I sincerely appreciate how my profession allows me to work with people to develop financial practices that work for them, tailored to their needs and temperament. Most folks can’t “afford” their dream life if they follow traditional belief systems, but if they become thoughtful about what they have and what’s important about it, and work to understand their motivations, they can find and grow what they need.
Holly Gillian Kindel CFP®, CLU®, FFC®, FBS®, CPCC®
Financial Planner
One of the great joys of working with a variety of people is discovering creative ways to enhance and empower our lives through harnessing the energy of money.
I work best with people in transition be it recent success or unexpected detour, impending financial independence, or sudden windfall. My 25 years of experience have shown me that people who are determined to understand the scope and essence of the lessons that accompany life’s many transitions are the people who enhance their ability to live life to the fullest. Each time you successfully navigate a major life transition, you restock your toolbox and expand your capacity to master change.
I became financially literate out of necessity. At age twenty-five I had my first and most shocking experience of “money silence” when a poorly communicated estate plan thrust me and my family into emotional turmoil and forced me to learn about the logistics of money. My grandparents’ deaths were a financial flashpoint that fundamentally changed my life’s trajectory, achingly but ultimately for the better. Over time, I developed a career that has spanned serving high net worth clients and providing pro bono services to the working poor. I spent seven years as the Pro Bono Director of the San Francisco chapter of the Financial Planning Association. I taught personal financial planning at Golden Gate University and was awarded Teacher of the Year in 2007. I feel strongly about human rights and social justice, thanks to my work with the ACLU when I first arrived in San Francisco in 1989. I continue to gather relevant financial and coaching credentials to keep my planning current while expanding its depth and reach.
Financial intelligence comes from unifying the quantitative and the qualitative aspects of money. Without values it’s hard to establish goals, without goals it’s challenging to align your money with your aspirations. I have both empathy and compassion for your money challenges, however complex. I haven’t forgotten being one of the only women in my first financial planning class, feeling too ashamed to ask a question. I also know that we can learn skills and build habits if we’re willing to systematically apply our existing talents in new ways.
The amount of change you can accomplish depends on the depth and breadth of your commitment as well as how receptive you are to expanding your perception of the world. You need to be willing to explore what’s optimal for your circumstances, which means being open to expert perspectives and learning how to apply them to your ecosystem. We can do hard things, thought by thought and action by action. Our effective work together will yield satisfying results from applying strategies to bring your values and financial priorities in alignment over time.
When I am not helping others I enjoy swimming in the Bay from the Dolphin Club, practicing hot yoga, meditating, attending music festivals, spinning fire, trail running, and most of all spoiling my spritely chihuahua, Xochitl.