The views presented here do not necessarily represent those of Advisor Perspectives.
Current and potential clients notice advisors who are thought leaders with a strong personal brand, but thought leadership is more than just the communication shared from a podium or social media platform — it’s also one-on-one conversations and small gatherings that drive change in individuals’ lives.
Natasha Howe, a Miami-based vice president and financial advisor at Siebert Financial, shared how hosting events and sharing useful insights on social media have helped attract her target clients. Howe focuses on financial education and overall engagement with younger clients, particularly women.
She has hosted gatherings in private rooms of restaurants, inviting women to discuss whatever financial issues are on their mind. For Howe, thought leadership doesn’t necessarily mean hopping on every newsy discussion of the markets — it can look like providing financial strategies for individuals’ everyday lives.
“(What we discuss) depends on the group,” Howe said. “If the group is not well-versed on finances, I’m definitely not going to be talking about tariffs. We definitely don’t jump into super complex topics with the beginner group.”
Howe says these events are “important because we need to set an example,” as many young women don’t feel comfortable talking about their finances. “I discuss everything from A to Z: their budgeting, their income, their expenses — and seeing how much they have extra to invest. Even if it’s just $10 a month, it goes a long way,” Howe said.
“I set up an environment that is fun. We have quarterly meet-ups (for existing and prospective clients) where we talk about investing, their 401(k)s, and rolling them over. We help them become knowledgeable about the basics,” she added.
Howe notes that social media platforms, like LinkedIn and Instagram, have been great places for her to post and further engage with her audience.
“One more event that we do is hosting partnership workouts with someone who is an influencer. We do Pilates workouts, and afterwards go to a cafe to discuss any financial topics they want. It becomes a discussion with everybody. That can set you apart from other advisors,” Howe said.
Money Confidence for Gen Z, Millennial Women
The Principal Financial Group Foundation found in a 2025 survey that many women feel less confident and face anxiety when discussing money. Just 38% of Gen Z and Millennial said they felt confident talking about money in comparison to 56% of male respondents.
The survey of 3,000 Gen Z and Millennial individuals in the U.S. also found that nearly 20% of women respondents did not know what a private investment account was, while 39% of respondents across gender said they didn’t have a 401(k) or IRA, because they didn’t think they made enough money.
More than half (53%) of Gen Z and Millennial men said they were good at budgeting “due to habits learned in childhood,” in comparison to 44% of women who reported the same, the survey said.
"The insights reinforce the need for more open conversations about money and access to opportunities that help us feel more comfortable having these discussions," Jo Christine Miles, a director at the Principal Foundation, said in a statement for the survey’s release.
“People develop narratives around money based on lived and family experiences, and we need to create spaces where people, especially women, can reflect on those experiences as a part of shaping their financial future,” Miles added.
Howe at Siebert Financial said her firm often helps younger clients manage their employee stock plan, as many of these individuals don’t know about their investing options.
For her, thought leadership can also look like sharing financial education “basics and relating it to real world examples,” via social media posts.
This could be “a wife whose husband passes away and she inherits everything,” or someone who has just gone through a divorce “and you don’t have anything to your name,” Howe explained of scenarios she may discuss on social media.
“Also, things like paying yourself first. When you do get money, what do you do with it?,” Howe said.
Other steps that can make your practice stand out are educating clients’ children and creating tools to help individuals manage their day-to-day finances, she shared.
“I don’t have an age limit on educating women, so as young as possible. It can start with clients who want their kids educated. I do focus on women, because I think a lot of them get left out (of financial conversations). Most of my clients are high-net-worth accredited investors, but at my events it’s all income levels,” Howe said.
Howe recently started designing colorful spreadsheets where individuals can “plug in all of their assets, debt, and income.”
“It’s to show them how their assets are going up or down. And then I can put together a game plan for them,” she said.
Social Media & Firm Image
Many younger advisors (under age 40) revealed that their firm wasn’t conscious of its public brand image, according to a 2025 J.D. Power survey. (Just 20% of advisors under 40 noted their firm was aware of their brand image, when describing their firm culture.)
J.D. Power’s study was based on the responses of nearly 3,700 employees and independent financial advisors.
In the study, younger advisors also put a “significant emphasis on social media, advisor websites and search engine optimization rather than advisors with longer career tenure who are more focused on webinars and in-person events/seminars,” the release said. “Social media stands out as the only area of marketing support that early career advisors rank among the most important, as 45% selected it as a priority for investment.”
Mike Foy, managing director of J.P. Power’s wealth management practice, said in a statement that the investments that firms make today “in technology and branding will be critical to attracting, developing and retaining the next generation of advisors.” Additionally, these investments “will also set the stage for how their firms are perceived by the influx of new, younger clients now considering professional advice for the first time,” he said.
Danielle Walker is a freelance journalist with 15 years of business reporting experience. She previously worked at Business Insider and Pensions & Investments, among other business publications. Her work has been published in the Financial Times, Barron’s and Chief Investment Officer. Danielle is currently based in Norfolk, Virginia.
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The views presented here do not necessarily represent those of Advisor Perspectives.
