Broker Check

Janice Berner Of Baystate Financial 
On 5 Things You Need To
Create a Highly Successful Career
as a Woman Financial Planner
or Financial Advisor

Excerpts from an Interview with Martita Mestey

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What are 5 Things You Need To Create a Highly Successful Career as a Woman Financial Planner or Financial Advisor and why?


Know Yourself and Specialize Early

Choose a niche — such as divorce financial planning for women — that aligns with your skills and passions. Once I embraced my specialization, my practice grew significantly.


Invest in Education and Credentials

Qualifications build credibility. When I chose to specialize in divorce, I met with heads of local organizations and pursued targeted certifications to serve clients better.


Run Your Practice Like a Business

Monitor operations, costs, and lead flow. Update your business plan regularly. Thoughtful planning helped me avoid cash flow gaps and scale strategically.


Understand (and Learn From) Your Competitors

Know how you rank in local SEO for searches like “divorce, financial advisor near me.” Delegate social media but don’t outsource strategic positioning — that’s your brand.


Prioritize Wellness and Joy

If you’re healthy and energized, your practice thrives. I encourage clients — especially post-divorce — to see new goals as opportunities. I do the same in my own life and career.


In a field historically dominated by men, what unique strengths do women bring to financial advising, and how can those strengths be leveraged for long-term success?


Empathy

Having lived through divorce, career change, and single parenthood, I deeply understand clients navigating transitions. Empathy builds trust — especially in divorce financial planning for women.


Multitasking

Like many women, I balanced work, graduate school, and parenting — sometimes simultaneously. This skillset directly translates into running a detail-oriented business while ensuring no client need is overlooked.


Resilience

Women often juggle multiple roles. That lived experience allows us to anticipate client concerns and be proactive advisors during uncertain times.

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Janice Berner, CPA, CDFA®, is a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst and financial advisor specializing in helping women navigate life transitions such as divorce, widowhood, and retirement. With over 30 years of experience in finance and accounting — including senior roles at Fidelity — she brings both personal insight and professional expertise to clients seeking financial clarity and independence. As a female financial planner who built her practice from the ground up after her own divorce, she is passionate about empowering women to take control of their financial future through personalized financial planning, investment management, and strategic divorce financial advice.

Janice Berner is a registered representative of and offers securities and investment advisory services through MML Investors Services, LLC. Member SIPC. OSJ: 1 Marina Park Drive, 16th Floor Boston MA 02210. 617–585–4500. CA Insurance License# 0H63977; domiciled in MA. CRN202808–9199998