Don't Let the Noise Drown Out Your Inner Voice with Penny Phillips, Journey Strategic Wealth

Are you letting everyone else's opinions shape your decisions? On this episode of Don't Do That, Kelly Waltrich sits down with Penny Phillips, Founder of Journey Strategic Wealth, for a brutally honest conversation about entrepreneurship, motherhood, and building a financial advisory firm. Fresh off maternity leave with a three-month-old, Penny shares her unfiltered thoughts on the evolving financial services landscape, the challenges of being a woman in leadership, and why listening to too many opinions can derail your success. From the irony of independent advisors rolling up to PE-backed firms to the importance of trusting your instincts over external noise, this conversation doesn't hold back on the messy realities of modern-day business leadership.Kelly and Penny cover: 00:00 Introductions and Penny’s return to work after having a baby01:30 The productivity boost of new parents and Parkinson’s Law03:09 Penny’s background coaching advisors and her founder journey05:31 Launching Journey East to give advisors “the best of all worlds”06:34 Industry irony: Independent advisors rolling into big firms08:28 Why ex-independents leading mega firms might be the answer10:26 Journey’s mission: Lifestyle practices that scale like enterprises12:30 The model: Back/middle office infra + coaching13:47 Would she recommend the industry to her daughter?15:55 Critique of women’s conferences and prepping women for real challenges18:14 Penny’s “Don’t Do That”: Don’t listen to too many people20:13 Her story: How seeking too many opinions crushed her confidence22:11 Telling real feedback from noise24:44 Be obsessed with the problem, not the solution25:52 The reality of PE money in wealth management26:30 Smart vs. sloppy acquisitions27:00 Final thoughts: Trust your instincts and form your own viewsConnect with Penny PhillipsLinkedIn: Penny PhillipsLinkedIn: JourneyStrategicWealthJourneyStrategicWealthAbout Our Guest:Penny Phillips has spent most of her career coaching and consulting financial advisors and institutions. She is the co-founder and President of Journey Strategic Wealth, a Registered Investment Adviser built for advisors seeking independence and hands-on practice management support. Prior to founding Journey, Penny founded Thrivos Consulting, a practice management coaching company. She has worked in various leadership positions across the financial services industry and has authored multiple practice management training programs focused on helping financial advisors build better businesses and prepare for the next generation of wealth holders. 📩 Stay Informed – Join Our Newsletter!Stay ahead of industry trends and get exclusive updates straight to your inbox: Sign Up Now https://intention.ly/💬 Let’s Talk!Have questions or ready to start your next marketing campaign? Contact us: https://intention.ly/contact-us/