LEVATUS CEO, Susan Dahl honored with Women’s Choice Award for Financial Advisors
Susan Dahl, was the recent recipient of the Women’s Choice Award® for Financial Advisors and Firms. ‘It is so meaningful to me that LEVATUS’ approach to wealth services resonates with these amazing women. Their motto ‘Women helping women make smart choices.’ says it all”.
The award is notable within the broader trends in the industry. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal, “Clients Want to Work with Female Advisors and Firms Are Taking Notice” spoke to the uptick in demand for female financial advisors. The headline has a note of surprise, people (not just women) want female financial advisors. The article points to a desire for diversity as the main reason clients are speaking up and asking for female advisors. Dahl agreed that this certainly could be part of it, but there are likely other reasons as well. Liz Darling, Senior Client Advisor at LEVATUS, notes, “We have had so many couples tell us about experiences with advisors where the whole conversation is directed toward the male side of the room, leaving both husband and wife feeling dissatisfied.” The woman feels left out, with her voice not being heard. The man feels that his partner has been robbed of the sense of control she would need if suddenly the financial piece of their life fell to her, or worse, if the finances are already in her court. Both situations can often create deep anxiety and frustration.
Listening to clients on this topic as well as a myriad of others became the catalyst for founding LEVATUS, and putting into practice the core values that lead to the Women’s Choice Award®. Dahl notes, ‘we observed that while portfolio results were important, the impact of these results on clients was distinctly different. We began to think about what drove the differences in joy and satisfaction, which led to thinking about the subjects clients emphasized most in conversation.’ The “Undoing Project” by Michael Lewis tells the story of Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, authors, psychologists and winners of the Nobel Prize in economics. It explores how we feel and why we feel. It left the founding team at LEVATUS convinced that the wealth management industry was missing a big piece of the fundamental needs of its clients. It was missing priorities that went way beyond the money. There wasn’t enough in the financial calculus that addressed joy and a sense of well-being. The money matters, more meaningful satisfaction needed to be part of the solution as well. The approach needed to be expanded. Dahl was asked to do a TEDx talk on the concept. The initial title was “What About Joy?”. The final title was “Can Happy Make You Money?”.
Why are people increasingly asking for female financial advisors? Dahl says that her professional journey has left her firmly convinced there are reasons beyond the goal of simply seeking more diversity. The deeper reasons have to do with expanding solutions and priorities to include purpose, control, and quality of life in the here and now. The Women’s Choice Award® is such an honor because it speaks to these core values, which are important to women and men alike.
The Women’s Choice Award® Financial Advisors and Firms represent less than 1% of financial advisors in the United States. According to ‘Women’s Choice’, ‘this is the only recognition program for well-qualified advisers who are committed to the women's market and serving their female clients. Qualifying for this award reaffirms their commitment to providing service in addressing the financial needs of women and their families.’