We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shannon Fowler a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Shannon, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

I sort of fell into the financial services industry after college. I knew I loved helping people, and my first job as a Client Service Manager for a financial advisor seemed like a solid place to start. It didn’t take long before I was acquiring my securities licenses, making myself more valuable to the firm and more marketable for future opportunities.

Then, just 1.5 years into that role, everything changed. Myself and two other associates found ourselves in a situation we never expected—we were forced to resign due to unethical behavior by the advisor we worked for. We knew staying would compromise our integrity, so we walked away. At the time, it felt like a terrifying free fall, but looking back, it was the first of many moments that would teach me taking a risk is sometimes the only way forward.

At the same time, I was engaged to my high school sweetheart. He was a good man, and on paper, our life looked perfect. But deep down, something felt off. Not because of him—but because of me. I had spent years avoiding a future that looked anything like my parents’ marriage. My dad was busy building his company, and my mom, while raising me and my sister, was growing resentful of that very business. I didn’t want to repeat that cycle.

After almost 14 years together, in March 2016, I made one of the hardest decisions of my life: I called off the wedding. Six months later, I put my house in St. Louis up for rent, packed my life into a moving truck, and moved to Denver, Colorado. I didn’t have it all figured out, but I knew I wanted more—more growth, more independence, and more clarity about who I was becoming.

It turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

But life has a funny way of keeping you on your toes. If you had told me that just five years later, I’d be packing up again—this time for a small town in Wyoming—I would have laughed. Yet, in May 2021, an unexpected job opportunity came my way, and I thought, Why not? I had nothing to lose.

That leap led me exactly where I was meant to be.

Just six weeks into the Wyoming job, my boss was in trouble with the FBI, and I found myself once again faced with a choice. But this time, I didn’t panic—I trusted myself. That trust led me to Ogden, Utah, where I not only found my next career move but also met my now-husband. Eventually, I joined IronBridge Wealth Counsel, where I get to do the work I truly love, guiding people through financial decisions with clarity and confidence.

Looking back, every risk I took felt uncertain at the time. But each one was a step toward the life I was meant to build. If there’s one lesson I’ve learned, it’s this: Sometimes, the biggest risks aren’t really risks at all—they’re just the next step toward the future you can’t quite see yet.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

When I first started in financial services, I never imagined I’d want to be a financial advisor. The thought of answering to little old ladies when the stock market dropped? No, thank you. That sounded like way too much stress and pressure. I figured I’d always be content working behind the scenes in operations—steady W-2, benefits, no surprises.

I had seen firsthand how hard my dad worked to build his business, the ups and downs he endured, and I thought, I don’t want that kind of uncertainty in my life. Or so I believed.

Fast forward to October 2021—I had relocated to Ogden, UT, and suddenly, I was the owner of my own financial planning practice. Turns out, what I once resisted was exactly what I was meant to do.

What I Do and Who I Help
I offer a comprehensive range of financial planning services—tailored retirement strategies, innovative investment planning, and holistic wealth management—designed for busy professionals and entrepreneurs. My expertise particularly resonates with women and professionals in the construction industry, two groups often overlooked in traditional financial spaces.

Here’s the reality: Only 20% of financial advisors are women. While there’s momentum to change that, the industry still has a long way to go. Pale, stale, and male? That’s old news. Women naturally gravitate toward working with other women, and I understand the unique financial dynamics that come with juggling roles as a partner, mom, daughter, business owner, and friend.

My Approach
I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all financial advice. My process is data-driven yet deeply personalized, ensuring my clients feel understood and supported—not just like another account number. I cut through the noise, give my clients clear, strategic guidance, and empower them to take control of their financial futures. Whether it’s navigating market volatility, planning for retirement, or making strategic business decisions, my approach is transparent, no-nonsense, and designed for long-term success.

Beyond Financial Planning
Beyond one-on-one advising, I create content that educates and inspires—through webinars, podcasts, and other resources—because financial empowerment starts with understanding your options. COVID changed the way we do business, and now my clients don’t have to be in my backyard—I serve professionals across the U.S. who want clarity, confidence, and a trusted partner in their financial journey.

What Sets Me Apart
I’m not here to sell a product or push a prepackaged plan. I’m here to advocate for my clients, simplify the complex, and help them build a future they feel excited about. What I’m most proud of? The trust I’ve built and the results I help my clients achieve—whether that’s securing a comfortable retirement, eliminating financial stress, or creating generational wealth.

If you’re looking for a financial partner who will meet you where you are, challenge you to think bigger, and give you a strategic path forward—you’re in the right place.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

In May 2021, I took a leap. I was recruited for a job in a small town in Wyoming, leaving behind the life and community I had built in Denver—a place that, by then, felt more like home than St. Louis ever had. Still, I was searching for something. I half-joked that I was done with the Denver dating scene and ready to find my future husband—maybe even a rugged cowboy on a ranch.

But six weeks into the job, at the end of June, everything unraveled. My boss was suddenly in trouble with the FBI, and I found myself at yet another crossroads.

What I’ve learned in moments like this is to trust the feeling in my body. I wasn’t panicked. I had money in the bank. I wasn’t tied down to a person or place. Instead of spiraling over what went wrong, I saw it as an opportunity. I had taken a risk, and while it didn’t unfold as expected, I wasn’t stuck—I was free to decide my next move.

I started applying for jobs west of Wyoming and made it to the final round for a position in Ogden, UT. When I visited, I liked the city enough to envision myself staying for a while. But during this process, something else clicked: I was tired of “hitching my wagon” to other people’s businesses. It was time to build something of my own.

The shift to remote work after COVID made it clear—I didn’t need to be established in one community to attract clients. My clients could be anywhere in the U.S. That’s when I made the decision to start my own practice. That unexpected detour in Wyoming wasn’t a failure; it was the push I needed to take full control of my future.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

What Other People Do Has Nothing to Do with you

For a long time, I carried the weight of other people’s decisions on my shoulders. If a prospect ghosted me after a promising conversation, I wondered if I had said something wrong. If someone in my industry took a different approach, I questioned whether I was doing things the “right” way. If a friend or colleague made a financial mistake I could have helped them avoid, I felt responsible for not stepping in sooner.

I thought that if I worked harder, communicated better, or positioned myself differently, I could control outcomes. But the truth is, I can’t—and I shouldn’t try.

The lesson hit hard when a client I had guided through a major life transition suddenly made a complete 180 on a decision we had been working toward for months. No discussion, no feedback—just a firm “It’s done.” I obsessed over it at first. Had I missed something? Could I have done more? But the truth is, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. She made a choice—one I still believe wasn’t in her best interest—based on reasons I may never fully understand. At the end of the day, my job is to stay rooted in integrity, provide the best guidance possible, and accept that clients will sometimes take a different path. My role is to educate and empower—not to control the outcome.

That was my wake-up call.

I had to unlearn the belief that people’s choices—whether clients, colleagues, or even friends—were a reflection of me. They weren’t. People make decisions for their own reasons, often based on circumstances I’ll never know about. My job is to show up, do great work, and stay in alignment with my values. The rest? It’s not mine to carry.

Letting go of that has been freeing. I still care deeply about my clients and the work I do, but I no longer take it personally when someone makes a choice that doesn’t involve me. And ironically, that shift has made me a better advisor, business owner, and person—because I’m no longer wasting energy on things I can’t control.

Securities and investment advisory services offered through Osaic Wealth, Inc. member FINRA/SIPC. Osaic Wealth is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of Osaic Wealth.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ironbridgewc.com/team/shannon-fowler
• Instagram: @building.her.wealth
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonfowler-financialplanner
• Other: https://linktr.ee/shannonfowler

Image Credits

Palms and Lace