Welcome back to Don’t Retire… Graduate! In today’s episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on what it means to grow—personally and professionally—within the world of financial advising. I’m joined by Cody Niedermeier, who returns for his second visit to our “Diary of a Financial Advisor” segment. Cody’s journey is one for the books: he began his career at BFG Financial Advisors in investment operations back in 2019, transitioned to the advisory team by 2020, became an advisor in 2023, and recently took the bold step of becoming a shareholder in 2025.

Cody’s passion for guiding individuals and families through all stages of life shines through, both in his commitment to financial planning and his role as a leader. A proud graduate of the University of Maryland and former captain of the soccer team, Cody brings both team spirit and perseverance to his professional journey. In our discussion, we explore what it takes to go from an entry-level role to company ownership—and the crucial decisions, sacrifices, and mindset shifts required along the way.

In our conversation, Cody shares the reality of apprenticeship and gradual career growth, contrasting it with the allure of instant gratification so common in today’s workforce. We talk candidly about the financial and emotional considerations of becoming a company shareholder—“it's a mortgage,” as Cody puts it—and the support and tough love provided by those closest to us during major decisions. Cody opens up about the added responsibilities and pressures that come with being a leader and owner, the importance of mentoring others, and the privilege of helping both colleagues and clients achieve their goals.

We also touch on industry trends—such as the push for rapid growth and private equity buyouts—and why we believe in cultivating a firm with a close-knit culture and opportunities for meaningful, long-term advancement. Finally, Cody offers advice for recent grads and young professionals navigating their first job offers, including the importance of culture fit, patience, and seeking guidance from trusted friends and family.

5 Key Takeaways:

1. Apprenticeship Matters: Cody’s journey from investment operations to advisor and eventually shareholder underscores the value of learning the business from the ground up, even when it means being patient and resisting the urge for immediate advancement.
2. Ownership Is a Big Commitment: Becoming a shareholder in a financial advisory firm is a major undertaking—financially and personally. It requires careful deliberation, family discussions, and a firm belief in the firm’s mission.
3. Leadership Beyond Management: Moving into ownership is not just about management; it’s about genuine leadership—inspiring others, setting an example, and mentoring the next generation of advisors.
4. The “Tortoise and the Hare” Career Path: Choosing the slower, steadier growth path—one that offers room for advancement and aligns with personal values—can yield far greater long-term rewards than chasing the quick buck.
5. Find Your Fit & Use Your Network: Cody emphasizes the importance of finding the right cultural fit in a workplace, using your network, and seeking advice from loved ones, rather than accepting the first appealing offer that comes along.

Join us as we dive into the real-life experiences and lessons learned on the path from entry-level to ownership, and the importance of pursuing a career—and a workplace—that supports your growth, your values, and your financial dreams. Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share this episode with others who are ready to graduate into their next chapter—one step, and one decision, at a time!

1. Financial Trauma Goes Beyond Numbers: Financial struggles often stem from deep-seated emotional and generational wounds—not just poor habits or lack of information. Understanding your relationship with money is key to breaking free.
2. Boundaries and Lifestyle Design Are Transformational: You don’t have to quit everything to make substantial change. Small but decisive shifts—like setting boundaries or redefining your social environment—can drastically improve financial and personal health.
3. The Snowball Method is Not Just Math—It’s Motivation: Alejandra used the snowball method (paying off smallest debts first) as a way to stay motivated and hack her emotional triggers, showing that psychology is as important as strategy in financial recovery.
4. Financial Independence is More Than a Dollar Figure: True financial independence involves breaking generational patterns, healing inherited beliefs, and gaining mental freedom—not just reaching a certain net worth.
5. Context and Culture Matter: Alejandra underscores that standard financial advice isn’t one-size-fits-all. Addressing systemic issues, generational trauma, and cultural context is essential for serving women of color and building sustainable financial confidence.

Welcome back to Don’t Retire… Graduate! In today’s episode, we’re taking you behind the scenes of the financial planning profession with our recurring segment, Diary of a Financial Advisor. I’m excited to welcome back Andrew Harrell—a second-time guest and a perfect example of what it looks like to excel and give back in the financial advisory field.

Andrew’s journey is marked by involvement and leadership—not only within the firm but also as a newly minted board member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA) of Maryland. He’s someone who truly believes in the collaborative spirit of financial planning, working to foster connections among advisors, drive awareness of legislative issues, and elevate the next generation of planners.

In our discussion, Andrew and I dove into professional growth, the value of mentorship and collaboration amongst advisors, and the imperative of getting involved in advocacy through organizations like the FPA. We touched on why participating in these associations expands one’s perspective, and how collaboration trumps competition among advisors. Andrew shared his experience spearheading NextGen initiatives and explained how networking and community work not only benefit clients but enhance the profession as a whole.

We also dove into the nuts and bolts of financial wellness, spotlighting BFG’s pioneering corporate financial wellness program—a benefit many don’t realize exists for employees at all levels, breaking the stereotype that financial advice is just for the wealthy. Andrew walked us through what it’s like to deliver hands-on guidance to folks navigating benefit packages, personal finances, and tough life decisions. And, of course, we chatted about the “wellness” aspect—what it means to equip clients with the tools and peace of mind they need to thrive not just financially, but holistically.

Of course, I also had a little fun ribbing Andrew about his office nicknames, including “Young Protege” and “EJ” (Eric Junior), and we wrapped up with his vision for his future in the profession.

5 Key Takeaways:

1. Collaboration Over Competition: Andrew emphasized that financial advisors can—and should—see each other as collaborators, not competitors. Networking with peers expands your perspective and helps everyone, including clients, succeed.

2. The Value of Professional Associations: Being active in organizations like the Financial Planning Association provides community, advocacy, and professional development opportunities you won’t find working in a silo.

3. Holistic Financial Wellness: Corporate financial wellness programs aren’t just about asset management; they’re about empowering employees of all levels to make informed decisions about their benefit plans, insurance, and other financial topics, bringing real peace of mind.

4. Legislative Engagement Matters: The financial planning profession faces significant regulatory and legislative pressures. Advisors need to stay informed and get involved in advocacy to ensure their voices—and those of their clients—are heard.

5. Impact Beyond the Numbers: Financial wellness means helping people feel good about their decisions, providing reassurance, and allowing them to focus on what matters most in life—without constantly worrying about money, assets, or benefits.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Don’t Retire… Graduate! On today’s episode, we’re digging into the evolving world of content creation, self-directed IRAs, and the power of pivoting careers—especially when your passions and professional path take an unexpected but rewarding turn.

I’m excited to introduce my guest, Jasmine Trocchia, former Marketing Manager for American IRA. Her journey is both fascinating and instructive—beginning as a YouTuber and content creator with over 200,000 subscribers as “Sally Green Gamer” and evolving into a digital marketing leader in the financial services sector.

In our conversation, Jasmine walks us through her remarkable transition—how being a stay-at-home mom and playing Minecraft with her kids sparked a successful YouTube career and ultimately helped her acquire an impressive skill set. We discuss the nuances of building a personal brand, growing a social media following from scratch, and translating those hard-earned “YouTube skills” into a robust marketing toolkit. Jasmine shares what it took to monetize her online presence, the downsides and safeguards of being a family-friendly online creator, and what she learned about networking, SEO, and audience building.

We then explore how Jasmine applied her grassroots expertise to American IRA, a self-directed IRA firm with over 20 years in the industry. She details the company’s growth, their new educational webinar series and podcast, and her passion for helping people invest in nontraditional assets like real estate through their retirement accounts. Jasmine’s candor about the challenges of marketing in a highly regulated financial services environment—especially compared to the creative freedom on her own channel—offers valuable insight for anyone navigating career pivots.

Finally, Jasmine opens up about her vision for the future, her goals of becoming a Chief Marketing Officer, and her next creative adventure with a new lifestyle vlog channel that blends family, fun, and storytelling. Her story is an inspiring reminder that the skills and passions from one chapter of life are often the building blocks for the next.

5 Key Takeaways:

1. Transferable Skills Are Invaluable: Jasmine’s experience as a YouTuber taught her everything from video editing and SEO to audience engagement, all of which she now leverages in her role as a marketing manager. No skill or job, no matter how unconventional, is ever wasted!

2. Monetizing Your Passion Is Possible: Playing online games with her kids led to a profitable YouTube channel—proof that with consistency, strategy (and a little algorithm savvy), creative pursuits can become significant income streams.

3. Community and Safety Matter: As a prominent family-friendly YouTuber, Jasmine implemented strict boundaries to protect herself and her audience, reminding us that digital success must be accompanied by careful online safety and ethics.

4. Pivoting Is a Superpower: Jasmine’s transition from content creator to marketing leader underscores how adaptability and a willingness to learn can open unexpected doors—even in vastly different industries.

5. The Financial World Needs Creative Thinkers: Jasmine’s marketing approach brings fresh energy to American IRA, leveraging social media, webinars, and podcasts to demystify self-directed IRAs and inspire broader financial education.

Join us as Jasmine’s journey fires up your imagination about what’s possible in your own career. Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with family, friends, and anyone who might be looking to turn their creative passions into meaningful work—or anyone curious about new frontiers in retirement planning!

Stay tuned for more inspiring episodes as we help you graduate to your best financial future with purpose and passion.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

Welcome back to Don’t Retire… Graduate! In today’s episode, I’m delighted to bring you another entry in our “Diary of a Financial Advisor” segment, where we dive deep into the journeys, motivations, and unique perspectives of professionals in the financial planning world. Today, my guest is Kobe Bolanos, an Investment Operations Associate turned Financial Advisor at BFG Financial Advisors, and a dedicated advocate for financial literacy and community empowerment.

I first met Kobe during his time at Stevenson University, and I’ve watched with pride as he’s grown from a recent graduate—overwhelmed by the complexities of investing—into a rising star at BFG. In our conversation, Kobe and I explore his transition from corporate finance to wealth management during the COVID era, and how an early reading of “Don’t Retire... Graduate!” first introduced him to the world of personal financial planning (even if it went way over his head at the time!).

Kobe shares candidly about why he chose to join BFG over other opportunities, especially valuing our firm’s apprenticeship-style model that prioritizes education and mentorship over sales quotas. We discuss his hands-on experience with investment operations, associate work, and now advisory client meetings, and how this 360-degree perspective has deepened his appreciation for the emotional and behavioral elements of financial advice.

We also talk about the importance of representation in the industry. Kobe recounts his experience attending his first large industry conference, reflecting on the challenges and opportunities that come with being an outlier in a room—and how that drives his passion for empowering others in his community. We dig into his specific interest in estate planning, the critical (and often overlooked) area he’s eager to champion for families and high earners alike.

Throughout our conversation, Kobe emphasizes his holistic vision for the advisor role, blending financial guidance with conversations around wellness and life coaching. His ultimate goal? To help people become the best versions of themselves—financially, personally, and beyond.

5 Key Takeaways:

1. The Power of Mentorship and Education: Kobe’s positive experience at BFG underscores the value of an apprenticeship model in building true advisory skills and prioritizing client relationships over sales targets.

2. Financial Planning is Not One-Size-Fits-All: Every client’s goals and life situation are different, requiring truly personalized planning and a team-based approach for optimal outcomes.

3. Emotional and Behavioral Finance Matter: Kobe notes that success in financial planning is about more than numbers—it’s about understanding the unique motivations and concerns of each client, and easing the emotional burden money often brings.

4. The Neglected Importance of Estate Planning: Kobe is passionate about raising awareness for estate planning, pointing out that even high earners tend to overlook this crucial aspect of financial wellness—one that can have lasting generational impact.

5. Representation and Community Impact: As a young advisor of color, Kobe is actively building his network through organizations like the Baltimore Estate Planning Council and QuadE. He sees himself as both an advocate and a role model, working to create a more inclusive and supportive industry for all.

Join us on this episode as we celebrate the journey of a financial advisor who’s making a tangible difference—one client and one community at a time. Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share this podcast with anyone looking to graduate into retirement with purpose, passion, and a solid plan!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Don’t Retire… Graduate! In today’s episode, we’re diving into the world of values-driven finance and social impact investing—a topic that blends doing well financially with doing good in the world. I’m joined in the studio by Karyn Polak, founder and Chief Activator of Shift the Prism. Karyn is a lawyer by training and a passionate advocate for equity and inclusion through finance. With a career spanning major law firms, financial institutions like Citigroup, PNC, and Transamerica, and now her own advisory work, Karyn is on a mission to mobilize capital for the greater good, investing for people, planet, and place.

Karyn and I had an engaging conversation about the often-blurry line between philanthropy and impact investing. We talked through the realities of working for “big finance” on Wall Street and the motivations that drive individuals and communities to use their money as a tool for positive change. Karyn shared insights about how the large, profit-driven financial institutions can sometimes disconnect from the communities they’re meant to serve, and why it matters where “your money sleeps at night.” We discussed the barriers Main Street investors face in navigating both traditional and alternative investments, the rise of crowdfunding, and the crucial differences between philanthropic giving and investment for social return.

We also addressed the challenges posed by regulation and compliance, how most advisors are limited in recommending private impact opportunities, and why it's so important for people to ask the right questions about where their dollars go—even when working with community foundations or donor-advised funds. Karyn outlined practical steps for everyday investors interested in creating both wealth and societal impact, introduced valuable resources for further exploration, and spoke from the heart about her career transition from big law and finance to social entrepreneurship.

Karyn concluded by sharing her “why”: the belief that everyone deserves access and opportunity, and the desire to see the real humans behind the numbers. If you’ve ever wondered how to align your money with your values—or how to create lasting impact while building your own financial independence—this episode is a must-listen.

5 Key Takeaways:

1. Understanding the Spectrum: There’s a world of possibilities between pure philanthropy (giving money away) and profit-maximizing investment. Investors can aim for both financial return and social good, using vehicles like community banks, impact funds, and recoverable grants.

2. Where Your Money Sleeps Matters: Where you choose to keep your money—whether in a big bank or a community institution—can profoundly affect the local community. Community banks use deposits to support local businesses, whereas large institutions often circulate funds globally.

3. The Power of Crowdfunding: Recent innovations in crowdfunding allow individuals to invest in local businesses and projects, often with modest amounts, blurring the lines between customer and investor and increasing neighborhood-level impact.

4. Ask the Right Questions (and Resources to Help): Investors need to be proactive—ask community foundations and donor-advised funds how their dollars are invested. Resources like As You Sow, US SIF, and Invest for Better can empower you with knowledge and confidence.

5. Align Risk, Return, and Impact: When evaluating any investment, consider not only the traditional financial return and risk but also the social and environmental impact. The most sustainable companies manage all three—benefiting investors and society alike.

Join us and get inspired to use your finances as a force for positive change—without sacrificing your own financial goals. As always, please subscribe, rate, and share Don’t Retire… Graduate! with your friends and...