In the event of sudden wealth, from an inheritance, sale of business, lottery winning, and big sports and entertainment contracts, people often can be overwhelmed and emotionally paralyzed. Erin Hadary, a partner at Moneta helps her clients find purpose and clarity in their financial lives while empowering them to live the life they have always imagined.
As a Certified Financial Transitionist(R), Erin helps such individuals get and stay organized to reach their vision of life well lived. “We are financial advisors for successful individuals and families who value their time as much as their money. We empower a variety of clients in all stages of life,” she shares. Erin enjoys learning about the values and dreams of creative people and showing them how money can be a powerful tool in living their authentic selves.
Being prepared for the future is crucial for leading a successful life. Proper management of funds and assets allows you to clearly understand what lies ahead and how to achieve your goals. Wealth management encompasses a broad spectrum of financial services that help you manage your money and plan for important events such as starting a family or retirement. A wealth manager can assist you in creating a comprehensive and proactive financial strategy allowing you to make the most of your finances and lead a stress-free life.
Erin’s Early Years
Erin obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in environmental science, with a specialization in environmental chemistry. After graduating, she chose not to pursue a Ph.D. Instead, she utilized her work experience in college, where she worked as a business manager on a cattle and hog farm to find work with tobacco farmers after college at NC State University Extension Service. “I held a unique position working with over 50 small business farmers looking for a business plan to create revenue in new ways and giving small business grants to fund ideas,” she shares.
Erin got started in the investment business in 2005, after receiving a phone call from the board chair of her liberal arts college, offering her the opportunity of a lifetime – to learn his business from the ground up. Erin was always curious about how small businesses grow and take on investors, so she jumped on the opportunity and set out to absorb every tidbit of knowledge and technical detail she could.
“My mentor taught me that my role is to connect all the dots as an investor…He taught me to be a sponge and observe all the factors that impact markets today and, in the future, to be a smart investor,” Erin shares.
The year 2008 brought about a major challenge for Erin. With the global markets crashing, part of being a financial advisor is facing clients and delivering the message of significant portfolio decline. To make up for the financial losses in their portfolio, there were times she would counsel clients on the mental hurdle of whether they ought to return to the workforce during their intended retirement.
Uncomplicating the Big Money Decisions
Moneta Group is a fee-only financial advisory firm catering to individuals, families, and organizations across the United States. They empower clients in all stages of life, from young, high earners busy accumulating wealth to retirees and everyone in between. As a 100% Partner-owned registered investment adviser (RIA), Moneta is only beholden to clients, not investors.
Moneta specialists exist to simplify the lives of ultra-high-net-worth families. They offer concierge and bill-paying services, help define family mission statements, and find tax-smart ways to preserve complex legacies across multiple generations. Unlike other firms with private equity investors or shareholders pulling them in different directions, the Moneta team places the interests of their clients first, ensuring that their advice and services always prioritize the needs of the clients.
Erin is a specialist at Moneta, working with individuals and families in financial transition and preparing clients to handle sudden wealth. She is a Certified Financial Planner TM Professional, as well as a Certified Financial Transitionist® and Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy ®, holding these additional certifications to better serve her clients.
“We partner with you to do what is best for you,” says Erin.
“Our business model is not predicated on selling you on proprietary financial products or insurance. By charging flat or percentage-based fees based on a client’s net worth and financial complexity, our advice is never driven by sales commissions,” she explains.
For Erin, financial planning and wealth management is a passion and not simply an occupation. “I firmly believe there are two sides to money: emotional and technical. My job is to listen to the emotional concerns/questions and bring technical solutions,” she shares. Erin is an expert in managing highly complex situations and multiple generational wealth transfers that can be emotionally charged for families. She enjoys developing strategic solutions to these complex cases to help individuals and families prepare for the wealth they currently possess or will soon inherit.
Building Bridges
Erin’s job is based on earning the trust of her clients, which is a task she excels at. According to her, the best way to establish trust is by listening to what a client hopes to achieve from the relationship and inquiring about their communication preferences. Erin believes that gaining clients’ trust is not about having an agenda or a pitch, but instead, it is about sitting down with a blank piece of paper and conveying the value proposition, articulating the desired outcomes, and asking the right questions.
To enhance communication and relationship management with her team, Erin likes to use a lot of personality quizzes to learn about skills and preferences, whether it be a DISC or a Myers Briggs personality tool. “I want to recognize and identify individual strengths,” she explains. “For example, on our team, we talk about where are your natural strengths, how do we all fit together, and where do we potentially have blind spots.”
"Do not give up! Look at every opportunity as a chance to demonstrate how capable you are with the skills you acquired up to this moment. "
Staying Ahead of the Pack
Erin likes to get up early every morning, have coffee, check in on world events, and look at market futures for the day. “I also have an army of really smart people to call on with any investment questions my clients come to me with. I regularly read and join weekly investment calls,” she shares.
During her morning walks, Erin leverages technology to make them more productive. She listens to audiobooks about workplace efficiencies and takes in all sorts of industry conversations.
“I like learning about other businesses and I like learning about how they are finding small ways to tweak and adjust their processes,” she shares
Within Moneta, a team of 16 investment specialists provide guidance and support to all of its advisory teams. These experts have more than 150 years of combined experience in the financial industry. The group’s Chief Global Market Strategist, Aoifinn Devitt, has over two decades of experience and an international background. The team’s expertise covers various areas such as trading, research, asset allocation, and manager due diligence across traditional, alternative, and private market strategies.
For factors outside all of her control, like market corrections, Erin uses historical data for context and education with clients because knowledge is one way to help clients ease their stress.
“I keep a crystal ball with bubbles in my office to demonstrate a little humor that I don’t know it all and I don’t have all the answers.”
As a partnership, Erin and her team are committed to continuous innovation to increase their focus on serving their clients. The firm is careful to adopt advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning in ways that could to accelerate its innovation cycles while at the same time protecting its clients’ data. “Over time, we will continue to increase our investment in these capabilities, as long as those innovations do not compromise the security of our data,” Erin shares.
Advice for Women
As an established leader in Asset Management, Erin believes that women naturally possess the talent to be advice givers. All they have to do is develop their technical skills and stay curious. “Do not give up! Look at every opportunity as a chance to demonstrate how capable you are with the skills you acquired up to this moment. If you want to be a financial planner and investment advisor there is unlimited opportunity in this industry for you.”
