We had the good fortune of connecting with Shehara Wooten, CFP® and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shehara, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
In order to provide the full context on the thought process behind starting Your Story Financial, LLC, I must share some background on how I made the decision. I am a career changer who graduated with a B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from The Ohio State University. After graduation, my first job out of college was with an industrial manufacturing firm. I learned a lot at that job and served various roles from engineering to sales. After some deep soul searching, praying and reading Purpose Driven Life and What Color is Your Parachute, I took a leap of faith and decided to leave that company and pursue my purpose which is helping women and STEM professionals craft their financial success stories. As a STEM professional, I started saving and maxing out on my 401k. However, I had a suspicion that there was more to be done. Fortunately, my church, at the time, offered financial literacy workshops and my dad, also, sent me financial literacy materials from authors such as Robert Kiyosaki. As I learned more, I wondered why these concepts weren’t taught in school. From that point forward, I was motivated by knowing that financial literacy was much needed for teenagers and adults alike.
In 2004, I joined a global financial services company and never looked back. In 2009, I pursued a role as a financial advisor so that I could continue to pursue my goals of helping individuals and families change the narrative and create wealth for themselves and their families.
From there, I developed an even greater passion to help people craft their amazing financial success story regardless of their age or amount of assets. With some time in the profession, I realized that there was a limit to who I could help. If you didn’t already have assets, then you, mostly, were on your own until you accumulated assets. If you were younger and didn’t have an inheritance or something like that, you, most likely, would get passed over by the traditional financial advisor. This didn’t sit well with me and once I realized, there was another way, I explored the fee-only fiduciary side of becoming a financial planner. In this business model, I discovered I could assist gainfully employed women and STEM professionals gain access to solid financial planning. Thus, in 2016, Your Story Financial, LLC was born. It is a virtual fiduciary boutique firm committed to helping women and #STEM professionals. Your Story Financial was established as a Registered Investment Adviser in the states of Texas, Florida and Arizona, and we service clients throughout the United States. We believe everyone has a story, especially when it relates to one’s finances and I help clients plan for their future, prepare and pursue their financial goals so that they can have peace of mind. As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and a career changer, I am equipped to help clients with various financial situations so that they can create the life that they envision.
In addition to helping clients achieve financial success, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, reading a good non-fiction book, dancing, watching documentaries and cooking shows as well as travelling with my husband.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
In October 2020, I decided to join an author community so that I could write a book. I wouldn’t say a book has always been something that I wanted to do. However, about 6 or 7 years ago, I began to investigate my options. My initial investigation was pretty light. Then, after I started my business, I became more serious about it. I believe that there’s only so much we can do as individuals and I wanted to find a way to reach more people about financial literacy. I am in the process of publishing a book by the working title of, “In the Meantime: Own Your Financial Narrative”, which explores the intersection of the racial wealth gap and the inspiring stories of those who have overcome it despite economic injustice. In addition, the book highlights the power of community, thus dispelling the myth that one must pull herself up by her own bootstraps. I was inspired to write this book, because I get really frustrated by the racial wealth gap and the history that comes with it. I talk about the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 as one of many examples that attributed to the statistics my community is experiencing today. After learning that Black wealth will fall to zero by 2053, I wanted to do my part to prevent this prediction from coming true. My hope is that, in reading this book, the reader will discover and meet people who have overcome and succeeded by creating their own definition of financial freedom. In this book, I hope to instill the same sort of passion and excitement that I have for personal finance. Ultimately, I want readers to see this book as a tool to help them create a legacy of wealth for themselves and generations to come.
With this book, I believe that I will be able to reach more people and help more people become confident with their money so that they can create their own definition of financial freedom.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

Even though I moved to Dallas a week before we had the lockdowns due to COVID, I have been able to locate some amazing places around the MetroPlex. I love the great outdoors and the first place I would take my best friend is to White Rock Lake. It is located in Northeast Dallas and has a 9.33 mile trail for walking, running and bicycling. It’s a great way to get some fresh air and get a great view of the lake as well as the lovely homes in the area. Then I’d go check out Klyde Warren Park in Downtown Dallas which always has activities for children and adults and is a great opportunity to check out some local food truck fare. Since the Dallas Art Museum is not far from Klyde Warren Park, I’d take my best friend to see the exhibits. Before we leave the Downtown area, we have to check out the Dallas Farmers market. If it’s in the summertime, then we have to secure our orange flesh seeded watermelon. What a refreshing way to recover from the activities of the day. On another day, we’d visit downtown Plano to check out Georgia’s Farmer’s Market to get some local honey and fresh produce to create a great meal at home. We’ll also be sure to check out the Legacy area. There’s lots of opportunity for dining and shopping, but I enjoy finding the butterfly wings mural at the Shops at Legacy to capture the memorable moment. The next day, we can go to the Trinity Groves area and have them grab a delicious cake from the Cake Bar. Even though my dietary lifestyle restricts me from having this cake now, I will not let my friend leave the city without trying it out. From there, we’d have to check out Paradiso in the Bishop Arts District, since it’s ambiance is amazing and the food is delicious.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Absolutely, my husband deserves a shout out as he has been super supportive of the goals and dreams that I am pursuing. I must also pay homage to my mother and father. Of course, I wouldn’t be here without them and they continue to cheer me on as I pursue my God-given purpose.

Website: www.yourstoryfinancial.com

Instagram: instagram.com/MoneyAndMoves

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/Shehara

Facebook: facebook.com/YourStoryFinancial

Other: https://www.yourstoryfinancial.com/links.html

Image Credits
Blue dress credit to https://instagram.com/illfizzo?igshid=1flkas4qvebz8

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