What was Laura Corbiani's path to starting Astraea?

Laura's journey into starting Astraea was not a "typical" path, but instead a journey through working in scientific research and fine art, before pivoting to financial planning in 2013.

1

As always a person who was up for taking a challenge head on, Laura started on her path to whole-person focused financial planning when she studied ceramics at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred Univeristy. She studied both ceramic art (her first passion) and ceramic engineering while there, as she was obsessed on knowing the why (science) behind how her ceramic sculptures would react in the kiln. While in undergrad, she embraced the task of asking any artist who would hire her to work in their studio and shadowed/interviewed them on how they built their ceramics practice and why.

2

Due to the luck of graduating in the depths of the Financial Crisis of 2008, Laura had the opportunity to work at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory where she combined her skills of ceramic sculpture slip-casting with her knowledge of ceramic science. While at the Laboratory, Laura worked on researching encapsulating spent nuclear waste into a ceramic material, and also worked on several other research projects ranging from building sustainability (LEED) to nuclear reactor disablement programs. Here are a few of the publications she contributed to. While at the Laboratory, Laura was very involved in the education programs for students, and in 2013 earned the PNNL Fitzner Eberhardt Award for Outstanding Excellence in Science and Engineering Education, which was awarded to staff members who made significant contributions to science and engineering education through research experiences for students, teachers, and faculty.

3

Learning she did not want her entire career to be in ceramic research, Laura pivoted to financial planning in 2013 based on the recommendation of a close friend who was a financial advisor. Laura learned her comprehensive financial planning practice through advising at a large brokerage firm (“wirehouse”), a credit union, and a small registered investment advisory firm (“RIA”). While working, Laura earned the CFP® designation as soon as possible, as she understood the importance of it. Over the 10 years she worked at these firms, Laura learned a lot of things, some good, and others are the reasons she started Astraea Wealth Management.

During her time at these firms, she:

• gained expertise in financial and tax planning specific to individuals and families, employer retirement plans (401(k)’s, 403(b)’s, 457 plans, etc.), and investment management.
• observed the different ways of servicing clients, which unfortunately had the recurring thesis of being “as efficient as possible,” which often translated to “don’t talk to clients more than needed, it takes too much time.”
• learned it was important to her to not work in a commission environment in any shape or fashion, and move to a fee-only firm, where the only compensation comes from giving advice that is best for clients.
• she also had to overcome barriers specific to being a female financial planner (read: unfair treatment and #metoo moments).

Due to the negative experiences, Laura had thought about leaving the financial industry all together, but instead channeled that anger & disappointment into a positive by realizing financial planning does not have to follow that book of rules.

Upon taking the point of view that comprehensive financial planning can be approachable and welcoming, and it’s okay to “be inefficient” by taking the time to just have coffee and lunch with clients to catch up about anything- support has come from so many wonderful people to help Laura and Astraea Wealth Management take shape into what it is now.

Laura is grateful for all of the experiences she had in the financial planning firms she worked in (good & bad), as they helped her to realize she has a passion for empowering humans to understand their financial lives, which, without these experiences, she may not have seen as clearly. It helped her to develop an abundance (vs. scarcity) mentality.

Laura is a wife, mother, financial planner, and artist. She is passionate about financial information being accessible to anyone, as it is one of the largest sources of stress in the average American.

As a working mother she has little spare time, but does continue to make artwork (some favorite pieces featured to the right), and volunteers with Savvy Ladies. She is active in the East Grand Rapids babysitting cooperative and believes building community is one of the most important support systems to focus on. Food is a love languge, and if you're ever down, she'll likly be dropping of (or sending) you a meal.

Causes she supports are regularly donating blood, the YWCA, Planned Parenthood, and the YMCA. Laura currenly lives in Grand Rapids Michigan, but grew up in Syracuse, New York, and lived in Richland/Kennewick/Pasco, Washington for ~10 years.