – Elevate Your Authority (Proof)

Because when you’re clear on who you are and how you show up…

The right people find you
The right opportunities follow
And you become known for what sets you apart

I speak, teach & advise experts, leaders, teams and audiences to:

✔ Position and differentiate your expertise into a recognizable brand
✔ Grow a consistent presence and build influential relationships on LinkedIn®
✔ Elevate your authority through speaking, media and PR opportunities

👉 CASE STUDIES: MichelleBGriffin.com/results

TOPICS 
> Own Your Lane™ The Recognition Roadmap
> LinkedIn® Personal Branding for Experts, Leaders & Teams
> Brand is The New Demand 

Learn more about me in the About section.

LET'S CHAT
Book a call to learn more: 👉 MichelleBGriffin.com/chat

 I look forward to meeting you!

Own Your Lane™ - Personal PR/Personal Brand Speaker, Workshop Facilitator + Masterclass Presenter 

Brand Leaders® - Powered by Own Your Lane® helps subject matter experts and expertise business owners clarify their brand positioning, simplify their message and amplify their visibility to win clients and land PR opportunities.

Brand for Business Speaking, Advising and Workshops

Innovation Women

Innovation Women is a visibility bureau connecting event managers to women speakers. Our goal is gender-balanced panels and equal visibility opportunities for women. Join us on a FREE Speaker Friends Friday Zoom session: https://innovationwomen.com/events/speaker-friends/

My Innovation Women Profile: https://speaker.innovationwomen.com/users/15203
To book me as a speaker: https://michellebgriffin.com/speaking or email michelle@michellebgriffin.com

Member and National Speaker

Michelle B Griffin Speaker & Author

Own Your Lane®  is the go-to podcast for experts and leaders who are ready (but may struggle) to position their brilliance, clarify their message, and grow their visibility for next-level opportunities.

Host, Own Your Lane® Podcast

As a LinkedIn™ personal branding & PR expert, I speak, teach, educate, and host in-depth workshops for organizations, groups, and teams. My authority-personal branding-focused presentations focus on positioning profiles, presence, and publicity to align with brand and business goals. 

Need a Speaker, Workshop Facilitator, Expert Quote, or Podcast Guest? Let's chat about how I can support you and your event/ team/group. I'd love to learn more about your goals and how I can partner with you. Please get in touch here or via LinkedIn DM.

LinkedIn® Personal Branding, Professional Visibility Speaker, Educator & Workshops

Personal Branding Books to Help You Get Visible and Grow Your Industry Presence—My personal branding books teach you to get visible, own your value, and confidently grow your professional presence for next-level industry opportunities.

The LinkedIn Branding Book helps you build your personal and business brand on LinkedIn for exponential growth. PLUS, a 50-page action-taking (online fillable) companion Brand Squared Workbook™ is included with the book.
https://michellebgriffin.com/books

Own Your Lane® books series are your personal branding and visibility acceleratosr, designed to help you take charge of your presence and become the go-to authority in your field.

Too many talented professionals—especially women—remain unseen, not because they lack skill but because they struggle to communicate their value and gain the visibility they deserve.

Through the actionable, four-step L.A.N.E.™ system, these books will teach you how to confidently step forward, articulate your unique strengths, and get recognized for your expertise. Learn more at  OwnYourLane.io.

Author - Personal Branding, PR, LinkedIn® Presence, Professional Visibility

With a mantra of "Put Yourself Out There to Own Your Lane and Own Your Future," I believe professional visibility is a powerful form of economic leverage and business growth, leading to industry opportunities, increased impact, and higher income for professionals and organizations.

As a PR, personal branding, and LinkedIn visibility speaker and educator, I empower and equip professionals, and especially women in business, to confidently set themselves apart, step into the spotlight, and seize next-level opportunities in a crowded field through my Own Your Lane® learning platform and book series,

Book me to Speak, Facilitate a Workshop, Guest On Your Podcast, Contribute To Your Publication, and/or Moderate a Panel.

Speaker Inquiries and Bookings

Let's chat about how I can support you and your event/ team/group. I'd love to learn more about your goals and how I can partner with you. Please contact me via my inquiry form or book a chat at MichelleBGriffin.com or via LinkedIn DM.

Thought Leadership Branding Speaker, LinkedIn Visibility Strategist and Workshop Facilitator

As a PR and personal branding speaker, author, and LinkedIn visibility expert, I love empowering audiences to get visible for their next level. 

I guest weekly on podcasts, LinkedIn Audio, Livestream, and YouTube shows and speak/host group training and workshops on personal branding and LinkedIn to build your professional presence and opportunities. 

Watch/listen and see more here: https://michellebgriffin.com/media

Let's Connect
Need a Speaker, Expert Quote, or Podcast Guest?

Let's chat about how I can support you and your event/ team/group. I'd love to learn more about your goals and how I can partner with you. Please contact me via my inquiry form or book a chat at MichelleBGriffin.com or via LinkedIn DM.

Podcast Guest, Personal Branding, PR, LinkedIn® Presence and Professional Visibility

Join 1,700+ global professionals who are getting visible to build and boost their personal brands. The P.Y.O.T. Community - Put Yourself Out There Community to Build & Boost Your Personal Brand will help you become clear, confident and consistent on LinkedIn. Join us as we ramp up our personal brands, expand our connections, and build meaningful communities on LinkedIn. You'll find peer support, accountability, training, and tips on LinkedIn and personal branding. 

NOTE: This is NOT an engagement pod
Join us; it’s free: 👉 https://michellebgriffin.com/pyotcommunity

Founder, P.Y.O.T. - Put Yourself Out There Community to Build & Boost Your Personal Brand

StandoutWomen.org is a movement to grow visibility, personal brands, and thought leadership for women in business and women in leadership. Our mission is to empower impact-driven women to position themselves as industry leaders and create meaningful opportunities.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, leader, or professional, we provide tools, training, and events to support your journey of standing out and stepping up—all through the lens of the Own Your Lane®: Personal Branding framework. Learn more at StandoutWomen.org.

StandoutWomen.org - The Personal Branding Movement For More Standout Women in Business & Leadership

THE LINKEDIN™️ BRANDING COMMUNITY by #MichelleSquared

The LinkedIn Branding Book: The Power of Two: How to Double Your Personal and Business Brand for Exponential Growth by #MichelleSquared, Michelle B Griffin and Michelle J Raymond, is now available on Amazon in Kindle, paperback and hardcover editions. PLUS, a 50-page action-taking companion Brand Squared Workbook™ is included with the book.

Co-Author, The LinkedIn Branding Book

The top-ranked podcast, The LinkedIn Branding Show, hosted by #MichelleSquared, Michelle B Griffin and Michelle J Raymond, empowers professionals, entrepreneurs, experts, and small business owners to stand out and rise up as they build personal and business brands on LinkedIn. New episodes drop every Thursday on your favorite podcast platform.

Co-Host, The LinkedIn Branding Show Podcast

The Power of Two to Double Your LinkedIn Growth with our new book, top-ranked podcast and supportive community. Join Michelle B Griffin and Michelle J Raymond, aka #MichelleSquared, for fun events, real conversations, and actionable takeaways with a community of impact-driven professionals ready to rise up and stand out on LinkedIn as a powerful force of good. Join us and learn more at MichelleSquared.com

Co-Founder, The LinkedIn Branding Community

Windstorm Insurance Network, Inc.® - Property/Windstorm Insurance Claims Industry Member Association

The Windstorm Insurance Network (WIND) is a B2B national association for the property insurance claims and legal industry. Through professional development, continuing education, and annual conferences, the group is the leading provider of industry insights for the property/windstorm insurance claims industry, property/windstorm insurance service providers, and industry consultants. 

As the association's executive director, I oversaw the day-to-day management and marketing of the Windstorm Insurance Network, Inc. and the annual Windstorm Insurance Conference, a 2,000-person international conference. 

My duties included strategic business development, marketing communication planning, event marketing, team management and member experience management. Specific personal skills include digital marketing, inbound/content marketing, email marketing, social media marketing/outreach, branding strategy, copywriting, website design, WordPress management, and conference/event planning and marketing.

Executive Director

As the lead marketer, I managed a team to plan, promote and host the annual (WIND) Windstorm Insurance Conference, which attracted nearly 2,000 attendees each year from across the U.S. and internationally. 

Under my leadership, membership grew at a steady rate of 1,000 members and conference attendance and revenue targets exceeded goals. 

As the lead event marketer, I also managed, promoted regional and one-day events and continuing education seminars and presentations across the U.S.

Event Marketing Director

Positioning Women Experts Into Visible Authorities┃Personal Brand, PR & Thought Leadership Strategist & Coach to Own Your Lane With More Visibility, Impact & Income┃Author┃Speaker┃80s Music Fan┃Own Your Lane™ Book 10/15

Hi, I’m Michelle. I transform hidden experts into visible authorities and so glad you’re here. 

If you've ever struggled to explain what you do, felt overlooked despite your expertise, or missed opportunities you knew you were perfect for, you're not alone—and you're in the right place.

After seeing brilliant experts stay invisible because they believed their work would speak for itself, I created the Own Your Lane™ Recognition Roadmap to help you become the go-to authority in your field.

THE OWN YOUR LANE™ SYSTEM

L – Launch Your Vision (Purpose)
A – Assert Your Difference (Position)
N – Navigate Your Brand (Package)
E – Elevate Your Authority (Promote)

OWN YOUR LANE. OWN YOUR FUTURE.
My mission is to position you for success. I speak, train, and advise experts and leaders—especially women in business—who are ready to be seen, heard, and sought-after. Together, we chart your one-page personal branding roadmap to give you the clarity, confidence, communication and competitive edge for business growth. 

Why this matters: You stop comparing yourself to everyone else. You gain the positioning, words and strategy to know who you are, what makes you different and a repeatable way to talk about what you do — in person, online, in meetings — anywhere decisions are made.

My clients have gone from “one of many” to “the one” -- booked on TEDx & industry stages, featured in top media, published best-selling books & effortlessly growing thought leadership on their terms. 

Now it’s your turn…

WORK WITH ME
> Own Your Lane™ Speaking & Workshops 
No hype, just help. Experiential sessions with clarity, tools & action

> Own Your Lane Roadmaps & Advising 
Let's chart your one-page plan for next-level goals and opportunities

👉MichelleBGriffin.com/RESULTS

ABOUT ME
With 20+ years in branding, PR & executive leadership, I’ve helped Fortune 500s, startups and global thought leaders sharpen their message, elevate visibility & grow their businesses.

• TEDxFSU Speaker, April 2025
• Forbes, Entrepreneur, Inc. & Authority Featured 
• 2x Author, Position Yourself & The LinkedIn® Branding Book 
• 2x Podcast Host, Own Your Lane™ & The LinkedIn™ Branding Show
NEW: Own Your Lane™ Book publishing soon

“Live in the moment” is my mantra; find me outdoors with an ’80s playlist, meeting new people and exploring new places.

🎧 FREE RESOURCES
Grab my LinkedIn Visible Training + Go Your Own Way Playlist 
👉MichelleBGriffin.com/QUICKLINKS

READY TO OWN YOUR LANE?
👉Visit MichelleBGriffin.com - let's chat on how I can support you best.

MICHELLE B GRIFFIN

A DOUBLE celebration today… and this one hits even sweeter. 🥳

1) First up: a huge birthday shout-out to my Aussie co-author and co-host of The LinkedIn Branding Book and podcast Michelle J Raymond, the LinkedIn company pages 👑 for B2B growth AND Tim Tams #1 brand ambassador on LinkedIn.

2) Second, happy 3rd birthday to our book, THE LINKEDIN™️ BRANDING BOOK by #MichelleSquared#MichelleSquared! The book and 50-page companion workbook are written to help you build your personal and business brand so you easily win on LinkedIn. I’m so proud of the transformation and impact it’s had on readers worldwide, and I love teaching and speaking with its BrandSquared system and message.


The Gifts 🎁 

I still shake my head in disbelief, yet gratitude that a comment I made on a post in December 2020 connected me to someone in Sydney, Australia. 

That led to client collaborations, hosting a weekly branding podcast (now 181+ weekly episodes) and writing a book together, a world apart. That's the power of this platform, you never know the person you comment or connect with can change your life.

🎤OVER TO YOU

Cheers to celebrating the power of this platform to globally connect us all. The power of friendships, fun and opportunities from LinkedIn is unexpected and unmatched. 

👉 Who’s one person you met here by pure chance that changed your work, world, or perspective? Tag them below.

MICHELLE B. GRIFFIN

AI is NOW ready to be led by women...learning it, leading it, and shaping what’s next.

On Friday, as a founding Imperial Council member, speaker and now certified facilitator, I had the honor of speaking at the inaugural AI Foundations for Women global event where brilliant minds came together to explore, question, and reimagine what leadership and business look like in the age of AI.

Three hours flew by, filled with group learning, hands-on exercises, and tool-building with ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and Google Teachable Machine, plus powerful conversations around creativity, confidence, and belonging. I had a blast co-facilitating with Natalia Bolton and our amazing cohort.

This event also marked the global launch of Empressa AI, the first women-only skilling platform built to help women develop skill and influence at the same time.

Huge appreciation to Miri Rodriguez, Stacey Danheiser, Claudia Cortez, and the entire Empressa team for 18+ months of vision, dedication, and courage in launching what’s now a global movement.

This is only the beginning.

 Visit Empressa.AI for more and save the date, the next cohort opens in January, another chance to join this worldwide circle of women shaping the future with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

#WomenInLeadership #WomenInBusiness #ShesVisible #AIneedsWomen #EmpressaAI #VisibleLeadership

Nexa Wealth Planning

At Nexa Wealth, we believe managing your money is more than just numbers in a bank account – it’s about creating a life rich in choices and free from constraints. 

Here, money doesn't dictate your choices – it amplifies them. With us, you’re not just surviving; you're thriving. We're dedicated to crafting financial freedom for each of our clients, turning dreams into rock-solid plans, and plans into rock-solid reality.

Email: renee@nexawm.com for free consultation

CEO & Certified Financial Planner

Northwestern Mutual

Women are more than capable of taking control of their finances, and I'm here to help them do so. 

I'm passionate about empowering women to take ownership of their finances and achieve financial freedom. 

As a Certified Financial Planner, I help women executives maximize their cash flow, make smart investments, and develop tax-savvy strategies to ensure their money grows and lasts for years to come. 

With my help, women can confidently make financial decisions, assertively create a plan, and reduce their financial worries. 

•	Understand your financial options 
•	Create a forward-thinking financial strategy 
•	Make money decisions with confidence

If you are tired of second-guessing what your money is doing for you, and instead you want a simple roadmap to achieve the results you desire, I invite you into having a conversation.  

DM or email for a complimentary 30-minute Money Strategy meeting
📧 renee.cohen@nm.com

Certified Financial Planner™ for women executives and business owners 

Created financial literacy corporate workshops to inspire employees into financial action & eliminate money anxiety.

Financial Literacy Workshop Facilitator & Speaker

Bixel Exchange

Bixel Exchange is the innovation and tech arm at the second largest Chamber of Commerce in the US, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. Our cornerstone programs include Startup Launch Tech SBDC and Tech Talent Pipeline that combine forces to create an inclusive greater LA technology community.

Advisor

Fox Sports Net

Director, Corporate Partnerships

Big Ten Network

Manager, University Development

Designing Work-Optional Lifestyles for Women & Couples with Dynamic Financial Plans | Financial Consultant for Executives & Business Owners in Sports & Tech | Financial Wellness Speaker

The biggest money secret that not enough successful women know?

Creating financial security for life is actually insanely EASY.

- Dream of retiring by 50?
- Want to cover your kids' big moments?
- Looking forward to luxe vacations without needing an excuse?
- Need an iron-clad safety net for whatever life throws your way?

But it’s not just about the future. It’s about enjoying your life right now.

Financial freedom isn't just for later. It’s about living your best life now, knowing you are crafting your future while relishing today.

This is where I step in.

With all the financial advice out there, you need what works, not just noise. You need strategies that move the needle. You need results, not tasks.

My mission? To make managing your finances the SIMPLEST part of your day.  

I’m here to help you make smart choices that align with your dreams for your family and your future.

You've worked tirelessly for your success. So let’s save smartly and maximize and grow what you have. True financial freedom is more than account balances.  


I’ve partnered with many women and couples like you, creating personalized plans that balance today's lifestyle with tomorrow's dreams. This isn't about strict budgets. It’s about shaping your finances to fit your life today, while maximizing every aspect of your income and assets.

I’m more than a financial planner. I’m your partner, guide, and ally in achieving your financial dreams in the most straightforward and effective way possible.

Every plan is tailored to the individual because your financial success should be as unique as you are.

Ready to make these dreams a part of your everyday life?

Let’s unlock the full potential of your finances together. Because your money should support the life you want, now and in the future.

Send me a DM or email at renee.cohen@nm.com.

This conversation could change everything. ✨

Your journey goes beyond just managing numbers. It involves:

✨ Strategic Cash Flow & Debt Management,
✨ Tax Optimization for executive roles,
✨ Effective Navigation of Stock Options & Significant Financial Events,
✨ Personalized Retirement Planning,
✨ Comprehensive Insurance Solution

Renee Cohen, CFP®

They couldn't talk about money without it ending in silence.

Both earning six figures.
Beautiful house.
Kids in great schools.

And they hadn't looked at their accounts together in two years.

"We just handle our own stuff," she told me. “It's easier that way."

But easier wasn't working.

She was moving money to savings he didn't know about.
He was stressed about money but didn't want to seem worried.
Both were making decisions in isolation.
Both assuming the other had it handled.

I see this more than you'd think.
Successful couples who've turned money into the third wheel of their relationship.

Too charged to touch.
Too important to ignore.

So they danced around it:

She'd quietly pay for soccer camp before he noticed the email.
He'd handle the roof repair without mentioning the cost.
Both adding to their separate savings 'just in case.'

Amazon packages arrived without discussion.
Investment statements stayed unopened.
Tax time meant handing everything to the CPA and hoping for the best.

They could plan entire vacations without mentioning the budget.
Navigate private school applications without discussing the tuition.

Two successful people.
Living one life.
Never actually talking about how to pay for it.

We didn't start with a budget.
(That would've been like handing them firecracker.)

We started with one question:
"What does financial success look like for your family?"

For the first time in years, they heard each other's actual fears.

She wasn't hoarding money.
She was terrified of her mom's story repeating.

He wasn't being careless.
He was exhausted from feeling like the safety net.

Once they could see each other's why,
the how got so much simpler.

Now they have monthly money dates.
15 minutes. One dashboard. No judgment.

She texted me last month:
"We actually high-fived after paying the tax bill. Is that weird?"

Not weird at all.
That's what happens when money stops being a battleground
and starts being something you build together.

→ What's the one win you and your partner have celebrated together this year?

Renee Cohen CFP®

Financial Planner for Women | I bring your financial life together so your decisions feel easier and more intentional | CFP® + Founder, Nexa Wealth

No alternative text description for this image

The $45K question that changed my client’s life 

 

She had $194K sitting in cash.
VP salary.
All the "right" financial pieces.

But she couldn't commit to starting her own business.

"I need another year of savings first."

We ran the numbers.

$45K to launch her consulting firm today.
Or wait another year while that dream compounds into regret.

Then I asked her the question:

"Would 65-year-old you pay $45K to watch 42-year-old you bet on herself?"

She went quiet.

We both knew the answer before I even asked.

Because future you isn't celebrating (all) the extra cash you hoarded.

She's thinking about the business you never started.
The clients you never helped.
The version of yourself you never became.
Wishing she could go back and shake younger you who played it too safe.

The women I work with don't have risk problems.
They have permission problems.

Maybe you've saved six months of expenses.
Maybe it's two years.
Maybe you're still building.

Doesn't matter.

We all wait for some guarantee that says "now it's safe to leap."

That guarantee doesn't exist.

What does exist:
Your ideas sitting in notebooks.
Your expertise waiting to be shared.
Your impact delayed by another year of "preparation."

She launched her firm six months ago.
Hasn’t replaced her corporate salary yet.

That takes time no matter what people promise you. 

But more importantly?

She stopped waiting for permission to become who she already was.

Because 65-year-old you doesn't care about the perfect financial moment.

She cares that you trusted yourself enough to try.

The math already works.
Future you is waiting for you to believe it.

→ What would you start tomorrow if you knew future you already knows the outcome?

Your portfolio doesn't need to be perfect to start living.


I had a client wait three years to book her dream Italy trip.

Three years.

Not because she couldn't afford it.
She had $300K invested and growing.

But she kept thinking she needed "just a little more" first.
Another $50K.
Another year of returns.
Another bonus cycle.

You know what finally changed her mind?

Running the actual numbers.

Not the scary story in her head.
The math.

We looked at what the trip would actually cost her long-term.
$15K today versus $45K in retirement (with growth).

Then I asked her:
"Would 65-year-old you pay $45K to give 40-year-old you this memory?"

She booked it that afternoon.

Because waiting for "enough" is a moving target.

There's always another goal.
Another milestone.
Another reason to wait.

But your life is happening now.
Your kids are only young once.
Your parents won't always be able to travel.
You won't always have the energy you have today.

The women who build real wealth?

They don't wait for permission from their portfolio.

They plan for both:
→ The life they're building for tomorrow
→ The life they're living today

One without the other isn't wealth.
It's just postponed living.

Your money should fund your life.
Not the other way around.

→ Where are you planning to travel in 2026? 🗺️

The biggest money mistakes don’t come from bad decisions.


They come from waiting too long to make one.

From that little voice that says,
“What if I mess this up?”
So you stall. 
You Google. 
You hold.

Not because you don’t care.
But because you care too much.

And when you’re earning more, that pressure gets louder.

Every move (investments, stock options, taxes) suddenly feels like it carries more weight.
More risk. 
More room for regret.

But confidence doesn’t come from knowing everything.
It comes from being in motion.

From creating a plan that moves with you 
so your income, investments, and taxes talk to each other. 

When everything’s working together, you stop overthinking.
You stop waiting for “perfect.”
And, you start leading your money with intention.

Because the real mistake isn’t getting it wrong,
it’s staying frozen in fear of what might happen if you move.

→ What’s something that helps you get past analysis paralysis?

Most people think money problems come from not having enough.

They actually come from not having it connected.

You can earn six figures, max out your 401k, have investments growing...

And still wake up at 3am wondering what you're missing.

Because when your money lives in silos:
→ Your cash doesn't know what your investments are doing
→ Your investments don't talk to your tax strategy  
→ Your tax moves happen in isolation from your income

So you end up with:
Cash piling up while you're scared to invest it.
Investments growing while you pay unnecessary taxes.
Big tax bills because no one connected the dots.

Every account doing its own thing.
Like roommates who never talk.

I see this constantly.
Smart women with all the "right" pieces.
But nothing working together.

One client described it perfectly:
"I have all these accounts but no actual plan."

She was right.

When your money starts working as a team,
when every piece knows its role,
when your income, investments, and taxes actually coordinate...

That's when the noise quiets down.

You stop second-guessing every move.
You stop wondering what you're missing.
You stop feeling like you're working against yourself.

Because wealth isn't built in isolation.
It's built in connection.

→  If your accounts were roommates, would they be best friends or total strangers?


PS - To those who served and their families: your sacrifice created the freedom for all of us to build these lives we're planning. Thank you. 🇺🇸

She sat on $400K in cash for three years.

Watched the market go up.
Watched inflation eat away at it.
Read every article telling her to invest.

Still couldn't do it.

Why?

Her dad lost everything in 2008.

And even though she was earning $250K a year,
even though she knew the math,
she couldn't shake that image of him at the kitchen table.
Staring at statements worth nothing.

Her brain knew better.
Her body remembered different.

It took us six months to unpack that.

Not the investing part.
The trust part.

We didn't start with asset allocation.
We started with what safety meant to her.

Turns out it wasn't about the market at all.
It was about control.

So we built a plan that gave her both:
→ Ten months expenses in cash (not the six everyone recommends)
→ A 5 month CD she could see and understand
→ Index funds portfolio but only after she felt ready

The first investment was $15k.

She texted me that night:
"I keep checking to see if it's gone."

It wasn't.

Three months later, she moved another $50K.
Then another.

Now she's fully invested with a plan that makes sense.
Not because I convinced her.
But because she convinced herself.

Sometimes the smartest financial move
isn't following the perfect strategy.

It's honoring where your fear comes from
and building something you can actually stick with.

→ Fill in the blank: 'My parents always said _____ about money, but I've learned ____

Most people focus on the wrong part of wealth.


You’ve probably been told to:
→ Earn more
→ Find the “perfect” investment
→ Chase the next tax hack

And sure, those things matter,
but they’re only half the game.

The other half?
Getting your money to work together.
(That part’s closer to 70% of the game.)

When it doesn’t, here’s what happens:
→ Cash piles up without purpose
→ Tax time becomes surprise season
→ Every decision suddenly feels heavier than it should

But when everything starts talking,
your income, investments, and taxes
you finally see what’s working, what’s not,
and what to tweak before it snowballs.

That’s when money stops feeling chaotic.
It starts feeling led.

Because earning more without direction isn’t wealth.
It’s just juggling with nicer props.


💰 Right now, do your finances feel like teamwork or more like a group project gone wrong?

Sometimes the worst time to travel is exactly when you should.

Had a client text me her photos yesterday.
Barcelona with her family to visit friends instead of their traditional Thanksgiving plans.

Six months ago, she almost canceled it because her husband had been laid off.  
"Maybe we should wait until things are more settled."

They'd saved for this trip for two years.
Between their emergency fund and his severance, they had enough.
Not perfect "sleep-like-a-baby" money.
But enough.

The thing is, when life feels uncertain, "enough" never feels like enough.
You want to hoard every dollar.
Just in case.

But, they had the funds.
They had the time.
They had everything except permission.

I asked them one question:
"In 10 years, will you regret going or regret waiting?"

They went.

Her text yesterday:
"The kids are already asking when we're coming back."

Some moments can't be recreated.
Some windows close.
Some "next years" never come.

Your accounts will never give you permission.
That's not supposed to come from a spreadsheet.
That comes from you.

As we head into December, maybe it's worth asking:

What have you been putting off that your future self would tell you to do today?

→ What's your "Barcelona" that keeps getting pushed to next year?

"Are we missing something?"


I hear this from people who already have financial "help."

They've got investments. They've got someone managing things.

But that nagging feeling won't go away.

Had a client come to me with $2.5 million in an annuity.
She'd put in $325k twelve years ago and $40k every year after. 

"It's been fine," she said. "I just haven't looked at it much."

Twelve years.
Her whole life had changed.
New job. Kids in college. Different dreams.

But that money was still sitting in 2013.
Stuck in a product someone sold her once and forgot about.

When we looked at everything?

That annuity hadn't made sense for her in years.
Nobody was handling her taxes.
Her ex-husband was still on her estate plan.

She had money. She had investments. She had "help."

Spread across seven different logins she could barely remember.

What she didn't have was someone looking at how it all worked together.
Someone asking "what else could this be doing?"
Someone who'd catch what everyone else missed.

We restructured the annuity to actually work for her current life.
Found $32K in annual tax savings she didn't know existed.
Got her ex-husband's name off everything.

She texted me last week:
"For the first time in years, I'm not wondering if I'm doing this wrong."

That's what my clients pay for.
To stop wondering.
To know someone sees everything.
To trust that the important stuff isn't getting missed.

Because the real cost isn't what you pay for planning.
It's living with that constant question mark.

→ How many passwords did you have to reset this year?🙋‍♀️

"I'm tired of being my own CFO."

She said it on our intro call last week.

VP at a tech company.
Two kids.
Six-figure income.
Doing everything "right."

And exhausted.

Not from her actual job.
From her second job: managing money.

The Sunday account login sessions.
The 11pm Googling "RSU tax strategies."
The group texts asking colleagues what they're doing.
The constant feeling that everyone else has it figured out.

Sound familiar?

You're running a household, killing it at work, raising humans...

And somehow you're also supposed to be your own:
→ Investment advisor
→ Tax strategist  
→ Estate planner
→ Risk manager

All while making dinner and answering Slack messages.

I see this all the time.
Brilliant women treating their finances like another project to manage.

Building spreadsheets that impress their team.
But still feeling behind.

Because being smart doesn't mean you should do everything yourself.

You wouldn't perform your own surgery.
You wouldn't represent yourself in court.
You wouldn't cut your own hair.
(Well, 2020 aside.)

So why are you trying to be your own financial team?

The women who build real wealth?

They don't DIY everything.
They delegate what drains them.
So they can lead what matters.

Your time is worth more than the hours you're spending trying to figure this out alone.

Your energy is worth more than the stress of second-guessing every decision.

Your peace is worth more than proving you can do it all yourself.

The $12K question she almost didn't ask. 


She'd been sitting on it for three months.

"Is it too late to do anything about my taxes this year?"

We were on a call last week.
Six weeks left in 2025.
And she thought she'd missed her chance.

(Most people think tax planning ended in April.)

But when we actually looked?

We found $12,000 in deductions and retirement space she hadn't used.

→ Charitable donations she forgot about. Medical expenses that actually crossed the threshold. That advisor fee from January.

She thought she'd maxed out her 401k.

→ Turns out she had $8,000 of space left.

The underperforming stocks in her account became a tax strategy.

→ We sold them to offset the gains from her RSUs.
(The tax savings alone made it worth it.)

Those last two December paychecks became an opportunity.
Perfect time to fix her withholdings.

All of this disappears on January 1st.

The question saved her $4,800 in taxes.

I see this constantly in November.
People suddenly realizing there's still time.

Time to use those tax strategies that expire December 31st.
Time to top off retirement contributions.
Time to balance out investment gains.

Six weeks isn't the end of your financial year.

It's actually when some of the best moves happen.

→ You checking your stuff before year-end?

P.S. - Want to know what moves you could still make? Reply with 'MOVES' and I'll send you what I'm telling all my clients right now.

Having someone manage your investments isn't the same as having a plan.

I hear it constantly:
"I already have someone."

But then they follow it with:
"I still handle all the tax stuff myself."
"I'm not sure if I should exercise these stock options."
"We never talk about anything except the portfolio."

You have someone managing one account.
Not your financial life.

When April brings a surprise $20K tax bill, when RSUs vest with no clear strategy, when you're running private school numbers alone?

That's not in their department.

I see this all the time.
Smart women with "help" still playing CFO.

Still coordinating between:

Still coordinating between:
→ The person who handles investments (but not taxes)
→ The person who handles taxes (but not planning)
→ The estate attorney (from 2019)

Everyone managing their piece.
No one managing the whole picture.

One client put it perfectly:
"I have a team but no quarterback."

She had all the players.
But she was still calling all the plays.

Real planning connects everything.

Your investments know about your tax situation.
Your tax strategy considers your equity comp.
Your estate plan actually reflects your life today.

Because you shouldn't need a spreadsheet to track who handles what.

You need one person who sees it all.
Who connects it all.

That's the difference between having investments managed and having your life planned.

→ What would you do with your time if you weren't playing financial coordinator?

"You need a partner as your backup plan."

If you're single and tired of hearing this, you're not alone.

You smile politely. Change the subject. 

But inside, you're screaming: 'I'm not broken. I don't need fixing.

I get how this feels. I didn't meet my partner until I was 41.

The truth is, you don't need a backup plan.

Whether you're single by choice, divorced, widowed, or just haven't met someone yet - the math is the same.

Your plan needs to fit where you are now, not where others think you should be.

My single clients may need a higher target to retire comfortably.
While their married friends may split that number between two people.

And if your situation changes? We adjust.
Your plan evolves with you.
But right now, today, we plan for the life you're actually living.

The math is different.
The questions are worse.

"What does your husband think?"
Asked by the realtor. The financial advisor. Your aunt at Thanksgiving.

Each time, you explain. Again. That it's just you.

And watch them try to figure out if that's sad or brave.

"Maybe wait until you're married?"
(You've been waiting. For the house, not the spouse.)

Meanwhile, you're out here buying homes, starting businesses, and building wealth without waiting for someone to split the check.

You don't need a backup plan.
You need a bulletproof one.

Yes, there are nights when you run the numbers and feel the weight of carrying it all yourself. 

When you wish someone else could make the hard calls. When 'independent' feels like a nice word for 'alone.'

Your emergency fund does need to be bigger.
Your insurance does need to be stronger.
Your retirement does need to be fuller.

Not because you're alone.
But because you're planning for your own security first.

And that's not sad.
That's powerful.

Some of my clients stay single. Some partner up later. Some are starting over.

Doesn't matter where you are now.

What matters is having a plan that works for today and can grow with you tomorrow.


→ What's the most awkward money question someone's asked you at a family dinner?


—

BTW - if you want help building that bulletproof plan, I'm opening up a few spots in January. Drop me a 'READY' and I'll send you the details.

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Renee Cohen, CFP®

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Renee Cohen, CFP®

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