At KDI Wealth Management, our clients' success is powered by our dedicated team. Behind every engagement, every innovation, and every success are unique individuals driven by passion, purpose, and personal journeys. Our "Getting to Know You" blog series aims to pull back the curtain and introduce you to the remarkable team members who bring our firm to life.
Heidi Oakley, AIF®, Financial Advisor, KDI Wealth Management
I love baking because it allows me to create something from scratch, share joy with others, be in my favorite room of the house focusing on the art of baking. It can bring me relaxation, frustration, and laughter. Each experience is unique, which is one of the reasons I enjoy it so much. The joy of baking engages in all senses sight, smell, taste, and texture.
There’s a personal touch that goes into baking. Creating something from scratch allows a quiet, unique, and hopefully delicious way to express how important someone is to you. The best joy and compliments come when someone lights up and states, “this reminds me of my grandmother” or “my mom use to make something like this.” Creating an opportunity to bring back a precious memory makes me feel good.
The first step is what to bake? The paths are an old favorite which is a known outcome, the safe bet or venture into something new for a bit of an adventure. Old favorites are perfect when I am short on time or if I know it’s someone’s favorite treat. But when I’m in the mood to explore, I love scrolling through recipes to find something I’ve never made before. A new adventure in baking. Will it turn out? Be pretty? Worth sharing, as folks do have an expectation of your skill set. Will it taste as good as it looks? Any day I can bake something off my extensive list of “must bake” items is a great day. Each year a few of those items are added as new favorites, some are garbage while others are okay but no need to repeat. All parts of the journey, all successful in one way or another. Watching the bakers on holiday baking shows is both inspiring and humbling for me. I’ll try baking just about anything but don’t ask me to decorate. Sugar cookies and gorgeous cakes do not come out of my kitchen! Sure, I can bake and frost. Gorgeous little themed sugar cookies or piped frosting on a cake is not my strong suit. For me joy comes from the process of baking and sharing with others. I prefer spending time visiting, sharing the recipe, discussing the process, and enjoying the treats together.
Beyond the social and emotional rewards, baking has also become a form of therapy for me. Baking requires focus, which helps quiet the mind. In the kitchen, I’m able to leave behind worries and immerse myself fully in the process. It is my space and time, no tech, no news, no calls, no interruptions (except maybe my husband hoping for a sample) – I am in my Zen.
Baking provides education, acceptance of failure, thrills of success, creativity, and immense patience. It challenges me, allows me to accept defeat and celebrate success. No matter what the outcome, I am always proud I tried.
As a Financial Advisor at KDI Wealth Management, my approach is much like my experience in baking—it’s all about the process, focus, and the joy of sharing. Just as baking brings a sense of calm and creativity, crafting financial plans allows me to focus on each detail, quiet distractions, and immerse myself fully in meeting my clients’ needs. I’m not focused on “decorating” with flashy financial products; instead, I’m dedicated to building solid, meaningful plans that provide lasting benefits. Like baking, wealth management requires resilience, creativity, and patience, as well as the willingness to accept setbacks and celebrate successes. I find fulfillment in the process and in discussing strategies with clients, helping them understand each “ingredient” in their financial picture and relishing the joy of taking this journey together.
(For Heidi's team favorite chocolate eclairs, we have the recipe for you here! )
If you missed previous team member introductions, you may read them here: