A Duck Collection 20+ Years in the Making 🦆🐥Some people collect stamps. Some collect coins. Elizabeth collects rubber ducks.What started in 1st grade has grown into a collection of more than 500 ducks collected over the years. Since heading off to college, most of them have been packed away in storage tubs, making this the first time Elizabeth has displayed her entire collection in one place.Before setting everything up, she sorted through the collection, donating duplicate and damaged ducks. Even after parting with more than 100 ducks, she still had enough to completely fill the display and then some. She still has holiday duck waiting in the wings for their time to shine.Needless to say, this is only the beginning. With a collection this large, there are plenty of unique ducks, stories, and themes left to share.Stay tuned for future posts highlighting different parts of Elizabeth's collection. There are plenty more rubber ducks where these came from! 🦆👀
Legacy Isn't Just About What You Leave Behind ❤️Most of us hope to pass something meaningful on to the people we love. Not just our possessions, but our values, wisdom, and the things that have shaped our lives.If that idea resonates with you, don't forget about our upcoming Purposeful Legacy event on September 22. We'll be exploring how to intentionally pass along the lessons, stories, and values that matter most to future generations.And if you'd like to continue the conversation, we also invite you to join us for Leaving a Thriving Legacy with Eric Bilger on October 7. While Purposeful Legacy focuses on the personal side of legacy, this virtual event will dive deeper into the planning considerations that help support those intentions, including estate planning, beneficiary designations, long-term care, charitable giving, and more.The October event is also a great option for our friends and family members who live farther away and may not be able to join us in person on September 22.📅 Leaving a Thriving Legacy with Eric Bilger 💻 Virtual Event 🕛 October 7, 2026 | 12:00 PM ETLearn more and RSVP here: https://connect.thrivent.com/inspired-wealth-advisors/events/106933We'd love to have you join us for one—or both—of these meaningful conversations about caring for the people and values that matter most.
A New Look for the Conference Room! ✨A few recent additions have given our large conference room a fresh look.First, we swapped out the old conference table for a new one that better matches the style of our smaller conference room. As an added bonus, the room feels more open and gives everyone a little more breathing room.But the real star of the show (according to Rob) is the new Vibe Board. 😄Rob has been wanting one for quite a while, and now that it's here, he can hardly keep his hands off it. While we've always had a TV available for virtual attendees, the Vibe Board makes it much easier to pull up presentations, collaborate, and mark up ideas for both in-person and virtual participants to see.Rob claims it's going to revolutionize his meetings. We're not sure if that's true yet, but we're pretty confident he's going to give it every opportunity to prove itself. 😂Here's hoping you're as excited as Rob is about the new conference room setup. If not, don't worry... he'll probably show it off during your next meeting. 👀
❤️ 544 Reasons to Be Grateful... and One Week Left to Help!?!One of the things we've learned over the years is that whenever we invite this community to do something good, you're quick to respond... and this time you've completely overwhelmed us with your generosity.Since our last update, donations have been pouring in, and we're excited to share that we've now collected 544 food items through our Better Together: Food Drive benefiting Christian Appalachian Project (CAP). What started as a few cans on an empty table has quickly become a challenge of finding enough room for everything—and figuring out how to fit it all into a photo for our social media friends. 😄📸We're collecting shelf-stable, unexpired food items through September 22 for Christian Appalachian Project (CAP), and for every item donated, Thrivent and IWA together will donate $1 to CAP.There's now just one week left to participate before collections close.✅ Bring a few items to your next meeting✅ Stop by the office to say hello, enjoy a drink, chocolate, and good company✅ Bring a few items to an upcoming IWA eventThank you to everyone who has participated so far. Your kindness, generosity, and willingness to care for others are what make this community so special.Let's fill the shelves and help care for our Appalachian neighbors ❤️
Another Certification in the Books! 🎉Please join us in congratulating Adam on passing the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) Exam! 👏The SIE is one of the first major milestones for those pursuing a career in the financial services industry, and it's an exciting step forward on Adam's professional journey.Between classes, client service, and helping keep things running smoothly around the office, Adam has been putting in the work behind the scenes. We're proud of his dedication and commitment to learning, and we're excited to see what comes next.It certainly looks like he's well on his way toward a promising career in the industry. 🚀Congratulations, Adam! We can't wait to see where your hard work takes you next.
A couple of days away from the office last week left Rob and Brittany with full notebooks, tired brains, and grateful hearts.Rob and Brittany attended the Growth Minded Advisors Conference, and Brittany also had the opportunity to participate in a regional advisory board retreat. The biggest takeaway? There are a lot of really smart, caring people working hard to serve families well and build businesses that make a meaningful difference.They always come back from events like these with new ideas, fresh perspective, and a healthy dose of reassurance that Inspired Wealth Advisors is headed in the right direction.The conversations around leadership, advisor development, community engagement, and creating opportunities for the next generation of advisors were especially valuable. Most of all, they are grateful for the chance to learn from others who are willing to share openly about what's working, what's challenging, and what they're learning along the way.Now it's time to take those ideas and put them to work. ❤️
What will your family remember when you're gone?When people think about legacy, it's easy to focus on the things we'll leave behind. But for many families, the most meaningful gifts aren't possessions at all. They're the values, stories, lessons, and traditions that continue shaping future generations long after we're gone.In just two weeks, we'll gather for Purposeful Legacy: How to Share Values and Valuables With the Next Generations. We'll enjoy good food, good company, and a thoughtful conversation about how to intentionally pass along the things that matter most.📅 September 22📍 The Manchester, LexingtonIf you received an invitation, don't forget to RSVP! Please check your email for event details, and if you have any questions or can't find your invitation, we're happy to help.We'd love to spend the evening with you exploring what it means to leave a truly purposeful legacy. ❤️
Blast from the Past! 🤸Before Brittany was helping clients pursue their goals and building the next chapter of IWA, she was spending much of her free time upside down.Brittany started gymnastics at age 8 and competed in power tumbling and trampoline from ages 9–11. While the bars, beam, and artistic side of gymnastics never became her favorites, she always preferred events where she could put a little more power behind her skills. It seems Brittany has been a bit of a powerhouse from an early age. 💪Pictured here is Brittany (sitting on the floor directly beneath the word "National") with her gymnastics team during her competitive years. As a member of the Alberta Provincial Team, she traveled to competitions in Winnipeg and Vancouver, competing alongside athletes from across Canada.Along the way, she learned a few lessons that still serve her well today: work hard, train harder, keep improving, and when life knocks you flat on your face... get back up and keep flipping! 😄The good news is that Brittany can still do a flip today. The bad news is that these days she prefers a soft landing, which explains why trampoline parks with the kids are much more appealing than gymnastics competitions. And that's a wrap on our Blast from the Past series! Thanks for taking a trip down memory lane with the IWA team.
114 Items and Counting! 🥫One of the things that never stops amazing us is how quickly a community can come together when given an opportunity to help.A few weeks ago, our shelves were empty. Today, thanks to the generosity of so many wonderful people, we've collected 114 food items through our Better Together: Food Drive for Christian Appalachian Project (CAP).That's 114 reminders that small acts of kindness add up. A can here. A box of pasta there. A few items picked up during a grocery trip. On their own they may seem small, but together they're becoming something much bigger.We're still collecting shelf-stable, unexpired food items through September 22 for Christian Appalachian Project (CAP), and we're incredibly grateful for everyone who has participated so far.Want to join in?✅ Bring a few items to your next meeting✅ Stop by the office to say hello, enjoy a drink, chocolate, and good company✅ Bring a few items to an upcoming IWA eventEvery item makes a difference, and we're thankful to be part of a community that cares for its neighbors so well.Let's fill the shelves and help care for our Appalachian neighbors ❤️
Legacy planning doesn't have to be stressful. With the right tools and timely strategies, you can stay true to your vision and help your loved ones feel prepared. Here are a few key things to keep in mind: • The amount you can pass on without federal estate or gift tax is $15 million per person—or $30 million for married couples in 2026. These higher limits give families more flexibility and room to plan for the future. • Preparing your wealth transfer priorities today can make a meaningful difference. Name beneficiaries, establish a will and consider trusts. • Gifting can also play a role. Many people give annually to take advantage of the gift tax exclusion—up to $19,000 per person in 2026 without triggering gift tax. A thoughtful approach can help more of what you’ve built reach the people and causes you care about. ➡️ https://bit.ly/4hpRIzN
Important Office Research Has Been Completed. 🥧Every year, one of the traditions of our "Old-Fashioned" Cocktail Hour & Holiday Open House is sending each family home with a Thanksgiving pie.Naturally, that meant it was time for some very serious pie research.This year's lineup included a Salted Caramel Apple Pie, Nutmeg Pumpkin Pie, and Bourbon Dark Chocolate Pecan Pie. For scientific purposes, we also included a Key Lime Pie and a Chocolate Pie to satisfy our curiosity. The results? Every pie was delicious, but the Bourbon Dark Chocolate Pecan Pie was a standout favorite. 🤤We're getting excited for this year's Holiday Open House and all the traditions that come with it, we hope you are too!P.S. Find yourself a workplace that occasionally assigns pie research as part of the job. It's a pretty great perk. 😂❤️
Don't Forget to RSVPRetirement isn't just about making your money last. It's about having the confidence to enjoy the life you've worked so hard to build.One of the things we appreciate most about our clients is their desire to keep learning and asking thoughtful questions. Even when you already have a plan in place, a fresh perspective can often spark a new idea or question worth exploring together.That's why we wanted to send one final reminder about From Savings to Security: Making Your Money Last in Retirement, an upcoming virtual workshop featuring David Blanchett and Michael Finke. They'll discuss strategies for creating reliable retirement income, protecting your lifestyle through changing market conditions, and approaching retirement with greater confidence.📅 September 15 at 1:00 PM ET📅 September 15 at 8:30 PM ET📅 September 16 at 2:00 PM ETCan't attend live? Register anyway and you'll receive the recording afterward.👉 RSVP here: https://thrivent.zoom.us/webinar/register/4617646177485/WN_NXiQNrl3St63FeGTgS_RrA#/registrationWe hope you'll join us and discover a few ideas to add to your retirement planning toolkit.
Blast from the Past! 🏆Before Elizabeth was helping support our clients and keeping things running smoothly at IWA, she was busy raising, showing, and competing with just about every project 4-H could offer.Elizabeth participated in 4-H for nearly 14 years, starting at age 4 and continuing until she left for college. Along the way, she showed rabbits, poultry, and dogs while also taking on projects in sewing, model rockets, collections, gardening, and more. In fact, the awards pictured here are from just one fair season! 🤯Some of her favorite achievements included: earning an Ohio State Fair Champion Award with her dog, Cookie; winning Best of Show at the state level for an independent project on corsets; and winning Showman of Showmen at the county fair, where she showed all the animals at the fair, from cows, horses, alpacas, and everything in between.If you ever need a random animal fact, especially about rabbits, Elizabeth is your person. 🐰Unlike some of our earlier Blast from the Past posts, this one isn't exactly ancient history. The photo is from Elizabeth's high school years, which, according to certain members of our office, was practically yesterday. 😄Stay tuned for next week's Blast from the Past as we head north to Canada and take a look back at Brittany's younger years! 🍁👀
Back-to-school season is officially here!Several members of the IWA family are heading back to school this fall. The Lawson kids have all returned to the classroom (and yes, you may be surprised to learn that Tripp is still only in middle school! 😄). Beth's daughter, Kate, is starting her first year of high school, while her son, John, is heading into his second year of college. Meanwhile, Adam, our part-time Office Professional, has kicked off his final year at the University of Kentucky.It's hard to believe how quickly summer flew by. It feels like school just let out, and now the holiday season is already lurking around the corner, ready to pounce. 🍂🎃🎄We hope the school year is off to a great start for your family and that your household is spared from the annual Back-to-School Sickness Phenomenon. 🤧😅Here's to a great school year filled with learning, growth, and as few germs as possible!
What a Difference a Few Weeks Can Make! 🥫When we launched our Better Together: Food Drive, we knew this community had a generous heart. Seeing that generosity in action has been incredibly encouraging. Thank you to everyone who has stopped by with donations so far. 😊We're now halfway through our Better Together: Food Drive! Before we had 11 food items. Today, we're up to 82 items collected for Christian Appalachian Project (CAP)! That's 71 additional items added since our last update. And the impact doesn't stop there. For each donated item, $1 will be provided to CAP, meaning $82 have already be raised. There's still time to join in before our collection ends on September 22. We're collecting shelf-stable, unexpired food items such as canned goods, pasta, rice, and other pantry staples. 📦 Bring a few items to your next meeting ☕ Stop by the office, even if you don't have an appointment. We'd love to say hello and share a drink, chocolate, and good company 🎉 Bring donations to an upcoming event, including our September 22 event 👀🤔 Good people doing good. That's what this drive is all about. Together we can make an impact as we help our Appalachian neighbors. Let's fill the shelves! ❤️
One of our favorite parts of building Inspired Wealth Advisors isn't found on a balance sheet or a business plan. It's getting to spend time with thoughtful people who care enough to ask hard questions, challenge assumptions, and help us become better.This week, Rob and Brittany spent an evening at The Kentucky Castle talking about the future of IWA with Stacy Nystrom and Ashley Swanson (affectionately known around the office as "The Bobs" after the consultants in Office Space. If you get that reference, you may be showing your age. 😄).The conversation covered everything from leadership and career growth to culture and the kind of experience we want our team members and clients to have for years to come. There was plenty of healthy debate, lots of laughter, a few "that's not what I meant!" moments, and a shared commitment to building something meaningful.One quote from the evening that stuck with us:"Keep it simple. Hire really good people that rock and pay them well so they stay." — Stacy NystromWe're not trying to build the biggest firm we can. We're trying to build the best one we can for our clients, our team, and the people who will someday join both.We're grateful for thought partners who challenge our thinking, help us see around corners, and make the journey a lot more enjoyable. ❤️
The flavor everyone forgets... until it's the only one left. 🍓😢One of the things we pride ourselves on at IWA is our chocolate bowl. Whether you're stopping by for a meeting or just saying hello, there's always a sweet treat waiting for you.Over the years, we've noticed that some flavors disappear almost immediately, while others seem to have incredible staying power. We're looking at you, strawberry cream. So we want your help:🍫 What's your favorite chocolate flavor? 🍫 Which ones would you like to see more of? 🍫 And has anyone actually been choosing the pink chocolates?Help us build your ideal office chocolate selection. And if you're feeling adventurous, help us make a few more strawberry creams disappear. 😅
Blast from the Past! 🥊Before Rob was helping clients pursue their goals, he was spending his weekends chasing a very different goal—winning boxing matches.This photo captures Rob after winning the Eastern Regional Collegiate Championships while competing for the University of Kentucky boxing team. During his collegiate career, he earned All-American honors and spent countless weekends competing in Golden Gloves tournaments against some of the top amateur boxers in the country.A lot has changed since Rob retired from boxing (including his hair retiring from his head😄). These days, Rob's challenges usually don't involve jabs and uppercuts, but many of the same lessons still apply: discipline, preparation, and keeping your eyes on the goal.Stay tuned for more Blast from the Past highlights from the rest of the IWA team... and yes, we're just as surprised as you that Rob wasn't blond. Where did Elisabeth and Coleman get those golden locks? 🤔😂
It's the little things that make a community special.During a recent meeting, Brittany mentioned how much she loves strawberry rhubarb pie and how hard it can be to find. A few days later, a client stopped by with a surprise: a specially ordered strawberry rhubarb pie just for her.Moments like this are what we love about the IWA family. It's not really about the pie (although it was delicious 😄). It's about the kindness, thoughtfulness, and genuine care people show one another. We do our best to create those same moments for our clients, so it's always humbling when that thoughtfulness comes back around to us.We're incredibly grateful to be part of a community that listens, remembers, and looks for ways to bring a little extra joy into someone else's day. ❤️🥧
Another Certification in the Books!?🤿We always love celebrating when members of the IWA family earn new certifications, but we didn't expect a scuba diving certification to be one of them!This past Saturday, Elizabeth's partner, Colin, earned his Open Water Diver certification. While Elizabeth completed her own Open Water certification last summer, she tagged along to get a few more dives under her belt and lend a little moral support during Colin's first dives in natural water instead of a swimming pool.The two spent the day exploring Laurel Lake, getting an up-close look at fish and underwater life while checking off the final requirements for certification.Here's to wherever their next underwater adventure takes them—and hopefully never having to take their masks off underwater for a test again. 😅
