Unmet Demand
Melissa Joy spent 19 years commuting to an RIA firm in the Detroit metro area, but was seeking a better work-life balance when she opened her own firm, Pearl Planning, last year above a pizzeria in her hometown of Dexter, Mich. She continues to work with her clients from Detroit and around the country. What has been “unexpected but terrific for business,” she says, is the unmet demand coming her way from her community, where she’s the only advisor with the CFP credential.
“People are looking for the same building blocks,” says Joy, whether they’re in big markets or small markets. Retirement is at the top of clients’ minds, she says, as are college funding and figuring out how to invest after maxing out on 401(k) contributions. “It’s been a wonderful gift to integrate my professional identity with my personal life,” she adds.
The financial planning profession will be lucky to see more women join its ranks—and stay.