
Hosted by Vanessa Martinez · EN
Spoiler alert, Becoming CMO is NOT a marketing podcast! At first glance you may assume this due to the title, but Becoming CMO has a variety of meanings. As women, we wear many hats: Chief Money Officer, Chief Mom Officer and Chief Matriarch Officer. Managing your wealth, family life and maintaining a work life balance can be a delicate juggling act. Becoming CMO will be your guide to managing it all.
Vanessa N. Martinez is a Partner and Managing Director with The Lerner Group at HighTower Advisors. As a full-time mom and leader in her industry, Vanessa has found her balance; though her journey has not always been an easy one. Her goal is to share her wisdom and experiences on how to achieve your personal and financial dreams. Managing your wealth can seem like a daunting task, but Vanessa will be your guide on your journey to success.

On this episode of Becoming CMO, I talk about career decisions. Topics: What prevents workers from advancing. Are you overlooked or appreciated? Making sure you can analyze your own work, Why being yourself matters. Quotes: [01:02] “I was concerned more so as to what was keeping them from moving up.” [03:36] “As women, we sometimes undervalue ourselves.” [08:16] “This is where you have to think and say: Am I in a place that I love so much that I’m willing to stay in this job and hope and help the company to get into growth mode…?”

On this episode of Becoming CMO, I follow up our discussion of pre-family meetings with a chat about what happens during the family meeting itself. Topics: Family legacy. Sharing the value of assets. Types of assets. Discussing fair vs. equal. Resources: The Lerner Group

It’s so important to have a pre-family meeting with your spouse to discuss what will be passed on, to whom, and why. Topics: ● Why a pre-family meeting is important. ● Deciding on amounts. ● Figuring out what is fair, as opposed to equal. ● Setting up trusts to protect your assets. Quotes: [01:35] “...There is the case where we’ve had clients that, it’s just them...so, in those cases, is where we recommend just to have someone there who isn’t one of the beneficiaries.” [04:34] “If you have one child, it’s pretty easy...but if it is five children, how do you decide?” [08:40] “Make sure you build what your wishes are into a trust, but explain it to the children…” Resources: The Lerner Group

On this episode, we are going to discuss family meetings with respects to wealth transfer. Tune in to hear us chat about this age-old topic. Topics: ● Sometimes, inheritances don’t go as smoothly as people would like. ● Why communication is always important to pass on your legacy. ● Every family plan is different, we discuss how to decide which one is best for your family. ● What the future looks like for Millennials vs. Baby Boomers for wealth transfer. Quotes: [01:29] “It’s so important to share, sometimes, very detailed information and in other cases...at least a structural layout of things to come.” [04:01] “Too many people are ready to are just so ready to enjoy the money that’s coming into their hands, that they forget that there is a responsibility that comes along with inheriting wealth.” [07:20] “Building out intentional communication is key.” Resources: The Lerner Group https://www.fa-mag.com/news/boomers-are-thriving-on-an--unprecedented---9-trillion-inheritance-52819.html https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2019/10/26/millennials-will-become-richest-generation-in-american-history-as-baby-boomers-transfer-over-their-wealth/#58dfd29b6c4b