Empowering women through yoga and advice

Young Achiever of the Year 

Winner

Lea Schodel
Director
MHP Private Wealth

Finalists

Crystal Bobir
Financial Planner
Tupicoffs 

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Shane Nicholas
Financial planner/director
Innate Financial Services Group

The combination of yoga, wellness, and financial literacy has given Lea Schodel the right flow to take out Money Management's Young Achiever of the Year award. 

Lea has incorporated her 15 years of experience in financial services with her other passion as a yoga teacher to give a more holistic wellbeing approach to managing money. 

"When we talk about money we should be talking about it in terms of a client's overall life and how money impacts and influences their health, stress, wellbeing and happiness. Then we let them understand how it impacts all of those things and work with them to create a better happier life," Lea said. 

Lea recently created a social enterprise boosting financial literacy call Wellthy for women. The program consists of a six-week online course, a two day workshop, and a wealth and wellness retreat. 

"It's designed to teach women how to create a better relationship with money. For every woman that comes through we grant a scholarship to someone who can't afford to do it. We partner with not-for-profit and community organisations to deliver those programs," she said. 

"The retreat is a beautiful way to talk about money and as women we quite often go 'Oh money is just this thing in our lives' but I want women to understand that it's so important to have a healthy relationship with it. Otherwise, it impacts everything in our lives." 

Lea said just because financial planning services were typically delivered in a certain way did not mean planners could not combine their other passions with their advice giving. 

Commenting, InterPrac Financial Planning national practice Manager, Michael Gershkov, said Lea was helping the industry step out of its traditional nature. 

"Lea is making a huge difference for so many people who need it the most and have been left behind by a male orientated industry which has always had trouble stepping outside of its comfort zone," he said. 

The judges chose Lea as a winner as they found that she had adopted a truly innovative and multi-faceted approach to her financial advice. 

"At the same time she is developing a web-based social enterprise to empower women with their finances," the judges said. 

Schodel is currently partner, adviser, director, and co-founder of MHP Private Wealth, the founder of Wellthy - a mindful wealth movement, and a co-founder of Wealth & Purpose - a network of financial advisers. 

The judges found finalist Crystal Bobir's ability to further her planning career, studies, and juggle a young family praiseworthy. 

Finalist Shane Nicholas was commended for his contribution to the industry through the Financial Planning Association's Certified Financial Planning program.