Lisa Yang: Bridging Cultural Divides

Drawing on cultural roots to tap into a diverse client base

While her parents emigrated to the United States from Taiwan more than 40 years ago, LPL Financial advisor Lisa Yang still maintains a strong link to their heritage. The youngest of three daughters, and the only one born in the US, she considers herself a one-half-generation American, “a mix of some of my upbringing in the United States with much of my cultural background from Taiwan,” she said.

In the video below, Yang explains how her heritage offers a unique perspective when it comes to building confidence with her clients, and how partnering with LPL has given her a sense of community through its advisor diversity programs.

"LPL’s support has been great, especially in their establishment of different diversity groups."

Lisa Yang, Symbio Financial Partners

Based in La Jolla, California, Yang draws on her heritage to develop relationships with clients who may otherwise be hesitant to engage with financial professionals.

“With my background, coming from immigrant parents, some of the philosophies around financial security and financial health are vastly different. When my parents were growing up, financial institutions weren't necessarily trusted with different insurances,” Yang said. “The concept was to just hide the cash under the mattress or in the sofa.”

Yang’s background provides her with unique insights into the challenges and concerns associated with investor diversity, allowing her to develop personalized, strategic financial plans that help build confidence with her clients. Her customized plans merge elements of both personal financial education and investor education — a hands-on approach that resonates with her clients. “Having that kind of background, and growing up in that mindset, has made a big impact on how I treat my clients,” Lisa said. “Some are more risk averse, and this helps me really understand where they're coming from.”

Youth movement

Yang got her start in financial planning at an early age, working as an intern with Symbio Financial Partners while attending UC San Diego. Shortly after graduation, she joined the firm full time, where she works directly with clients in creating personalized financial planning roadmaps that help them pursue their financial goals.

Yang leverages her status in the younger generation to tap into that client base and help them get started in their investment and savings journey. “My focus has been on the next generation of people coming into the workforce,” she said. “These investors may not necessarily have a lot of funds to invest immediately, but helping them try out their goals, and meet their goals in the long-term, has been tremendously fulfilling.”

While her younger clients may not have the resources of more mature investors, the prospect of helping them strive toward a more secure future personally motivates her. “I feel like I can add more value in helping with the financial education piece — maybe with student loans or helping them figure out how to buy their first car,” she said. “I find that financial health is becoming more and more of a priority to younger people these days. So, being able to help them on that path has been really rewarding.”

Celebrating diversity

As an Asian and woman advisor in the financial industry, Yang appreciates the role that diverse backgrounds and insights can provide at every level of planning. “Diversity in this community is becoming more and more important. When you have diversity, you have different opinions and different backgrounds. There is value in these different opinions,” she said. “Having a similar background helps me provide greater services to their unique situations.”

Yang also appreciates LPL’s commitment to advisor diversity, and the role it plays in empowering a diverse network of financial professionals in the industry and their clients. “I'm in both an Asian focus group along with a woman's group, and having those channels to discuss the different issues has been really impactful and helps me feel supported as an advisor.”

That’s the kind of support that’s enabled Yang to nurture the next generation of investors — helping them establish strong financial health while building secure futures for themselves and their families.

Featured in the video

Lisa Yang, CFP®

• Symbio Financial Partners
• 4 years with LPL
• Business Model: Corporate RIA 

Important Disclosures

The views and opinions expressed by the financial advisor(s) may not be representative of the views of other financial advisors and are not indicative of future performance or success. Neither LPL Financial nor the financial advisor(s) can be held responsible for any direct or incidental loss incurred by applying any of the information offered.

Symbio Financial Partners is a separate entity from LPL Financial.

Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial (LPL), a registered investment advisor and broker-dealer (Member FINRA/SIPC). Insurance products are offered through LPL or its licensed affiliates. To the extent you are receiving investment advice from a separately registered independent investment advisor that is not an LPL affiliate, please note LPL makes no representation with respect to such entity.

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