Enlighten

The world of finance can feel unwelcoming to women. Large financial institutions are traditionally male dominated. The fine print is intentionally confusing. The process of finding somebody you can actually trust is daunting. 

That’s why we’ve created a place where women can connect with other women–a forum where you can engage with others who understand your concerns, your dreams, all the things that matter to you and your financial future.

You’ve probably heard, or more likely experienced the story of the woman who takes her car in for a simple oil change, only to be told by the mechanic that she also needs new brakes, smoothed rotors, new air filters — and, by the way, there’s an engine leak that needs fixing too.

In this story, the woman leaves confused and holding a bigger bill than she bargained for, which may not even be necessary. The very same thing happens every day in the financial world.

Unfortunately, some financial advisors take advantage of women, whether they’re single, divorced, widowed, or even married and managing the household finances. They often push unnecessary products, apply rhetorical pressure, and use manipulative scare tactics. Many women end up feeling belittled or made to feel inadequate by these advisors - or at best, feel like the advisor is more concerned about what benefits them than what benefits her, and hasn’t listened to or understood any of her concerns.

We’ve seen this behavior firsthand. The founder of Five Pathways was driven to create Enlighten after witnessing his own mother’s negative experience with a financial advisor. She was treated poorly - the advisor focused primarily on her husband, while her assets and goals were treated as secondary. This personal experience compelled us to take this issue seriously. You deserve an unbiased perspective on your financial future, to be heard, and to have your concerns and goals taken seriously. You deserve a clear roadmap to achieve those goals and a trusted friend to guide you along the way.

This is the call we are answering with Enlighten. We vow to continue empowering women in search of trustworthy financial advice and to actively support the goals of those looking to be a part of the financial world.

The Five Pathways Family