Jen Sahady, CFP®, CPFA®, AIF®
Senior Financial Wellness Consultant
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been drawn to people who spend their lives protecting something bigger than themselves. I grew up watching Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey—fearlessly stepping into the wild, confronting poachers, and fighting for animals that couldn’t fight for themselves. As a kid, some of the first money I ever earned went straight to their foundations. It felt like my small way of saying, Thank you. I’m with you. This matters.
Years later, serendipity brought Jane Goodall into my life. I was volunteering at the Stone Zoo for a zoo cleanup when I noticed staff setting up for another event. I walked over, asked what they were preparing for, and offered to help. When they told me Jane Goodall was coming to speak, I might have stopped breathing for a second. I was speechless—and then I jumped in. Chairs, setup, anything they needed, just to be there. Just to be in her orbit. When she arrived and began speaking, everyone went quiet. I stood mesmerized as she spoke in the sounds of chimpanzees. You could hear the chimps at the zoo responding to her. Back and forth. It was unforgettable.
At the end, I had a brief moment to meet her, get a photo, and say hello. It wasn’t a long conversation, but it didn’t need to be. That moment stayed with me. I often wondered if I should have dropped everything and joined her and her foundation. Her work was so important, while my work in retirement planning seemed so small.
Sometime later, I came across a passage in Jane Goodall’s The Book of Joy, where she shares that people can’t truly care about the environment, to the point that they can do anything about it, until their basic needs are met. And that includes financial security.
It was as if Jane was saying right back to me, Thank you. I’m with you. This matters, too. It renewed my passion for my work realizing how vital financial stability is not just for my clients and their families, but for the world. Maybe you can relate. Most of us want to think bigger. We want to be present with our families, show up for our communities, and pour energy into causes we believe in. But when you’re worried about money—when you don’t know how you’ll cover the essentials, or you’re carrying debt you can’t see an end to—your world shrinks. Not because you don’t care, but because you’re human.
That’s why financial well-being isn’t a “nice-to-have” add-on. It’s foundational. In my experience, it’s what allows people to plan, to make confident decisions, and to build a life that doesn’t feel like constant triage. This is why I believe offering financial well-being services is as valuable as offering a retirement plan. A retirement plan is a critical step—but the plan itself doesn’t automatically create outcomes. People have to participate. They have to understand what they’re doing. They have to feel supported enough to take action. They have to have money beyond their immediate needs to save.
That’s where education and guidance matter—especially in a setting that feels sales-free and focused on empowerment. People need a place to ask questions they may feel embarrassed to ask anywhere else and get answers they can actually understand. Financial well-being and overall well-being are not separate lanes—they’re intertwined. If an employer wants a workforce that’s healthier, more present, and more resilient, supporting financial confidence isn’t a nice to have, it’s essential.
If you’re an employer or benefits leader, here’s my encouragement: don’t treat financial well-being like a poster on the wall. Treat it like a real strategy. Start with your retirement plan—but don’t stop there. Look at the education, tools, and guidance employees have access to, and ask whether your program truly helps people move from stress and avoidance to confidence and momentum.
You can also read our recent report on financial well-being. It’s designed to help employers better understand what employees are experiencing, what’s getting in the way, and what smart, realistic support can look like—so more people can work toward retiring with dignity and living with a little more peace of mind. Finally, you can keep caring, because you matter, your colleagues matter, and I’m with you.
