As we move into the second half of the year, Melissa Joy, CFP®, takes a solo deep dive into five major themes shaping the current investment landscape. From artificial intelligence and IPO cycles to persistent inflation and the resilience of employment, Melissa unpacks what is actually happening in the markets and what it means for your financial life.

Rather than reacting to pessimistic headlines, Melissa walks through the data behind recent market performance, explains why earnings growth matters as much as price, and offers a grounded perspective on how to stay disciplined through uncertainty. This episode is a reminder that a sound financial plan, paired with a diversified investment strategy, is still the most powerful tool you have.

What You’ll Learn

• Why artificial intelligence continues to drive market concentration and what that means for your portfolio
• What to expect from high-profile IPOs like SpaceX and Anthropic as they enter public markets
• How corporate earnings growth is affecting valuations even as prices reach all-time highs
• Why inflation remains persistent and what factors are keeping it elevated
• What current unemployment data reveals despite widespread concerns about AI-driven job displacement
• Why diversification is working again, including gains in mid-cap, small-cap, and international equities
• How to think about bonds and interest rates in this environment
• The importance of keeping your financial plan current alongside your investment strategy

The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https...

High-achieving women often wear exhaustion as a badge of honor, pushing through until the warning signs become impossible to ignore. For Molly Rosen, co-founder and co-CEO of Project Next Leadership, that moment came while driving between obligations, fantasizing not about a vacation, but about simply being allowed to stop. That recognition led to a sabbatical that stretched from one year to six, a journey that ultimately gave her the perspective, resilience, and clarity to build the leadership coaching company she runs today.

In this episode, Melissa Joy, CFP®, sits down with Molly to explore the realities of burnout for senior women leaders, the under acknowledged impact of perimenopause on career performance, and what it actually takes to build a life and career that is, as Molly puts it, human-sized. Drawing on more than two decades of coaching executives at companies like Pixar, Airbnb, DocuSign, and Samsung, Molly shares the patterns she sees most often in high-performing women, and the strategies that help them find their way back to themselves.

What You'll Learn

• Why working harder stops working at the executive level, and what actually drives advancement
• How burnout differs from a bad week, and why the body often signals it before the mind does
• The underreported career cost of perimenopause and menopause for high-achieving women
• What it means to ask "What is it that only I can do?" and how that question changes everything
• How to strategically step back from the workforce and return with greater clarity and purpose
• Why women leaders consistently rate themselves lower than others rate them, and how to close that gap
• The role of peer networks and cohorts in sustaining women at the top

Website: https://www.projectnextleadership.com

The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https...

Almost everyone has heard of a prenup, but very few of us have actually sat down and thought one through in practical terms. In this episode, Melissa Joy, CFP®, opens up a candid, surprisingly approachable conversation about what prenuptial agreements really are, who they are for, and why they belong in the financial planning discussion. Whether you are considering one for yourself or thinking about the next generation in your family, this is a topic worth understanding before the question ever comes up.

Melissa is joined by Kaylin Dillon, CFP®, a fee-only financial planner in Lawrence, Kansas, who has built a specialty around couples with separate assets, blended finances, and prenups. Kaylin reframes the prenup as a partnership exercise rather than a defensive move, walking through what can go into an agreement, why each partner needs their own attorney, how inherited and family wealth complicate things, and the single biggest mistake couples make. It is a thoughtful, practical look at planning for marriage with eyes wide open.

What You'll Learn

• What a prenuptial agreement actually is, and why it is not only about divorce
• Why each partner should hire their own family law attorney, and how that protects the validity of the agreement
• What can go into a prenup, from current assets and debts to future businesses, homes, life insurance, and even estate terms
• Why inherited and family wealth is one of the most common reasons couples pursue a prenup, and how to protect both sides
• The legal standard of unconscionability, and why a 30-day runway before the wedding is far too short
• The number one mistake couples make: rushing the process before agreeing on their own goals
• Why a joint financial plan is Plan A and the prenup is usually Plan B
• How a prenup coach can support a couple alongside their attorneys to keep the process focused and less expensive

Connect with Kaylin:

Website: kaylindillonfinancial.com

The Prenup Coach: prenupcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theprenupcoach/

The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https...