LPL Supporting Women Advisors: Deborah Danielson's Story

Since 1987, the United States has celebrated the contributions of women in history and society by designating March as Women’s History Month, but empowering female financial advisors has long been a mission of LPL Financial.

That commitment to supporting independent women financial advisors was recently highlighted in a post on Insight Success with a profile of LPL advisor Deborah L. Danielson of the Danielson Financial Group. Deborah’s story truly is an inspiration.

Nearly 40 years ago, Danielson was the victim of an investment scam and lost nearly everything. That experience motivated her not only to seek security for her family but also to protect others from fraud. Her perseverance paid off. Danielson was the first woman in Nevada to become a Certified Fund Specialists and she is a founding member of the National Association of Women Business Owners – Southern Nevada Chapter. The city of Las Vegas declared October 7, 2016, “Deborah Danielson Day” and she was on Forbes’ Top Women Wealth Advisors 2021 list. She was also included in Barron’s Top 1200 Financial Advisors in 2021.

Danielson shares a bit of her experience in the industry:

“My journey started as a young woman trying to make it in a predominantly men’s world. I really did not realize this when I began, but it was certainly a challenge. Young women, especially, were not considered to be long term in this industry because eventually, they would be taking time off to raise children and then unable to focus on their careers.

It is indeed very difficult to balance both. Many people did not take me seriously nor did they think I would be in the business for the long term. October 2021 was my 40 years in business, so I think that is long term.

My first LPL Financial national conference was attended by 100 people, with 98 men and two women. It was in one big ballroom; no breakout sessions, and the wholesalers were set up on small tables around the perimeter of the room.

I was consistently asked whose secretary, assistant, or wife I was. It was hard for most men to believe that I was doing what they were doing and that I could do it anywhere near as well as any man could. Thankfully today, these biases have mostly been erased. Today, I am looked on with respect and admiration because I have achieved a high level of success, and they frequently ask for my advice.”

Danielson’s success story—and her commitment to helping transform families and communities—continue to inspire LPL Financial and reinforce our commitment to celebrating and empowering advisor diversity and inclusion. Our programs are designed to help support advisors from all walks of life, providing the tools and resources to help financial advisors serve their unique clients.

You can read more about LPL’s commitment to advisor diversity and inclusion here, and we are always eager to hear how else we can best support your possibilities.