We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tatiana Sunik. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tatiana below.

Tatiana, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us 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?

When I first started out, I joined a firm — actually several over the years — because I wanted to learn the business from the inside. My first experience was at Merrill Lynch right after college, and later I spent nearly two decades at boutique RIA firms in New York. Those early years were formative; they gave me a front-row seat to how financial advice is often delivered — and who it was designed for.

But over time, I realized that much of the industry’s language and structure didn’t reflect the real lives of women. It was all about performance, benchmarks, and accumulation — not about alignment, vision, or security. I wanted to bring a more human, emotionally intelligent lens to money — one that met women where they were.

That realization led me to create Hera Financial, my own platform where women could find not just advice, but clarity and confidence around their financial decisions. I still work with a large RIA, Forum Financial, which gives me access to incredible resources and research — but Hera is the space where I get to do the deeper work: helping women see that money isn’t about power over others; it’s about power within themselves.

Looking back, the combination was the right path. Joining a firm taught me structure, ethics, and discipline. Starting my own taught me voice, purpose, and courage. Those first few years building Hera were messy, emotional, and deeply meaningful — and they reminded me that financial independence, for women, starts long before the money ever arrives. It starts with owning your choices.

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.

I’m a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®, and the founder of Hera Financial, a practice dedicated to helping women gain clarity, confidence, and control over their financial lives. I’m also a Wealth Advisor with Forum Financial Management, where I provide comprehensive planning and investment management for individuals and families across the country.

My journey in finance began early—after college, I joined Merrill Lynch and later spent nearly two decades at boutique advisory firms in New York. Those years gave me deep technical expertise but also showed me something missing: women were often left out of the conversation. Even highly accomplished women—executives, business owners, professionals—felt uncertain or disconnected when it came to their money. I knew the industry had to evolve.

That realization inspired me to create Hera Financial. The name comes from the Greek goddess of women and family—a reminder that financial strength and personal well-being are deeply connected. My mission is simple: to transform how women experience financial planning. I help them turn anxiety into clarity, complexity into strategy, and goals into actionable plans that align with their values.

Through one-on-one advisory work, educational workshops, and my signature session called The Financial Mirror, I guide women to see beyond numbers—to understand that money is not just a measure of success but a tool for freedom and purpose.

What sets my work apart is a holistic approach: I combine fiduciary-level technical planning with empathy, education, and behavioral coaching. I want women to feel confident making financial decisions, whether they’re rebuilding after divorce, managing wealth, or planning their next chapter.

What I’m most proud of is seeing the transformation that happens when a woman realizes she’s not behind—she’s just beginning from a new place of awareness. That moment when she sees her financial life clearly for the first time—that’s where empowerment truly begins.

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

My story of resilience began the day my life completely changed—during my own divorce. I had spent years advising others on how to navigate financial decisions, yet suddenly I found myself facing the very uncertainty I had helped so many others through. Overnight, I became a single mother, rebuilding not just my finances but my entire identity.

That period became my “Harvard School of Divorce.” It was painful and humbling, but it taught me something no credential ever could: resilience isn’t about bouncing back—it’s about rebuilding forward. I learned that clarity is power. When you truly understand your financial picture, you regain your sense of control, and with that comes confidence.

That experience shaped everything I do today. I founded Hera Financial to help other women find their footing faster—to give them the tools, structure, and confidence I had to fight to develop on my own. Every client I work with reminds me that resilience isn’t born in the easy seasons—it’s forged in the hard ones.

What I’ve learned is that financial clarity isn’t just a technical goal—it’s emotional recovery. And when women reclaim that clarity, they don’t just survive change; they start shaping their own future with intention. That’s the heart of resilience.

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

One of the hardest lessons I had to unlearn was the idea that strength means doing everything alone. Early in my career—and even more so during my divorce—I equated independence with self-reliance to the point of exhaustion. I thought asking for help was a sign of weakness.

But over time, I learned that true strength isn’t about doing it all yourself—it’s about building systems of support that allow you to thrive. That realization reshaped both my life and my work. I began seeing how many women, especially high-achieving ones, carry that same mindset: “I’ll figure it out later. I’ll handle it myself.”

That’s why I built Hera Financial—to show women that financial clarity doesn’t come from perfection or doing it all. It comes from collaboration, education, and trusted partnership. The unlearning process taught me that confidence grows faster when you allow yourself to be supported.

Today, I remind my clients—and myself—that independence isn’t isolation. It’s the freedom to make informed choices, surrounded by the right people and the right information. That shift in mindset changed everything for me, and it’s the foundation of how I help others reclaim clarity and control in their own financial lives.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.herafin.com
• Instagram: divorce_strategist_hera
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tatiana-sunik/