Empowering the Next Generation of Planners Through NAPFA

Vidalia Cornwall, CFP^® of Ballast Point Financial Planning

For Vidalia Cornwall, CFP^®, financial planning strikes the perfect balance between technical expertise and meaningful human impact. As the NAPFA Genesis Scholarship Coordinator and a member of the NAPFA Genesis Leadership Team, Vidalia plays a vital role in connecting emerging advisors with opportunities that can transform their careers.

“In my role, I share scholarship opportunities with members and work closely with a dedicated team to review applications and select recipients,” she explains. “It’s meaningful to see people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend a conference get the opportunity to go. It can have a career-changing impact.”

Vidalia has also helped judge a financial planning competition, further supporting her commitment to professional development. “Many of us care about helping the next generation of planners, but we may not be able to hire or mentor directly,” she says. “Volunteering is a great way to pay it forward and encourage younger and more diverse members of the financial planning field.”

Finding Her Path to Fee-Only Planning

Vidalia discovered financial planning during her undergraduate studies after a coworker mentioned an upcoming Northwestern Mutual internship. Following that opportunity, she worked as an associate for a Northwestern Mutual advisor before transitioning to a virtual, Fee-Only firm.

“While it took a few years to find my way to a NAPFA firm, I was always drawn to the balance financial planning provides between doing technical, interesting work and helping people on an individual level,” she reflects. “It’s really rewarding to see the concrete impacts this work has on clients’ financial health and peace of mind.”

About two and a half years ago, Vidalia joined NAPFA when she started at Ballast Point Financial Planning. “Attending conferences and engaging on the message boards has helped me better answer questions and reveal blind spots I wasn’t aware of,” she shares. “Connecting with Genesis peers through my work with scholarships and the leadership team has been invaluable.”

Serving as a Thinking Partner for Busy Professionals

At Ballast Point, Vidalia works primarily with busy professionals in their 30s and 40s who are juggling multiple responsibilities. “Our clients often come to us for help with tax optimization, managing employer stock, or buying their first home,” she explains. “While a technical question might bring them in, they stay because they value having a thinking partner who can guide them through life transitions.”

For investments, Vidalia and her team use Betterment for Advisors to create portfolios of low-cost ETFs. “Having worked at a firm with a more active, paperwork-heavy approach, I appreciate how Betterment makes account management more efficient so we can focus on areas where we can add more value,” she notes.

When it comes to tech tools, Vidalia enthusiastically recommends Holistiplan. “When used correctly, projections can be incredibly helpful to clients,” she says. “I also use TextExpander daily to save time by generating frequently used phrases or emails with just a few keystrokes.”

Her advice to fellow planners? “You get what you put in,” she says. “Volunteering connects you with passionate peers and helps you make the most of your NAPFA membership.”

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To connect with Vidalia or learn more about volunteer opportunities, reach out to her via LinkedIn and start a conversation: www.linkedin.com/in/vidaliacornwall.