Celebrating the Women of ARK Financial Wellness

Women’s History Month is a time to reflect on the achievements of women who have shaped industries, challenged the status quo, and paved the way for future generations. At ARK Financial Wellness, we are proud to be a women-owned and women-led firm, driven by the passion and expertise of Lisa Avenevoli, CFP®, CMFC, and Isabel Raycraft. Their journeys into financial planning were shaped by personal experiences that deepened their commitment to guiding others toward financial confidence and security.

In this blog, we celebrate their stories and reintroduce them to you, not just as financial professionals, but as women who have dedicated their careers to making a meaningful impact in the lives of others.

Lisa’s Why Story

Growing up, my parents made countless sacrifices to ensure my siblings and I experienced a life rich in love, faith, and adventure. Family vacations, birthday celebrations, extracurricular activities, and our unwavering Saturday evening tradition of attending mass (no matter how hard we tried to dodge it!) were the cornerstones of my childhood.

Despite the hardships they faced, my parents mastered the delicate balance of hard work, living within their means, and enjoying life. Yet, I was acutely aware of the toll that years of night shifts and relentless labor took on them.

Life as we knew it changed forever a few months after my mom’s 60th birthday. With no prior health issues and plans to retire alongside my dad, her unexpected diagnosis of leukemia shattered our lives. Over a grueling 2.5-year battle, medical bills mounted, forcing my dad to postpone his retirement. He finally stepped away from work just three months before we lost mom.

These experiences profoundly shaped my path. Leaning on my faith, I realized that my upbringing and the lessons learned during those difficult times led me to establish ARK and use my years of experience as a financial planner in a more meaningful, impactful way. My parents instilled an undeniable work ethic, the value of money management, and taught me to cherish what truly matters in life. The stark reminder that life is fleeting drives my commitment to helping others embrace each moment.

As a financial advisor and founder of ARK, my mission is clear: I help clients understand their financial landscapes so they can focus on what truly matters—nurturing their families, pursuing meaningful careers, and living fully in the present. My goal is to empower clients to navigate their financial journeys with confidence, knowing they can achieve more than they ever thought possible.

Life will always be complicated, but with the right guidance and planning, we can find happiness in the here and now. After all, it’s about creating a purpose-driven life—balancing the importance of saving for the future with the joy of living for today.

Isabel’s Why Story

Math always came easy to me, growing up as from 6th -12th grade I was in the advanced math class, and I finished High School with college credits for Calculus. Although for many, math comes off as boring, I found it’s absolutely fascinating. There was no grey area, the numbers were either right or wrong, and that made sense to me.

One of my earliest elementary school memories was in 6th grade, learning about the stock market, picking a stock, and then following its price movement by reading the newspaper the following day. I remember the feeling of excitement when my stock went up in price and disappointment when it went down.

In college, I pursued a degree in digital media, not knowing how I would use it, but knowing that it sounded more fun than becoming an Actuary and dealing with boring numbers all the time. Looking back, maybe I would’ve made more money being an Actuary, but would it have led me to where I am today?

As luck would have it, I needed a job fresh out of college and I found one being a receptionist at a financial planning firm up the street. I didn’t know anything about this business, but as I got to know the ins and outs, I found myself interested in the client stories of how they saved their hard-earned money and how they could multiply it to make more. I saw their 401(k) statements and that same feeling of excitement I had in 6th grade seeing a stock price go up came back.

I was encouraged by the financial advisors I worked for, one of them being Lisa, to pursue education in this industry and get my Series 7 License. I guess they saw potential in me, but at the time I was unsure. One of my biggest hesitations was that I had a degree in Digital Media Production and all I had to show for it was my student loan bills. Was my entire degree a waste of time and money? The firm offered to pay for my license, so how could I say no to free education? Besides, in the back of my head, I was thinking I could invest, make money, and pay off those student loans before I turned 40. (Sidenote: Mission accomplished, thanks to financial planning!)

Just as I got my Series 7 License and was ready to make money, the 2008 financial crisis hit. It was a really tough time, but looking back, it was probably the best learning experience. This rattled the financial industry so much that advisors that once practiced the long-standing Modern Portfolio Theory were forced to re-evaluate. Enter Point & Figure Methodology.

I didn’t learn this strategy in my Series 7 License studies, but I was drawn to the mathematical components of it. I guess what intrigued me was that I was back to that familiar reading of columns and rows of stock prices. There was no grey area if a stock was rising or falling. There was no gut feeling or emotion of what to buy or sell. This was pure technical analysis that was simple and absolute, just how I like it.

I realize others may not find math or reading the charts, columns, and rows of stock price movement interesting, but this is my thing. I’ve come full circle in the finance industry, and feel it was always my destiny. I believe I can help others manage their investments so that they can focus on their own passions and purpose.

Women Leading the Way in Financial Wellness

ARK Financial Wellness is a firm built on the belief that financial empowerment leads to a more rewarding, more fulfilling life. Lisa and Isabel’s stories remind us that financial planning is deeply personal; oftentimes, creating security, opportunities, and the freedom to live life with confidence.