We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jessica Weaver a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jessica, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
When I started in the financial industry in 2010, I joined my father’s financial firm as the only female advisor. Women make up only 18% of advisors, and majority of advisors are also in their 60s. Here I was young, a woman, and very few people took me seriously! I did what I thought would be best, I worked hard, I did what was expected of me, and I did what I was told to do. Then I woke up one day, looked in the mirror, and didn’t recognize who I was. All of this hard work while yes it made me fit in somewhat, but it also made me blend in with every other financial advisor. I noticed how dim my light had gotten by blending in, and it hurt me deep down to see myself this was and so very unhappy. Little by little, I did the inner work to find my true self, I worked with coaches, surrounded myself with the right tribe of people, and I gave myself permission to go for it! I now am a 3 time best selling author, a TV show host of Women Behind the Millions, and own 2 six and seven figure businesses, The Women’s Wealth Boutique, an all female financial firm and #pinkfix Productions, a branding and media firm. I now help women stand out, create their own stage, and shine their light!
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
After spending a decade at my father’s financial firm, I took a huge risk and left to create something so special and unique in the financial industry. I created the Women’s Wealth Boutique in 2022, and we have consistently brought on a new female advisor every quarter, who are in states spanning the entire country. All of us have joined forces to disrupt and revolutionize the role women play in building wealth, on a personal level, on a business level, and for your legacy! I was terrified to leave my father’s firm, there was comfort there, love, and support, and yet it wasn’t fulfilling me. To walk away from one day taking over a multi million dollar firm and build something of your own was so overwhelming yet exhilarating at the same time. Our mission has taken stem as we are the fastest growing woman owned financial firm in the United States, our podcast: Women Behind the Millions, became a hit TV show, and we have our newest book being publishing 2/22/24: Financial Trendsetters. We all know there is a huge pay gap between men and women, yet no one talks about the financial literacy gap which is what causes this pay gap. I noticed this enormous gap between women receiving the right education around not just money but wealth, creating and building real, sustainable, life altering wealth. At the same time, female financial advisors weren’t given the same opportunities as men, always being behind the scenes at the firms. So I build #pinkfix Productions, a multi media and branding firm to help give these women platforms, brands, and media to get them out to the world, especially for women. With our latest endeavor, an antomology book featuring 15 trailblazing women in the financial industry, and their transformative stories, we will be able to give back in huge way! All of the book proceeds will be used to raise funds for a college scholarship for a young woman who will join us as a future female financial advisor.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
My skillset is comprised of branding, media, and building out communities. When I look back on all that we have built and dream about all that we are still building, it comes down to confidence in your worth, which is branding, being brave enough to be vulnerable, which is how communities are built, and getting your story out there through media. To build confidence, you have to get out there and use every opportunity not as the end result but as practice. Every speaking engagement, whether hundreds of people, thousands, or just one person is an opportunity to practice. My first facebook live was horrible, there was no energy, it fell flat, and it still haunts me! But that first video built up the courage to do another one, and to continue the momentum forward. Now I teach out communities leaders how to show up and blast the world with their unique energy on camera! All the practice will lead you somewhere, for me it is in on stage in front of hundreds, thousands of women, AND on a hit TV show as the show host. When it comes to the media, you can’t sit around waiting for people to find you, you have to be proactive. Start by letting your audience, on social media, your clients, your friend group, that you have a mission and a story to share with the world, then ask for podcast leads, event leads, or media shoutouts. Take action, and each media piece will lead you to another one! In the world of finance, we are often told to put your emotions on the sidelines when you make a decision. I’m sorry, but this is impossible because no matter what, every single decision of your life is based on emotions. We are also surrounded by a lot of egos in the financial industry, and egos do not like to get vulnerable. Yet being vulnerable is the only true way to connect with someone. Put together your transforming story, and start talking about it. Use it on stage, in the media, on social media, and with your one on one meetings. Your story will build a trust, it will ignite a movement, and this will build your community with ease and with the right people! It’s not about promising people to get them to follow you, it’s about you showing up as you, vulnerable, beautiful, and believing.
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
In 2023, I grow a lot as a leader of 2 companies and I grew my confidence as being an advisor to my clients and mentor to the advisors at our Women’s Wealth Boutique. I have a history of people pleasing from childhood wounds, feeling the need to overperform and overgive in order to keep people in your world. I learned that if you need to work so darn hard for a relationship or partnership than that isn’t the right person for you. And you have to let go and run away as fast as possible from these people because they are users. They will make you question your worth, they will take all of your energy, and never be grateful for you or your work. I’ve had to confront a lot of team members, call people out, and even let people go. While I thought this would all leave a negative mark in my life, it only gave me more confidence, especially when it comes to trusting my intuition. Being a leader means trusting yourself, surrounding yourself with the right people, embrace the confrontation, and knowing the energy your team needs to perform.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jessicaweaver.com and www.womenswealthboutique.com
- Instagram: @pinkfixmymoney and @womenswealthboutique
- Facebook: @pinkfixmymoney
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-weaver-cfp%C2%AE-cdfa%C2%AE-cfs%C2%AE-76538733/
- Youtube: @pinkfixmymoney
