NETWORKING
Find Your Crew in NAPFA
By Steve Doster, CFP® and Lisa M. Neira, CFP®
We agree that NAPFA can feel both inspiring and overwhelming. On one hand, you're part of a vast network of over 4,000 CFP® professionals who share your passion for Fee-Only financial advice. On the other, it’s easy to get lost in the crowd, unsure of where to begin making real connections. That’s where peer groups come in—smaller, focused communities within the larger NAPFA universe that help you build meaningful relationships, grow your career and skills, and give back to the Fee-Only community in a more personal and effective way. Or another way of saying it: “How do I find my crew?”
What You Can Do to Start Finding Your Crew
There are multiple opportunities to find peer groups, including:
- Affinity groups like Women’s Initiative, DEI, or Pride
- MIX groups that match your interests and career focus
- Local groups
- Conversation Circles
- Serving on your regional board
- Presenting a topic for an online webinar or at a conference
- Attending regional or national conferences
Sharing Our Stories
There is no one right path to finding your “crew(s)” within NAPFA. The two of us had significantly different experiences, which we’re happy to share.
Steve’s Story
I joined NAPFA in 2009 and quickly found my crew at the local group in San Diego. There would be a meeting every quarter and like any new group, it would take a couple of visits to get familiar and see some friendly recurring faces. After about five years, I took over leading the group, which expanded my NAPFA crew.
The first 10 years in NAPFA, my experience was only at the local group level. I didn’t attend national conferences or have any interaction with the larger NAPFA. However, I decided to change that in 2019 by applying for a position on the West Region Board. I served on the board for four years and met an entirely different crew of amazing advisors all over the western U.S. I also started attending national conferences and meeting more advisors. It was very comforting at conferences to recognize friendly faces from San Diego and fellow West Region Board members. It was also fun just to sit next to someone I didn’t know and start getting to know where they were from and more about their practice.
My most recent NAPFA peer group is helping co-chair the NAPFA Pride group by organizing Conversation Circles, conference presentations, and of course Pride Happy Hours! I am continuously amazed with the breadth of CFP® professionals in NAPFA, different areas of specialty, and overall top-notch people in our industry.
Steve’s experience is one of a slow and steady progression. It doesn’t need to take 10 years to build out your NAPFA crew.
Lisa’s Story:
I joined NAPFA in 2021, the same year I transitioned from over a decade at Fidelity in the broker-dealer world to the RIA space. Moving into Fee-Only advising, I knew NAPFA would be essential for my professional growth and building meaningful networks. The encouragement from close peers made the leap easier and one of the biggest pieces of advice I received was to join NAPFA and well, I am certainly glad I did!
Once I became a member, I dove into everything NAPFA had to offer. I attended my first annual conference in May 2022, which proved to be a turning point as it was truly inspirational. Since then, I’ve served on a panel for pro bono financial planning at a subsequent annual conference, joined the Pride group to help support advisors working with queer clients, and was honored as the 2024 recipient of the NAPFA foundation Pro Bono Service award.
What stands out most about NAPFA is its vibrant, welcoming community. It is more than just a professional association—it’s a network of like-minded individuals committed to high ethical standards and client-centered advice. I know I have found many iterations of my "crew" at NAPFA, and I look forward to how that crew expands over time.
NAPFA’s commitment to Fee-Only, fiduciary standards means I am surrounded by professionals who put clients’ interests first and are dedicated to ongoing education and excellence. The sense of belonging and the opportunities to give back can be instrumental in anyone’s career like it has in mine.
Final Thoughts
Being part of NAPFA offers enormous value but the true magic often happens in the smaller circles within it. By taking intentional steps to find and engage with a peer group, you turn a big network into a personal, powerful community. Whether you're looking to learn, lead, or simply connect, peer groups are where professional growth becomes personal—and where your voice can be heard.
Steve Doster, CFP®, is a Senior Wealth Advisor at Pathview Wealth Advisors based in San Diego, Calif. Lisa Neira, CFP®, is a Wealth Advisor at Corient in New York.
image credit: Adobe Stock Images