Written By: Andi Wrenn, AFC®

Pro Tips from the AFCPE® Community

The biggest gathering of financial professionals affiliated with AFCPE® is almost upon us. Symposium brings together some of the most passionate people I have met who share personal finance within their communities. Whether you are attending symposium for the first time, or you have been many times before I hope this helps you prepare to get the most you can out of the experience. Even if you haven’t attended, perhaps the information other professionals shared with me will encourage you to join us for a future symposium. I asked other professionals how they prepare for symposium, and below you will find a combination of their input on how to get the most out of the experience. 

Barbara O’Neill PhD, CFP®, AFC® has been involved in AFCPE® for decades presenting, Past President, and giving in many ways. Her advice for others is straight forward, yet valuable. She makes sure to register, book her room and airfare early. She also makes sure to submit proposals for presentations when the call for submissions comes out. When the program comes out she makes sure to pick her favorite sessions to attend, and connects with others to schedule time to meet up during symposium to talk or join them for a meal. 

Cherie Stueve, PhD, CFP®, AFC®, FFC®, FBS® has been a member since 2012 and attending symposium since 2013. While Cherie mentioned many similar things as Barbara, there a few more that I think can get you thinking about how you might approach symposium. She makes sure to watch for messages from AFCPE® to see what opportunities are available to volunteer or be part of the symposium experience such as review award nominations, be a discussant or presider for breakout sessions. Cherie makes sure she has the time coordinated at work well ahead of time.  

As the time gets closer to travel, she will verify the hotel and travel information, see if there are people looking for roommates, or to share a ride from the airport to the hotel. These are things that I appreciated Cherie sharing as not all are thinking like this when the symposium week is approaching. Like Barbara she is connecting with others. While she is at the conference she makes an effort to talk with and sit with that she doesn’t already know so she can grow her network. Included in reaching out to others she will send a good luck message to the Knowledge Bowl participants. Cherie uses social media to connect with those attending before symposium as well. When it comes to deciding which sessions to attend she does take into account what will be recorded that she can watch later. This helps her learn as much as she can. Then when the recordings come out, she takes the time to watch those that interest her. She did also mention that she makes it to every general session because they are “So Amazing”! When she attended virtually, she had to fit sessions around her work schedule and watch recordings later. 

Brandon Shurn PhD, LCPC, LMHC, AFC®, NCC has been an AFC® since 2023 and attended symposium for the first time last year. The first thing he suggests is early on deciding if you are going to try to make it to symposium. He has to consider the timing of the symposium, where it is being held, and use this information to determine if clearing his schedule and/or being away from the family will be a value add professionally. As the symposium nears he makes sure he has no business conflicts that will distract him from being fully present during the event. He wants to focus on the networking and presentations during the week. When the symposium app becomes available he considers a couple things when planning what he will attend. One, does the session support me in his current work. And second, does the topic touch on a topic of interest, even if it doesn’t apply directly to the work he does.[Text Wrapping Break][Text Wrapping Break] 

Brandon likes using paper and pen to take notes and reviews his notes after returning home to refresh his memory on the subjects he attended. He wants to share with others who may be attending for the first time to make sure to make time to connect with others. Not only are the sessions full of great learning experiences, but the people are what make AFCPE® great. Getting to know people in the community was fantastic. In fact he suggests that if you are planning on attending virtually, make sure the next time you go in person, because there is nothing like the experience of meeting face to face with like minded professionals. 

Lastly, I want to add a few things I do. I have been attending symposium each year since becoming an AFC® in 2008. I am grateful to all who shared their strategies to learn and connect at symposium. I do many of the things shared above. I do like to connect with others who may want to submit a presentation together prior to call for submissions open up. Brainstorming ideas that we think will be interesting to those attending that they can apply to their work. 

Another thing I do like to do when the symposium app is open is to watch all the on demand classes before arriving at symposium. It gets me pumped up about learning more, and I love that I have already attended a huge number of sessions before the first general session. Connecting with others is the thing that has been the best part of symposium for me overall. It can be as easy as sitting next to someone in a session and getting to know them. I have a great friend that I met that way at my first symposium and we have had a fantastic professional and personal connection ever since. My suggestion to you is to take in all you can without becoming overwhelmed. Even though I am an extrovert, I need down time during symposium to stay grounded. Say “Hi” if you see me somewhere. Also, make sure to thank the staff for the incredible work they do to pull off the symposium, as well as the Symposium task force members! 

Author Andi Wrenn, AFC® has had a passion for helping people make sound financial decisions for two decades. She is Past President of AFCPE® Board of Directors