What would it look like if your financial plan actually included a line item for aesthetics? Melissa Joy, CFP®, sits down with Stephanie Stewart, PA-C, founder of The Aesthetic Method, an award-winning medical spa in Ferndale, Michigan, to have the honest conversation that most financial planners and patients avoid entirely. From the secret dollars women squirrel away for skincare to the emotional weight of wanting to invest in how you look and feel, this episode brings a private topic into the open where it belongs.

Stephanie shares her remarkable path from emergency medicine to entrepreneurship, sparked by a car accident at 15 that required years of facial reconstructive surgeries. She opens up about the real cost of injectable treatments, what a full face assessment actually looks like, and how to find a provider you can trust. Melissa and Stephanie also explore the parallel between financial planning and aesthetic medicine, two fields built on transparency, trust, and the courage to say no when it is not the right fit.

What You'll Learn

• How burnout in the emergency department led Stephanie to found The Aesthetic Method in 2018
• Why women often keep aesthetic spending secret, and how to change that conversation
• What happens during a full face assessment and how a personalized treatment plan is built
• The difference between neuromodulators, bio-stimulators, and filler, and how long each lasts
• Real cost ranges for common injectable treatments, from 500 dollar Botox sessions to 3,500 dollar Sculptra plans
• Green flags and red flags to look for when choosing a med spa provider
• Why a provider willing to say no is a sign of someone looking out for you
• How financial planners and aesthetic professionals share a standard of care worth seeking out

Connect with Stephanie

theaestheticmethod.com

Instagram: The Aesthetic Method

The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https...

Debt is one of the most emotionally charged topics in personal finance -- and one of the most common. This week Melissa Joy, CFP®, sits down with Bruce McClary, lead spokesperson for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC), to take the stigma out of the conversation and walk through what it actually looks like to get professional help with debt. Whether you're watching balances creep up, fielding collection calls, or just feeling the financial squeeze of a world where credit card interest rates are hovering around 23%, this episode is for you.

Bruce brings decades of front-line experience as a former credit counselor, debt collector, and lender to the conversation. Together, he and Melissa break down how nonprofit credit counseling works, what a debt management plan (DMP) actually involves, and how it compares to for-profit debt settlement companies -- including the details those TV commercials conveniently leave out. They also cover when bankruptcy might be the right move and where to find trustworthy, low-cost help.

What You'll Learn

• Why debt struggles are more common than you think -- and affect households at all income levels
• What happens during a free initial credit counseling session with an NFCC member agency
• How a debt management plan (DMP) works, including reduced interest rates, eliminated fees, and account re-aging
• What unsecured debt is and which types of debt can be enrolled in a DMP
• The real math behind for-profit debt settlement programs -- and what those commercials don't tell you
• How student loans, medical bills, and other debt types fit into the bigger picture
• When bankruptcy might be a suitable option and how nonprofit counseling factors into that process
• Where to find a verified nonprofit credit counselor through NFCC.org or by calling 1-800-388-2227

The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https...

In many households, one person quietly carries the full weight of the family's financial life: tracking premiums, coordinating with advisors, managing the budget, and planning for the future. Melissa Joy, CFP®, founder and president of Pearl Planning, calls this person the family's chief financial officer, and she has been seeing the role come up repeatedly in client conversations.

Whether that responsibility falls on a spouse, a partner, or a single individual managing everything alone, the invisible work of being the household CFO deserves a closer look.

In this solo episode, Melissa Joy, CFP®, explores the hidden costs of carrying that financial load, the risks that can build when only one person holds all the knowledge, and how to build a stronger financial team, with or without a financial planner.

She walks through practical steps for creating regular money meetings, shares what a productive financial check-in actually looks like, and explains when it might be time to bring in outside support. If you have ever felt the weight of managing your family's money mostly on your own, this episode is for you.

What You'll Learn

• What the role of the family CFO actually looks like, and why so many people fall into it by default
• The hidden costs and invisible mental load that come with being the primary financial decision-maker in a household
• Signs that you may be carrying too much financial responsibility on your own
• What those not in the CFO role may be missing, and why that gap can matter
• How to run a productive monthly money meeting using a structured agenda
• When it makes sense to bring in a financial professional to help share the load
• How the stakes change as you approach retirement and why more shared financial knowledge matters then

The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https...

As we move into the second half of the year, Melissa Joy, CFP®, takes a solo deep dive into five major themes shaping the current investment landscape. From artificial intelligence and IPO cycles to persistent inflation and the resilience of employment, Melissa unpacks what is actually happening in the markets and what it means for your financial life.

Rather than reacting to pessimistic headlines, Melissa walks through the data behind recent market performance, explains why earnings growth matters as much as price, and offers a grounded perspective on how to stay disciplined through uncertainty. This episode is a reminder that a sound financial plan, paired with a diversified investment strategy, is still the most powerful tool you have.

What You’ll Learn

• Why artificial intelligence continues to drive market concentration and what that means for your portfolio
• What to expect from high-profile IPOs like SpaceX and Anthropic as they enter public markets
• How corporate earnings growth is affecting valuations even as prices reach all-time highs
• Why inflation remains persistent and what factors are keeping it elevated
• What current unemployment data reveals despite widespread concerns about AI-driven job displacement
• Why diversification is working again, including gains in mid-cap, small-cap, and international equities
• How to think about bonds and interest rates in this environment
• The importance of keeping your financial plan current alongside your investment strategy

The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https...

High-achieving women often wear exhaustion as a badge of honor, pushing through until the warning signs become impossible to ignore. For Molly Rosen, co-founder and co-CEO of Project Next Leadership, that moment came while driving between obligations, fantasizing not about a vacation, but about simply being allowed to stop. That recognition led to a sabbatical that stretched from one year to six, a journey that ultimately gave her the perspective, resilience, and clarity to build the leadership coaching company she runs today.

In this episode, Melissa Joy, CFP®, sits down with Molly to explore the realities of burnout for senior women leaders, the under acknowledged impact of perimenopause on career performance, and what it actually takes to build a life and career that is, as Molly puts it, human-sized. Drawing on more than two decades of coaching executives at companies like Pixar, Airbnb, DocuSign, and Samsung, Molly shares the patterns she sees most often in high-performing women, and the strategies that help them find their way back to themselves.

What You'll Learn

• Why working harder stops working at the executive level, and what actually drives advancement
• How burnout differs from a bad week, and why the body often signals it before the mind does
• The underreported career cost of perimenopause and menopause for high-achieving women
• What it means to ask "What is it that only I can do?" and how that question changes everything
• How to strategically step back from the workforce and return with greater clarity and purpose
• Why women leaders consistently rate themselves lower than others rate them, and how to close that gap
• The role of peer networks and cohorts in sustaining women at the top

Website: https://www.projectnextleadership.com

The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https...

Almost everyone has heard of a prenup, but very few of us have actually sat down and thought one through in practical terms. In this episode, Melissa Joy, CFP®, opens up a candid, surprisingly approachable conversation about what prenuptial agreements really are, who they are for, and why they belong in the financial planning discussion. Whether you are considering one for yourself or thinking about the next generation in your family, this is a topic worth understanding before the question ever comes up.

Melissa is joined by Kaylin Dillon, CFP®, a fee-only financial planner in Lawrence, Kansas, who has built a specialty around couples with separate assets, blended finances, and prenups. Kaylin reframes the prenup as a partnership exercise rather than a defensive move, walking through what can go into an agreement, why each partner needs their own attorney, how inherited and family wealth complicate things, and the single biggest mistake couples make. It is a thoughtful, practical look at planning for marriage with eyes wide open.

What You'll Learn

• What a prenuptial agreement actually is, and why it is not only about divorce
• Why each partner should hire their own family law attorney, and how that protects the validity of the agreement
• What can go into a prenup, from current assets and debts to future businesses, homes, life insurance, and even estate terms
• Why inherited and family wealth is one of the most common reasons couples pursue a prenup, and how to protect both sides
• The legal standard of unconscionability, and why a 30-day runway before the wedding is far too short
• The number one mistake couples make: rushing the process before agreeing on their own goals
• Why a joint financial plan is Plan A and the prenup is usually Plan B
• How a prenup coach can support a couple alongside their attorneys to keep the process focused and less expensive

Connect with Kaylin:

Website: kaylindillonfinancial.com

The Prenup Coach: prenupcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theprenupcoach/

The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https...

Women are told to lean in, negotiate, and step up. And many do. But new research reveals that doing all the right things still isn’t enough — and may actually work against them. On this episode of Women’s Money Wisdom, Melissa Joy, CFP®, sits down with award-winning journalist and author Stefanie O’Connell to unpack the systemic forces that penalize women for their ambition, and what that means for their careers, their wealth, and their lives

Stefanie’s book, The Ambition Penalty: How Corporate Culture Tells Women to Step Up and Then Pushes Them Down, draws on research across sociology, psychology, economics, and public health to dismantle the persistent myths used to explain away the gender pay gap. This is not a conversation about what women are doing wrong. It is a conversation about what the system is doing to them.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why the most commonly cited explanations for the gender pay gap — job choice, caregiving, and lack of negotiation — are not supported by the data
• How ambition itself is weaponized against women as they advance beyond entry-level roles
• Why elevating a single woman into leadership can actually make gender inequity worse
• How the ambition penalty shows up in personal relationships, not just the workplace
• What pay transparency and collective action can do that individual best practices alone cannot
• The research-backed threshold at which women’s representation in leadership begins to close pay and promotion gaps

About Stefanie O’Connell:

Stefanie O’Connell is an award-winning journalist and the author of The Ambition Penalty: How Corporate Culture Tells Women to Step Up and Then Pushes Them Down. Her work draws on interdisciplinary research to expose the structural forces behind gender inequity in pay, leadership, and power. She also writes the Too Ambitious newsletter.

Website: tooambitious.com

Book: ambitionpenalty.com

Newsletter: Too Ambitious on Substack

Instagram: stefanieoconnell

LinkedIn: Stefanie O’Connell on LinkedIn

The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https...

What does it look like to turn a hobby into a thriving business — with no roadmap, no industry model to follow, and a drafty warehouse as your starting point? Melissa Joy, CFP®, sits down with Christy Howden, CEO and co-founder of Wolverine Pickleball, to trace an extraordinary entrepreneurial journey from stay-at-home mom to leader of one of the country’s first pickleball-centric destination facilities.

Christy shares how a 2017 New Year’s resolution sparked a business she never could have predicted, and how she and her business partner bootstrapped their way from rented school gyms to a 38,000 square foot facility that has become a community hub for connection, play, and purpose. Along the way, Melissa Joy, CFP®, weighs in on what financial planners can and cannot say about investing in private businesses and why having a frank conversation with your advisor matters more than the answer you get.

What You’ll Learn

• How Christy and her business partner built Wolverine Pickleball from the ground up with sweat equity, community volunteers, and a minimum viable product mindset
• Why 80% of their investors were women and what it means to make a lifestyle investment that overrides professional financial advice
• How Melissa Joy, CFP®, approaches conversations about investing in small businesses and passion projects
• The funding realities female entrepreneurs face and why the statistics around fundraising make building community capital even more important
• How a second act business can emerge from a life transition and why community is often the renewable energy source behind entrepreneurial endurance
• Practical ways listeners can support small businesses beyond just showing up

Connect with Christy: wolverinepickleball.com

https://www.instagram.com/wolverinepickleball/

https://www.facebook.com/WolverinePickleball/

Third-party rankings and recognition from rating services or publications are no guarantee of future investment success. Working with a highly rated advisor does not ensure that a client or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance or results. These ratings should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor or by any client, nor are they representative of any one client’s evaluation. Generally, ratings, rankings, and recognition are based on information prepared and submitted by the advisor. This ranking is based on data as of 12/31/2025. The ranking was released on 02/12/2026. Pearl Planning and Melissa Joy did not pay any compensation to be considered for this rating and does not pay an annual fee for marketing usage of the logo. The methodology used to determine The Michigan 50 Companies to Watch award can be found here: Please visit the ranking methodology page for more info.

The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https...