(Image credit: Getty Images)
I never thought I’d be a financial adviser, but I always knew I wanted to be a mom.
Now I’m both — and both are my dream jobs. And because I love what I do, I’m never really turning off one role for another but rather leaning into both.
At work, I think about helping families make thoughtful, values-driven decisions about their money so they can live the lives they envision.
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At home, I think about raising my two children to be financially responsible and independent and to have strong values.
Here’s the thing: What I want for my children is what I want for my clients and vice versa. In fact, here are six lessons I am striving to teach my children about money — and that I hope my clients will embrace and impart to their next generations, too.
1. Strive to always be financially independent
This one comes from my mom, who was one of the first female branch bank managers in the Carolinas. Know your expenses and know that you can earn enough income on your own to cover them. Don’t rely on anyone else to meet your financial needs and always save for a rainy day.
I appreciate this advice because you never know what life may bring. My parents have been happily married for 54 years, and my husband, Luke, and I aspire for such marital longevity, too. But it never hurts to be able to stand on your own two feet — and relationships can be even stronger for it.
No matter your life stage or relationship status, having a level of financial independence is empowering. It’s not about doing everything on your own — it’s about knowing you could if you needed to.
I want my children to understand their finances, have access to their accounts and build confidence in managing money so they are never in a position where they feel stuck or without options.
2. Prioritize saving, starting now
So, yes, when Mary Lauren and Miles operate their lemonade stand, they know they need to save some of their proceeds before they get too “spendy.”
I’m not getting hardcore with math — yet, because they’re still in elementary school — but I’m laying the groundwork for an appreciation for the power of compound interest.
3. Pay it forward
Money isn’t just a means for personal security; it’s a way to lift others. Whether it’s putting some cash in the collection plate at church or supporting a cause they care about, I want my children to see generosity as part of their financial calling.
So, yes, some of my children’s lemonade stand money — and later their babysitting and dog walking money — will also be shared with causes that are important to them. If I do my job well, this will carry forward into how they allocate the money they earn from their careers. And that leads me to…
4. Develop and listen to your values
There will always be competing messages about how to spend, save and invest — your time and money, for that matter. I want my children to be grounded enough to make decisions based on what matters to them, not what everyone else is doing or FOMO.
When your financial choices align with your values, you’re far more likely to feel confident and content.
I believe that living a big, beautiful life means giving back some of our time, talents and treasure. If we can make time for sports and family fun, then my family of four can make time to give back to our community.
Likewise, giving some of our money to worthy causes should be a line item in our budgets, not an afterthought based on whatever is left over at the end of each month.
I believe intentionality is what makes us successful in everything we do — and helps us to lift up those who need help.
5. Know and appreciate where — and who — you come from
I wouldn’t be here and have the opportunities I have if not for those who came before me, especially my grandmothers, Lillian and Jessie, who worked hard and had humble lives.
My mom’s mom, Lillian, was an orphan at 13 and a widow at 46. She wasn’t raised to have a career, but she figured out how to manage three separate businesses. Maybe that’s where my entrepreneurial spirit comes from.
On the left are Mary’s grandmother Jessie with Mary’s mother, Susan, and toddler Mary in 1984. In the center are Susan and Mary and on Mary’s wedding day in 2016. At right are Mary, her husband, Luke, and their kids Mary Lauren and Miles (and Mickey Mouse!) in March 2026.
(Image credit: Courtesy of Mary Ware)
My dad’s mom, Jessie, had a high school education and taught me that initiative can be just as valuable as formal credentials. She taught me the value of saying “Yes!” when she shared stories of her work at Sears — as a makeup counter lady who became the department head and then pivoted to manager of the tire department.
Income from her work, combined with my grandfather’s work as a postal service employee, put my dad through college. My dad, in turn, made sure I could afford to go to college and, together with my mother, paid for my graduate school tuition.
When you know your family history, it changes your whole relationship with money.
Financial literacy isn’t just about numbers; it’s about perspective. I want my children to understand the work, sacrifices and decisions that came before them — the foundation that allows them to have opportunities today.
Gratitude and awareness can shape smarter decisions and a deeper respect for what they have.
6. Always remember knowledge is power
Confidence with money starts with understanding it — and even having a curiosity about it. In fact, that’s how it all began for me. While I didn’t expect to be a financial adviser, I followed my natural curiosity about money.
After graduating college and landing a bank job, I wanted to know how to make the best decisions about my very first 401(k), which led me to take a community college class about women and money. I was so captivated and asked so many questions that the teacher suggested I become a financial adviser.
After the course ended, I started down that path, entering the financial adviser training program at my bank. Two decades later here I am in one of my two dream jobs.
As a mother who happens to be a financial adviser, I want my children to ask questions, stay curious and never feel intimidated by financial concepts.
The more you learn, the more control you have — and the better equipped you are to make smart, informed decisions throughout your life. I want this for my clients, too.
