Lena Rizkallah, a financial planner based in Beacon, organizes an annual panel discussion, Women in Business Busting Barriers, that will be held at the Howland Cultural Center on March 25. Register at dub.sh/busting-barriers.
What’s your business background?
I was an immigration lawyer. I loved helping people but didn’t fully enjoy practicing. I switched to working with big companies in finance. About five years ago, after I moved to Beacon, I became a financial advisor. I didn’t set out to work specifically with women, but women in transition — in their 40s and 50s, divorcing, maybe with kids leaving the house — reached out to me. They realized they needed to get more savvy about money and investing.
What prompted you to start these panels?
Launching my own business mid-career was stressful. I didn’t have a book of clients, but I did know people. I did a lot of networking. I was getting edification and advice from other women that I needed to share. I asked myself, “What do I want to know, who do I want to meet, what resonates with me?” It came down to self-made people. It wasn’t daddy’s money or their husband’s money or connections from the country club. It was scrappiness, grit, determination and how hard they worked. I started the panels in Beacon in 2022, and a year ago in New York City, where I still have an apartment.
What have you gained from it?
It’s helped me meet people beyond my network: pillars of the community, women who have done extraordinary things in the Hudson Valley and beyond. Katie Osborne, the CEO of Via Collective, a wayfinding company based in New York City, is on the upcoming panel. I didn’t know what wayfinding was. She’s a great mentor for other business owners — driven, disciplined, hardworking and confident. Having started my business during a pandemic, the panels gave me more confidence and helped guide me. I needed to be around successful women talking so frankly and sharing their stories.
What business challenges do women face?
Women may do 70 percent of the housework and childcare. We need good mentors, who don’t have to be women. You don’t have to do this alone. I love hearing from women who’ve had hardships. One panelist was a high school dropout who went to rehab in her 20s and got married and had a family. She kept saying yes to opportunities until she created a niche, building a business that didn’t previously exist, a doula education company. People who come to the panels find so much relatability on stage.
Do you have any other local projects?
I do a “speakeasy” for women with Cadah Goulet, who owns Poor George in Cold Spring. We meet there monthly, talking about life, love and business within the money context. Questions could be: “What’s the difference between a traditional and a Roth IRA?” or “How do I talk to my partner about money?” It’s been a great way to show my value as an advisor and help people talk about difficult topics. I had to have faith and start from scratch to get my name out there. Here I am. This area is extremely supportive.
