Beyond Golf and Volunteering: Why Financial Advisors Should Rethink Their Bios

Connection isn’t just built through credentials. It’s built through being human.

I've been knee-deep in research on the women's wealth market lately. Digging into trends, data, engagement strategies, the whole nine yards. But somewhere between the stats and insights, I stumbled into something that made me pause.

Buried in a broader report on advisor trends was a brief section on advisor lifestyle signals. Essentially, what advisors share about their lives outside the spreadsheets.

Sounds fluffy, right? I thought so too. Until I started reading.

In our industry, where trust is everything, we say that relationships matter as much as planning strategies. But when you start looking at how we present ourselves, especially in bios and websites, it’s a different story.

Most bios stop just short of interesting.

The report showed the most common hobbies advisors mention are:

✔ Golf

✔ Camping

✔ Volunteering

✔ Fitness

All solid stuff (I love a long trail day myself). But what stood out wasn’t what was on the list. It was what was missing.

How much are we really sharing about who we are?

And more importantly…
How many potential connections are we missing by keeping things so generic?

The same report found little blips of “niche” hobbies; pottery, bonsai, skydiving, quilting. They showed up rarely, but just enough to move the needle on client engagement. Not because they’re trendy. But because they’re specific.

And specific feels real.

As advisors, we spend a lot of time trying to stand out with performance, process, and professionalism. But maybe the biggest differentiator isn’t in what we know. It’s in what we’re willing to share.

Your love of bonsai might not seem “relevant.” But to the woman on the other end of the screen who's been shaping trees for 20 years as a meditation practice? You just became more than a service provider. You became someone who gets it.

I keep my office backdrop very personal. One video call can shift everything; a new client, a deeper connection, a moment of real understanding. And I want that space to reflect more than just my credentials.

So, let’s drop the blue (unless you love blue). Let’s ditch the corporate swag. Let’s get real.

Right now, what you’ll find behind me is a room drenched in green. Not just painted, immersed. It gives off a moody library vibe, which is exactly the energy I want: thoughtful, intentional, alive. Truth is, I color-drench my life in green. In the forest, in my home, in the quiet places I recharge.

You’ll also find my love of books and art. Goosebump-inducing music playing in the background. Boho-chic details layered in, because they reflect my easy calm nature. None of it’s random. It’s all a reflection of what matters to me, and what makes me, me.

Because in a relationship-based profession like ours, sometimes the smallest personal details open the door to the most meaningful conversations.

So here's the challenge:
What would happen if we leaned into that uniqueness just a little more?

Not just for better marketing.
But for better connection.