We were lucky to catch up with Kristin Afelumo recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kristin, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Looking back at the decisions you made early in your career, particularly whether to join a firm or start your own, do you feel you made the right choice for that stage of your career?

In 2013 I was at a dead-end job. Interestingly enough, I’d been a celebrated & Award Winning Sales Manager just months earlier, who’d fallen victim to office politics. I was a naive 20-something who thought that because I was excellent at my job I’d get the best opportunities. I still can’t pinpoint exactly what happened, maybe it was my overall inexperience, but I still can’t completely tell you why I didn’t continue to ascend to the highest level of leadership at this company. However it happened, I’d definitely hit a wall by the fall of 2013-and I knew it.

I went to a career fair and was sold on the promise of my current industry on 2 main points. #1 I’d be doing meaningful work for clients that would be complex and interesting. #2. No one could change my pay plan because I was exceeding expectations and they didn’t want to pay me, and no one would cap my income. I didn’t know at this point that I’d be entering the world of self-employment where I’d never get to work my way up nor would I ever have the satisfaction of a promotion ever again!

Once joining the Financial Planning industry, I was affiliated with a captive Broker-Dealer (firm). They said it was an entrepreneurial model and that I owned my client relationships. At the end of the day though, I didn’t. It was a huge lesson learned. I’m not hard on myself about this decision whatsoever. I knew very little about my industry before joining it.

Looking back though, I received the best training and learned an excellent structure, much of which I still use in my practice today. I worked incredibly hard in the first couple of years to learn my craft. Once I learned what I could from that firm, I started to branch out and source my own education. I left that firm after 14 months and never looked back.

Kristin, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Kristin Afelumo, I own a company that offers Subscription Based Financial Planning. It’s called HerPlanning, and I love it.

What attracted me to this work is the idea that I could have a meaningful impact in an area where clients really needed help. Making a difference in the lives of clients is my absolute joy. It just so happens that I was always the person people would ask for help with resumes or credit scores or something “adulting” related even when I was in high school and college. I once took a survey in High School that said my personality would best be suited to be a Life Insurance Sales Person and guess what, as a part of my Financial Planning Practice, I get to do that too.

It’s possible you have worked with a Financial Advisor before. If that’s the case, you know the basics. We review your financial situation and show you:
1. Where to invest
2. How to invest
3. How much to invest

Some also may review a household budget from time to time and sell you insurance products. When you meet with them annually they give you updates on what happened in the market last year and tell you to invest more.

If you’ve never worked with one before. You may be thinking it’s not for you or it’s too intimidating.

Because I’d never worked with a Financial Advisor, or known one well before I became one. I built a business that was intuitive to me, based on the needs and feedback of my clients.

Because of that, you can just pay HerPlanning for Advice. You can just pay HerPlanning to help you with your debt snowball. if you’re a business owner, we can help you build out your retirement benefits for yourself and your team, and help with life transitions like marriage, divorce, death of a loved one (inheritance issues). Many of our clients own businesses so considering their business as their largest asset that they’ll eventually need to turn into a giant paycheck in retirement is a huge concern. We do all of that and everything every other Financial Advisory firm does, but what’s most important to me is that we do only what’s needed for each client and that looks different for each of them. The experience is you have with us is wildly important to us.

I built my practice with a few things in mind:
1. Most of my clients are women. Many of them are Female Primary Income Earners or are Single. Plenty of them are business owners and most work in a Service-Based Industry.
2. They’ve worked with another Financial Professional before and they hated him. Hated the way he talked to her (or over her) hated how he used industry jargon and how her questions were never answered or just ignored. The vibe of working with someone else was just… off.
3. They’re first generation ‘got some money’ not rich, just have a great income and want to make sure they’re doing the best they can with what they have–and they have a lot.
4. HerPlanning is completely virtual and has been since 2018. My clients value efficiency and nothing sucks the life out of your day like leaving your office for a meeting only to get stuck in traffic heading home. or having to spend your day off in the Financial Planner’s office.

We value Partnership, Equality & Integrity. Showing up in the world the way I do in my business, being the same person consistently whether I’m in front of a camera at my desk, in a newsroom or at the yoga studio is something I’m proud of. I just believe in treating people like humans and that means talking to them about their lives like their peer and partner.

Your money is important. Your life is important. It’s our mission to empower you to unapologetically pursue your goals through financial planning.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I always do what I say I’m going to do. Always. If I say I’ll reach out by a certain time, I do. If I miss a deadline, I acknowledge it and make a plan to do better moving forward.

I have a very clear market. Don’t get me wrong, if someone introduces me to a friend or family member I am glad to chat with them, but I only market to my target market, women with financial complexity. I’ve been consistent about that for years. The messaging changes but it gets to the same core every time. It starts with committing to that group of people you’re meant to serve and then just showing up for them every single day. One day builds to years and then all of a sudden you’re ‘the girl planner’ (that’s what they used to call me) or, my favorite, ‘she works with girls who outearn their husbands’.

There’s so much freedom in knowing not everyone is your client. I know very well that if you go to any networking event in town you can throw a rock and hit 3 financial advisors. I made it a point to share with others who I specifically wanted to work with. It makes it clear who is a prospect, but sometimes more importantly, who isn’t. It also makes it really easy to refer me because if a female business owner with a steadily increasing tax burden crosses your desk, I’m the only Financial Planner to call. I’m a specialist. Be a specialist.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

I include clients in changes and updates. I ask them their opinion on changes I’m considering in my business. I ask for feedback, both good and bad and I act on it. I ask clients for help with big decisions because ultimately, the decisions I am making for the business are in an effort to make their lives better.

I also share personal updates as well as business updates. I think as clients see your brand grow if they’ve been along for the ride awhile, they’re proud to share you with their friends because you’re this best-kept secret that they get to say they knew before you ‘made it’.

I genuinely love and respect the clients I work with so it’s a no-brainer for me to include them in some way as my business grows and likely easier for me than most to build brand loyalty.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.HerPlanning.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/herplanning
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/herplanning
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/herplanning
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/@herplanning
• Other: www.linkedin.com/in/kristinoneal