To My Tribe:

I’ve got news to share. In the midst of a pandemic, a national focus on racial inequality and social justice, and the most interesting financial times since the great recession, I’ve decided there is no perfect time to pursue your vision and dream. The best answer is to start as soon as you can.

Many of you know my deep roots in wealth management; starting in a Trust Department in the early 1990’s was rich training ground. I was privileged to have an insanely broad range of experiences spanning settling estates, establishing and terminating trusts, overseeing a variety of investments (liquid and not so liquid) and later, facilitating loans on diverse assets like planes, yachts, beach homes, ranches, art and more. For these multi-millionaire clients, it was a joy to collaborate with colleagues in law, accounting, insurance – experts who must work well together to create a high functioning financial operation.

After completing my MBA in 2002, it was an opportunity of a lifetime to join a startup bank and build an organization from the ground (versus modeling it in a classroom). In that short run, culminated by the sale of the company, I enjoyed a wide variety of roles that included launching a trust and wealth division and later, steering the organization’s marketing, communications, investor relations, community outreach and strategic planning efforts.

For several years, leadership work pulled me away from directly engaging with clients; however, when I left banking and people continued to reach out for financial guidance, I saw there was a need and a place where I could serve. It’s been a pleasure working with many clients and businesses these past few years as a strategist and advisor. Like working a math problem or a puzzle, I enjoy helping clients frame the problem before we solve it. This tends to produce solutions which “stick”.

As a culmination of the past 20+ years in the industry, I’ve now married my wealth advisory practice with my love of leadership and organization building to launch my own venture – AegleWealth – exploring where wealth meets wellbeing.

The ability to launch my own venture while securing the support and resources of a larger organization is realized via Equita Financial Network (equitafn.com). I’ve joined – as a collaborative and collective – a group of women-owned financial advisory firms from around the country sharing technology, investment and planning best practices along with a variety of resources that are not as sexy (like compliance and legal) required to run a financial company.

It’s been inspiring to get to know this sister tribe that has banded together with decades of industry experience and (like me) with aspirations to build a future where finance has female leadership and strong representation through the ranks. As fellow entrepreneurs, we share a passion to pursue empowering financial options which are not exclusive to women, but especially suited to women who are seizing the reins on making money, growing careers and companies and ultimately growing wealth.

My long-term wish as I grow this practice is to help even more women learn the “trade” of wealth management. I’d love to create an environment where women can grow professionally while serving others. It’s a fabulous place to monetize your value and make a difference. As we grow this, we will have a collaborative culture and one where women are encouraged to push and grow and thrive. You might think of this as more than a wealth advisory firm. As we evolve, we might feel more like an institute or learning laboratory, where clients and associates are encouraged to learn, explore, practice and share.

The next few months will be hectic in transition and exhilarating too. I do expect to talk with many of you, but if we haven’t connected yet and you’d like to, send me a quick note:  stefanie@aegleweath.com.

I am gratefully yours as you’ve supported me on this journey.

Stefanie Crowe
Founder & CEO