In this episode of Crush Your Money Goals, we sit down with Anne Lester, the former Head of Retirement Solutions at JP Morgan Asset Management, to discuss her transformative journey from Wall Street to personal pilgrimage. Anne delves into her pioneering work on target date funds, offering practical financial advice for professional women navigating their 401(k)s and retirement planning. She also shares her personal experiences of leaving a high pressure career to pursue new passions, including a pilgrimage walk from Canterbury to Rome and writing her forthcoming book.

In this episode, you will learn the following :

• How Anne revolutionized retirement savings with the creation of target date funds


• Common investment pitfalls and psychological traps


• Practical advice for professional women on navigating the complexities of 401(k)s and retirement planning


• Sharing personal financial struggles to foster greater emotional support and financial literacy within the financial services industry


• Strategies for achieving financial independence post career


• Anne’s experience with continuous learning and staying professionally engaged 


• The challenges and uncertainties of transitioning from a structured corporate environment to a more flexible, self directed lifestyle

Episode Timeline:

[00:00:03 ] - Finding Inspiration in Personal Crisis

[00:04:29 ] -  Understanding Target Date Funds

[00:08:11 ] -  Reflecting on Career and Identity

[00:10:34 ] -  Deciding to Retire at Career Peak

[00:14:55 ] -  Financial Independence for Women

[00:19:11 ] -  Strategic Plan for Financial Transition

[00:23:14 ] -  Planning Future Tasks and Collaboration

[00:30:08 ] -  Evolution of Writing Passion

[00:37:29 ] -  Navigating Personal Growth and Decisions

Learn more about Anne Lester:

Website: annelester.com/ 

TikTok: tiktok.com/@savesmartwanne 

Instagram: instagram.com/savesmartwanne

Learn more about Stefanie Gonzales and the Women's Wealth Effect:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stefanie-gonzales-83a87aa

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenswealtheffect/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Womenswealtheffect

Early Retirement Planner: https://www.womenswealtheffect.com/planner

Book Your Free 1:1 with Stefanie: https://www.womenswealtheffect.com/free

Learn more about Bernadette Joy and the Crush Your Money Goals:

Order her book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Crush-Your-Money-Goals/Bernadette-Joy/9781507222638

Website: https://www.crushyourmoneygoals.com/

10 Money Tools: https://www.crushyourmoneygoals.com/freeguide