Stephanie Bauer

I help women ("well-to-do and slightly woo-woo") gain greater clarity, control and confidence in their finances so they can live life on their own terms. I am you. My journey into personal finance started unexpectedly more than 20 years ago when my mother developed cancer and was eventually left disabled. I hired a financial advisor to help my parents with their finances. He ended up selling them expensive load funds (5.75%) that further enriched him while hampering their returns. After a year and a half, I caught on and made the tough decision to fire him and oversee our family’s finances myself. As an investor and financial planner, I’ve noticed that while women have made tremendous strides educationally and professionally, this has not always translated into greater financial security. Why? While there are still a number of social, professional, personal and psychological biases that hold us back, we are far from helpless. Never have we been better positioned to save ourselves. We have many of the resources we need to further secure our financial well-being. And, money is just one of them. As with any resource, money has its own energy. I can teach you to harness it more efficiently. In so doing, you can transform money from being the wind in your face to the wind on your back. This will help you go quicker, farther and with less effort. Our society often equates money with wealth. While there is overlap, in my mind, they are different. Money is the means to live life on our own terms. Wealth, however, is the recognition that a life well-lived means taking care not just ourselves, but also our families and our communities.

Hi! I help intentional professionals who’ve built financial stability but feel uncertain about how to fund their next chapter—whether that’s rest, reinvention, or retirement. My clients are ready to move beyond cookie-cutter advice in favor of a more educational, transparent, and joyful planning experience. Through our WATER framework, we transform financial complexity into values-aligned clarity for those ready to live with more purpose and freedom. HOW WE'RE DIFFERENT FROM OTHER FLAT-FEE PLANNERS: WATER, not FIRE: We don't treat retirement like a finish line. Our WATER framework supports sabbaticals, slowdowns, and purposeful pivots—designing a life that works now and later. Values Integration: Every plan reflects your priorities—whether that's flexibility, community, impact, or legacy. Customized socially responsible or ESG investment strategies (optional) are offered as part of a broader, values-based planning approach. Education-Focused: With a background in science education and a decade advising MDs, PhDs, and thoughtful professionals, we break down complex concepts into actionable steps, empowering confident financial decisions. WHO I WORK WITH: My clients are growth-oriented professionals—often but not always GenX—who’ve built financial stability and now seek their next chapter. They value evidence-based advice but also ask deeper questions about purpose, joy, and alignment, all while balancing career demands, community responsibilities, and the desire for meaningful change. Proudly based in Tacoma, WA, serving clients nationally. READY TO LEARN MORE? Visit my website to learn more about my journey from Seattle science teacher to financial planner to co-founder of Equal Path Investments. My experience—collaborating with a Nobel laureate, securing millions in funding for impact initiatives, and a decade of investment advising for impact-driven professionals—has shaped my fresh approach to financial planning. Whether you're preparing for a sabbatical, designing an encore career, or balancing your dreams with kid drop-offs or aging parents, I help turn “what’s next?” into “what’s possible.” If this sounds good, please schedule a complimentary consultation today by visiting my website.

Brian Carpenter is the Vice President and Financial Consultant at Fidelity Investments, a position he has held since 2025. He has been with Fidelity Investments since 2010, serving in various roles including Vice President Branch Leader, Regional Planning Consultant, and Executive Planning Consultant. Prior to joining Fidelity, Brian worked at T. Rowe Price from 2003 to 2010 and at Charles Schwab from 2000 to 2001. Brian holds a California Insurance License. His professional experience spans financial consulting, investment counseling, and retirement planning. Outside of his professional career, Brian enjoys baseball, concerts, movies, music, traveling, and family activities. He is a father of two daughters and married to a healthcare professional.

Alexandra Grenier is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She specializes in developing financial strategies and delivering a broad range of financial and investment services designed to help clients achieve their short- and long-term financial objectives. Alexandra works with an extensive network of specialists and leverages advanced technology to integrate all aspects of a client’s financial life. Alexandra began her career at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 2005 with The Grenier Group and joined her father’s team full-time in 2007. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Washington and a Master's degree in Personal Financial Planning from the College for Financial Planning. Alexandra earned the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC™) designation in 2011 and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) certificant. Her professional designations also include Chartered SRI Counselor (CSRIC) and Personal Investment Advisor (PIA). Her client focus areas include retirement income planning, portfolio management, education planning, family wealth management strategies, and values-based investing. Outside of her professional work, Alexandra enjoys golfing, spending time with her family, watching movies, and practicing yoga. She lives in Seattle with her husband and two daughters.

Aleksandr Petrik is a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He guides clients through their financial journeys by taking the time to understand what matters most to them and helping develop short-, mid-, and long-term goals. Aleksandr provides expertise in areas including college education planning, personal retirement planning, retirement income, and overall education planning. Aleksandr's experience encompasses a wide range of financial advisory services, from general investing to retirement planning and saving for unexpected expenses. He also facilitates access to Bank of America specialists for banking, credit, home financing, and small business solutions, offering ongoing advice and guidance tailored to clients' changing needs. He holds multiple professional designations, including Accredited Wealth Management Advisor (AWMA), CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP), Chartered Market Technician (CMT), CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Aleksandr earned a high school diploma from South Seattle College, a non-accredited certificate from Slavic Bible College, and a bachelor's degree from the University of Washington. Outside of his professional work, he enjoys adventure sports, biking, chess, fishing, hiking, photography, rock climbing, scuba diving, reading, and spending time with his family.