MEET MORE OF OUR 2024 WOMEN OF DISTINCTION
For Anne Sapienza, the granddaughter of a financial planner, she still remembers the shock and concern watching someone very close to her grapple with the idea of an early unplanned retirement after a health emergency.
Realizing how financial literacy can change lives, she pivoted her career. Formerly a special education kindergarten teacher, in 2008, she became a financial advisor.
“I wanted to help people figure out what they’re going to do when life pulls the rug out from underneath them,” she says.
As a partner and advisor with IAG Wealth Partners, Sapienza – along with President Lori Watt, partner Jennifer Von Ruden, Jayme Heineck, Debra Melvin and other advisors in the firm, offers comprehensive financial planning and wealth management services.
“Successful outcomes for our clients stem from the trusted relationships we forge.”
– Lori Watt
Whether that’s helping clients work through unexpected expenses, or strategizing for years down the line, the IAG team collaborates to ensure each client leaves with a plan that creates confidence and clarity, even during life’s most difficult moments.
“We’ve all had these moments where we’re living our normal lives, and suddenly we’re facing something completely new and we don’t know what to do,” says Sapienza. “Life doesn’t have a pause button. We don’t know who to go to, who to trust. We don’t even know what questions to ask, what we should be asking that we have never thought of or where to look. That’s where we come in.”
The success of the IAG team is rooted in their approach to build genuine relationships with clients. They work to understand their needs and desires and collaborate on a plan that delivers confidence.
“You’d be amazed at how quickly you can see progress,” says Sapienza. “It causes this great momentum effect, coordinating all the pieces and putting strategies in motion. Clients can relax a bit. They say, ‘This is great – I have a partner, I see the steps of the plan. It doesn’t feel as dire.’”
Q&A
What advice do you have for women entering the financial planning industry?
Don’t be afraid of learning by doing. The best way to understand this business is by having meetings, running financial plans, and asking questions. Trust your intuition – clients want to feel heard, and women often bring a unique ability to read between the lines in client interactions. Don’t get in your own way by doubting your value; your perspective and skills are needed, and you have much to offer.
Have you noticed differences in how men and women approach financial planning?
I see generational shifts more than gender differences. Younger couples today approach financial planning collaboratively, with both partners actively involved. In older generations, there’s often a more traditional split where one partner manages finances, and the other may feel out of the loop. This can lead to challenges, especially when life changes suddenly. It’s important for everyone to be informed and involved, regardless of their prior experience with finances.
