Webinar | Financial Freedom isn’t a Fever Dream

University has always been a place of education and preparation, but sometimes the lessons learned outside the lecture hall can be just as impactful in shaping your path. On April 18th, young women studying at California State University, Fullerton filled the room for WISE’s event of Tearing Down The Pink Wall: Financial Freedom isn’t a Fever Dream to gather insights from Angela Dailey, Evelyn Zohlen, Tina Schackman, and Patricia Soldano–and that’s not even including the many who joined on zoom to watch the panel via the “webinar.”

For many attending, this was the first time they could gain real insights into financial freedom, leadership, and career building. Fortunately, the speakers made these daunting topics feel approachable by sharing their unfiltered journeys and practical advice. With book recommendations like Morgan Housel’s The Psychology of Money and Amy Cuddy’s Presence along with investment tools like Vanguard or Monarch, the panel simplified the basics of finance so that it was attainable for everyone.

To name a few stand out lessons in the informative session, it’s to never bring your boss a problem but a problem with a solution and to never invest in something you don’t understand, but also the stock market is a long term play. Most importantly, there was an emphasis on confidence being key and not being afraid to take up space and to follow up with those you admire which was a great reminder that we have more control in our futures than we assume.

Wrapping up with a Q&A session, both the in-person and virtual audiences were able to share insights, ask questions, and even start networking with the tools the speakers provided (reminder: you don’t always have to talk in a high pitched voice). The energy in the room was proof the next generation is ready to take a wrecking ball to any pink walls that come their way.

In the words of Patricia Soldano when drawing a parallel between learning financial and career building skills and learning to ride a motorcycle, “look to where you want to go, not where you are”- it’s easy to feel overwhelmed at the beginning of your journey, but if you keep moving forward with an eye on the prize, you can one day inspire someone else to do the same.

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Presented by:

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Evelyn M. Zohlen, MBA, MS, CFP® Evelyn Zohlen is a Regional Director and Senior Financial Planner for Apella Wealth. She has served on both the personal and the institutional sides of financial services for over 25 years. She received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas, her Master of Science from the Joint Military Intelligence College, and her Master of Business Administration (with a concentration in Finance/Portfolio Management) from Villanova University. From 2003 to June 2023, she was the founder and owner of Inspired Financial, a wealth management firm that focused on serving predominantly women in transition—especially widows and divorcees. Prior to founding Inspired Financial, she was a Relationship Manager at The Vanguard Group in Malvern, PA where she was the trusted advisor for clients with retirement plan assets ranging from $175 million to $500 million. Evelyn is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) professional and served as President for the Financial Planning Association in 2019. She was an adjunct professor in the Personal Financial Planning Program at the University of California at Irvine and currently serves on the Advisory Board for the Center for Investment and Wealth Management at UCI. In addition, she is a community leader serving on the Board of Directors for the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra and the Advisory Board for the non-profit WISE (Women Investing in Security and Education). Prior to entering the financial services profession, she served as an intelligence officer in the United States Air Force.

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Tina Schackman, CFA®, CFP® re-joined Benefit Financial Services Group in 2019 after spending 7 years with Prudential Retirement as a Vice President, Consultant Relations where she was responsible for managing the firm’s largest advisory firm relationships in the Western region. Tina was originally with BFSG from 2004 to 2011 and primarily served as an Investment Consultant to a number of corporate and public clients. Tina currently serves as a Principal and Senior Retirement Plan Consultant where she advises on investment strategies, plan design and governance, and provides employee education. Her expansive background in the retirement industry allows Tina to contribute to the firm’s overall vision and best practices.

Tina received her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from the California State University, Fullerton in 1994. In 2003, she graduated from the Keller Graduate School of Management with a master’s degree in Accounting and Financial Management. Tina has earned the right to use the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation and is also a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. She is an Investment Advisor Representative of BFSG, LLC.

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Pat Soldano is the President of Family Enterprise USA, an organization dedicated to promoting the growth of generational family businesses in the U.S. She also serves as President of the Policy and Taxation Group, which she founded in 1995 to advocate for fairer tax and economic policies for successful families, family offices, and family businesses.

With over 30 years of experience in family office services, Pat was the owner of Cymric Family Office Services before serving as Managing Director of the Western Region for GenSpring, a role she held for five years. She later continued her work as a Family Office Consultant.

Ms. Soldano earned an MBA from Claremont Graduate School, The Drucker School, and a BA in Business Administration from Cal State University Fullerton.