Following David’s passing, she thought of her long-time friend, Trent, whose experience with his father mirrored Alisa’s with her husband. Both Trent’s father and David left their beneficiaries financially prepared for the worst, so they had the opportunity to recover and properly grieve. “I knew that Trent and I were prepared, but I have so many friends who had never had those difficult conversations or had never implemented the proper plan in case someone they relied on passed,” Alisa says. “With our close friends, David’s death seemingly came as a wake-up call, and I knew my story could help.”

Alisa has been a lifestyle strategist for decades utilizing many avenues of resources including her life and health license. She uses her innate ability to understand people to assess problems and guide clients toward Trent, who is then capable of exploring options and solutions. She’s also passionate about helping friends and clients, no matter their needs. Whether they’re looking to fund college for their kids, make a down payment on a house, work toward retirement or create a death benefit for their heirs, Alisa is there to lend a hand. Additionally, she believes in personalizing every interaction, knowing that finance is more than just transactional. Alisa says, “I like to look forward. It isn’t about the product or the protection you need now. It’s about where you’d like to be in 10 years and reaching your own personal definition of happiness.”

Alisa’s childhood, until age 12, was spent traveling around the country with her father who was in the Navy. Her family finally settled in Olympia, Washington, which is where she still lives today. Though the Pacific Northwest is home, she has ties to many different parts of the country. She has properties in Florida, and her father’s side of the family is rooted in Texas, so she often makes trips to both and could see herself retiring in either one.

In addition to her experience in financial services, Alisa owns multiple businesses. Her passion for gymnastics pushed her to purchase a gym directly out of college, but she found her true purpose four years later when she bought her second gym called Black Hills Gymnastics. “Though I didn’t go to business school, I was extremely lucky because my mother, who I trusted and knew would always be by my side, was my mentor,” Alisa says. “She was the vice president of a mortgage department at a local bank and then later in her life became the owner of a mortgage company, so she taught me through experience, which I think is the best way to learn.”

Always looking to better herself, she now spends a lot of her free time training and working out. Having always considered herself an athlete, she sees it as a return to her roots that helps her connect her physical actualization and her mental actualization. It’s also important to Alisa to find a proper balance in her own life because she often helps mentor friends and acquaintances looking to find their own path. “I enjoy brainstorming and looking for ideas to help people find what makes them happy or a strategy to pivot to their next endeavor,” she says. “I’m also open about my struggles. I feel like I’ve been so lucky to have found peace and passion, but it hasn’t always been sunshine and rainbows, and I’ve had to change just as much as the world has had to change around me.”

Having achieved happiness professionally and personally, Alisa now looks to continue down a path as a guide and navigator. “Though I’m always going to keep David with me, it’s now about what I can do on my own, and I believe I have the power to help others find happiness and a sense of accomplishment,” Alisa says. “I’m always working on finding it for myself, and I feel blessed that this new chapter of my life gives me the opportunity to help others find it from both a personal and a financial perspective.”