Meet the Founder
Hi there, I'm Nicole, so glad you're here! I'm the Founder and Financial Advisor of Money Maven Financial, a female-focused financial planning firm. I take all things money- including investments, insurance, even debt- and make it shame-free and approachable. I love helping women (and the men who love them) to master their money, serving as a personal money guide.
When I'm not meeting with clients, I enjoy writing, and have written pieces for Bellingham Alive magazine and Business Pulse magazine. I've also contributed to pieces in CBS News and HerMoney. I enjoy public speaking, and have served as a guest speaker for organizations such as Collide, Whatcom Women in Business, and Women's Professional Network, and have been a featured guest on multiple podcasts.
I work with clients across the country, but most of my clients live in Whatcom County, and I'm very active in our local business community. I was a finalist for the Top 7 Under 40 Chamber award in 2016, and a finalist for the Woman of the Year Chamber award in 2018. I've won Gold in Bellingham Alive's Best of the Northwest* in 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2022, taking bronze in 2016 and silver in 2020 and 2024.
When I'm not in the office, you may find me with my handsome video-producing husband, having fun with my kiddos (age 6 and 4) or reading a good book. If you're really lucky, you may catch me chasing our chickens around the backyard trying to get them back in the coop.
*Award based on reader poll votes.
Brittney Ryan
Client Care Coordinator
Meet Brittney
Brittney has worked in the financial services industry since 2015, bringing over a decade of experience in administrative and client support roles. She began her career as a Division Administrator, then serving in a variety of administrative support roles supporting Financial Advisors and their clients.
In this role, she brings a strong foundation in organization, client service, and behind-the-scenes operations that keep our advisory practice running smoothly.
Outside of work, Brittney enjoys spending time with her son, Bentley, as well as connecting with friends and family.
Client Care Phone: 360.594.0073
Why Money Maven?
The word "Maven" comes from Hebrew origins, meaning "someone who understands", or "expert".
As a female financial advisor, I've found that women in particular struggle with the feeling of financial overwhelm, and a sense of "I should know know how to do this by now". Becoming a Money Maven is a journey of becoming confident in making our own financial decisions, and sharing both our knowledge and our confidence with the next generation of women.
My dream for Money Maven Financial is to grow a community of women who learn together and encourage each other's journey toward financial empowerment. Empowered women empower women!
***for the record, we do work with men! We focus on women because as a female-owned small business, we understand the unique challenges women face. But men are welcome. 😁
LPL Financial is the #1 independent broker/dealer in the United States*, and I’m so grateful it was LPL that bought my former firm, Waddell & Reed. Joining this company has been an amazing experience as a young female financial advisor. They have a plethora of investment options, as many support services as I could possibly ever need, and some really straight-up awesome people at our Home Office. I serve on their Ambassador Council, attending semi-annual meetings in San Diego and Charlotte, keeping their executives connected with us advisors and what we want and need, and also have a insider’s look at their corporate strategy. I couldn’t picture a better company to be affiliated with.
LPL Financial (Nasdaq: LPLA) was founded on the principle that the firm should work for the advisor, and not the other way around. Today, LPL is a leader in the markets we serve,* supporting nearly 20,000 financial advisors, and approximately 800 institution-based investment programs and 500 independent RIA firms nationwide. We are steadfast in our commitment to the advisor-centered model and the belief that Americans deserve access to personalized guidance from a financial advisor. At LPL, independence means that advisors have the freedom they deserve to choose the business model, services, and technology resources that allow them to run their perfect practice. And they have the freedom to manage their client relationships, because they know their clients best. Simply put, we take care of our advisors, so they can take care of their clients.
*Top RIA custodian (Cerulli Associates, 2020 U.S. RIA Marketplace Report); No. 1 Independent Broker-Dealer in the U.S (Based on total revenues, Financial Planning magazine 1996-2024); No. 1 provider of third-party brokerage services to banks and credit unions (2020-2021 Kehrer Bielan Research & Consulting Annual TPM Report); Fortune 500 Company as of June 2021. LPL and its affiliated companies provide financial services only from the United States.