We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alicia Byers. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alicia below.
Alicia , so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
As an entrepreneur and business strategist for financial advisors, keeping my creativity alive is not just important — it’s essential to the quality of work I deliver. One of the biggest ways I protect and fuel my creativity is by intentionally designing my schedule. I operate on a shortened workweek, which gives me the time and space to engage in creative outlets outside of work. I’ve learned that my best ideas often come when I’m not sitting at my desk.
I also structure my work around theme days instead of rigid time blocking — for example, Marketing Mondays, Client Tuesdays, and Admin Thursdays. This flexibility allows me to stay mentally fresh throughout the day while still moving the business forward in a focused way. It’s a balance between structure and creativity that really works for me.
Another important part of my approach is being mindful not to overcommit. I’m very intentional about the number of clients I take on, ensuring that I have enough creative capacity to truly grow, pivot, and create alongside them — not just deliver one-time, rigid programs. I love building long-term collaborations where creativity can evolve over time.
Outside of the work structure itself, I focus on keeping myself personally energized. I use the 7 types of rest framework by Sandra Dalton-Smith to make sure I’m getting the right kind of rest — whether that’s creative rest, sensory rest, or emotional rest. I also prioritize getting out of draining situations quickly, so I can preserve my energy for what matters most.
Lastly, I lean heavily into my natural strengths. Through the CliftonStrengths assessment, I’ve learned that my top five strengths — Strategic, Maximizer, Activator, Focus, and Relator — help me stay both intentional and innovative. I also partner closely with Lindsay Pitstick, a strengths-based business developer, to continually align my work with what energizes me most.
In short, staying creative isn’t something I leave to chance — it’s something I design my life and business around every day.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m a business strategist who works exclusively with financial advisors to help them design practices they actually enjoy growing. I focus on helping them build standout client experiences, strong business systems, and sustainable growth strategies — without losing the personal touch that makes them unique.
What I find most exciting about the work I do is that it’s not one-size-fits-all. Every advisor I work with has a different vision, personality, and set of strengths, and I get to come alongside them to build something that’s truly theirs. I don’t believe in cookie-cutter solutions — I believe in creativity, customization, and collaboration. That’s why my work is all about creating spaces where advisors can grow, pivot, and evolve their businesses in a way that feels both energizing and authentic.
One of the newest and most exciting parts of what I’m offering right now is The Experience Effect — a live, step-by-step course designed specifically for financial advisors who want to elevate their client experience, grow through authentic referrals, and create a brand that people naturally talk about. We’re already seeing incredible momentum from the first cohorts, and it’s been a joy to watch advisors build experiences that reflect the heart and soul of their practices.
At the core of everything I do is a belief that success isn’t about doing more — it’s about doing more of what matters most. My brand is built on helping financial advisors run businesses that fuel their lives, not drain them.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Looking back, three qualities that were most impactful in my journey have been strategic thinking, a drive for excellence, and the ability to take action quickly — all of which tie directly to my top strengths of Strategic, Maximizer, and Activator.
My Strategic strength has allowed me to see patterns, opportunities, and pitfalls quickly, helping me make decisions that move the business forward with intention rather than reaction. It’s been critical for helping me build a brand that isn’t just successful, but truly aligned with my long-term vision.
My Maximizer strength has kept the standard high — I’m always looking for ways to improve, refine, and elevate everything I touch. Rather than settling for “good enough,” I’ve built a business that thrives on quality and personalization, which naturally attracts the right clients and opportunities.
And my Activator strength has been the momentum behind it all. I’m someone who believes in taking smart, fast action — testing ideas, learning from them, and pivoting when necessary. That willingness to move forward, even before everything feels “perfect,” has given me the freedom to walk away from paths that didn’t align and instead craft a fully aligned, purpose-driven brand.
For those early in their journey, my advice would be this:
Get clear on your unique strengths early. They are the shortcut to building a business that fits you instead of forcing yourself into someone else’s mold.
Trust yourself to take action before you feel ready. You’ll learn so much more by doing than by waiting.
And don’t be afraid to hold a higher standard. You’re not for everyone — and that’s a good thing. Building something excellent and aligned will pay off exponentially more than trying to build something that’s simply “acceptable.”
We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
I firmly believe it’s better to go all in on your strengths rather than trying to be perfectly well-rounded. Gallup’s research behind CliftonStrengths backs this up — their studies show that people who focus on developing their strengths are six times more likely to be engaged in their work and three times more likely to report having an excellent quality of life. Strengths-based development isn’t just a nice idea — it’s a proven strategy for better performance, greater fulfillment, and faster growth.
That said, I don’t think this means we should be blind to the areas where we aren’t as strong. It’s important to be aware of those areas — not to beat ourselves up over them, but so we can intentionally design our roles, businesses, and teams to support us. I’ve learned that I’m at my best when I shape my work around what I naturally do well — Strategic, Maximizer, Activator — and then either delegate or creatively problem-solve around the areas that aren’t my top strengths.
A lot of this understanding came from working with Lindsay Pitstick, a strengths-based business developer who has been instrumental in helping me see just how much more sustainable and energizing it is to build with my strengths rather than against them. Through her mentorship and my own study of Gallup’s research, I realized that alignment isn’t a luxury — it’s a requirement for long-term success.
For example, I know that hyper-detailed project management isn’t where I shine. Rather than force myself to become someone I’m not, I’ve brought in the right people who thrive in that role. It’s allowed me to stay in my zone of creativity and strategic thinking, while still ensuring the work gets done at a high level.
The key is — don’t use “that’s not my strength” as an excuse to be a jerk or avoid accountability. (I say that with a lot of love!) Self-awareness is a gift when it’s paired with responsibility. I believe in being honest about what you’re not great at and taking ownership for how you build around it.
Ultimately, when we double down on our strengths, we create a ripple effect — we do better work, serve people better, and experience more joy and freedom in the process. And isn’t that the point?!?!?
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.byersstrategygroup.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciabyers/
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Tied&Two
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