Since kicking off 2019 at Twenty Over Ten, we are extremely grateful for all of the things that we accomplished in the past year with our clients. As we have entered the new year, we are excited to showcase new websites that have gone live to find out how the process went and look deeper into the redesign of advisor sites. This week, we got to speak with Fran McKay, owner and president at Catalyst Wealth Planning. As a business that is centered around women in stem (WiSTEM), they value meaningful relationships with clients who believe that it is important to focus on family, career, philanthropy and a financial plan to help you live life to the fullest.
Tell us more about Catalyst Wealth Planning and how you got your start.
This is my second career. I started working with an Edward Jones advisor as a client back in 1994. I fell in love with investing then and committed to making it a second career. I made that switch in 2014 when I became an Edward Jones Financial Advisor. It was my intent to stay with Jones until I retired. However, it wasn’t long before I started feeling constrained. I understand from the company’s perspective that it is easier to manage content they create but I found it stifling. I made the decision to leave in 2017 and made the leap in June 2018. I chose the name Catalyst Wealth Planning because I see planning as the catalyst to successfully using money as a tool in creating a life you love and leaving a legacy that lasts.
With such a specific niche in the STEM space, tell us more about what drew you to cater to this specific audience of women in STEM?
My first career is in STEM. I have a Masters in Chemical Engineering degree from the University of Houston. I worked in chemical manufacturing for 22 years, working my way up to Plant Manager for the last 5 years. I didn’t get to spend as much time with my family as I wanted to and so I switched careers. My heart goes out to women in STEM because I know how hard they work, how hard it is to balance life, how smart they are, and how much they love their families. I want to be a part of their success and take some of the burden off their shoulders. Just a side note, my logo has the same shape as the catalyst I used when I was in sulfuric acid manufacturing.
We absolutely love “The Catalyst Podcast!” We’d love to hear more about how you started this feature and the value it’s added.
I have been listening to podcasts for years. I love podcasts. It’s the perfect medium for busy people and they’re free!
My goal is to build a business that is not location dependent. I felt that podcasting would be the perfect platform for this. Having a podcast combines something I love to do with building a business a love.
I have to say, the one thing I love most about being a financial advisor/planner is how I get to combine what I love to do with my career. I am a member of Rotary. I am a member of a Foundation. I rub elbows with potential clients at the yacht club I sail at. I run elbows with potential clients when I attend fundraising events. I get to have a website, my own blog, and now my own podcast! I feel so fortunate to have the luxury of combining what I want to do with how I generate income.
We see you are using Acuity for your online meeting scheduler. How has this integration on your website helped streamline your processes and generate more leads for your business?
I have not gained a single client through my website, blog, or podcast, yet. My new clients are still coming in by referral, which is also great! Having the online scheduler is fantastic for streamlining processes though. I don’t want to hire an assistant. Technology such as Acuity allows me to use my time serving my clients and promoting my business. When I need to schedule time with a client or prospective client, I just email them a link to my calendar and the client can pick the time that is good for them. On my calendar, they have the option of scheduling a call, in-person meeting, or Zoom meeting. Super simple.
As a Content Assist user, tell us more about your experience in posting blog posts and how the service is supporting your content marketing initiatives?
I had this fantasy about how much I would enjoy writing my own blog. The reality though is I have more to do than I have time to do it. I write some of my blogs but love that Content Assist is there if I need to get one out and I don’t have time to create my own. The articles in Content Assist are super high quality and cover all the topics I want.
What is your favorite part about your new Twenty Over Ten website?
My favorite part about my new Twenty Over Ten website is how easy it is to share my own content. Love it! And the team is extremely responsive whenever I have a question.
We love receiving feedback from our clients. Is there anything that you would change about our process or the platform?
I’d like to create an online course for DIY’ers. If Twenty Over Ten had a simple way to allow clients to sign up, log in, pay, track progress, provide feedback and so forth, it would be awesome!! Really awesome. I am in the process of creating the course and expect I will be looking for options to host it in February or March.
Designing a new website isn’t always the easiest project to take on. For you what was the most challenging piece of the project and what came a bit easier?
The hardest part for me was selecting a niche and the fear of losing potential clients because I have a niche. I’m trusting that it’s the right way to go since so many marketing experts are saying that it is. Time will tell.
If you could give other financial advisors one piece of advice as they embark on redesigning their website, what would it be?
Go with Twenty Over Ten! The price is right, the service is great, and it’s so easy to manage.
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