Michelle Begina started her journey to financial independence after an unexpected betrayal. When she was just 17 years old, her parents used her college fund to buy a yacht instead of supporting her education. Michelle then had to forge her own path, overcoming adversity and reshaping her perceptions of money and trust.

In this episode, WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton sits down with Michelle Begina, a senior partner, managing director and private wealth advisor with Snowden Lane Partners in New York City. She shares her personal experiences with financial insecurity masked by wealth and how it shaped her current approach to financial advising.

Michelle discusses:

The emotional and financial shock of losing her college fund
Her decade-long journey working to self-fund her college education
The grief she carried for years without realizing it
How she dealt with her parents’ betrayal and found healing
The challenges and revelations that emerged from her childhood money stories

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About Our Guest:

If you still think of wealth as purely a numbers game, you haven’t met Michelle Begina. Michelle joined Snowden Lane Partners in 2017 as a Managing Director and Financial Advisor, bringing with her a passion for financial literacy that marries the science of wealth management with the art of financial therapy.

Michelle got her official start in the world of financial planning with American Express Financial Advisors, where she counseled high net worth individuals to not only manage their wealth and build their legacy, but to experience a sense of ease in their relationship with money. It’s a concept she’s honed throughout her career: our relationship with money (yes, it’s a relationship!) impacts our ability to create and enjoy prosperity.

Michelle has brought this unique approach to each of her successive roles, serving as District Investment Specialist and later Annuity and Compliance Specialist for Northwestern Mutual Life, New York City District Financial Planning Specialist for Merrill Lynch, and Vice President – Wealth Management for Smith Barney/Morgan Stanley before finding her home at Snowden Lane.

If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.

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