Welcome back to Diary of a Financial Advisor! Today, I’m excited to bring you a truly special episode as we dive into the often-overlooked world of side hustles and how they can transform your professional journey—and even your identity. I’m joined by a remarkable guest, Sara Lohse: a storyteller, marketer, and founder of Favorite Daughter Media, as well as the co-founder of Branded Media. Her career mission is helping individuals and brands harness the power of authentic storytelling—a passion that developed during her years as a valued member of our BFG Financial Advisors team.
In this episode, Sara and I take the time to reflect on the unique impact that side hustles can have, both financially and personally. We trace her transition from full-time employee at BFG to entrepreneur and creative authority, exploring the challenges and opportunities of balancing passions with traditional employment. We discuss the corporate attitudes toward side hustles, generational shifts in career thinking, and the benefits of supporting team members in their pursuits outside the typical 9-to-5. Together, we unpack what it means to cultivate creativity, resilience, and fulfillment—whether you’re serving clients, building a business, or just starting to look at what’s possible beyond your current job description.
Sara shares her journey, from late-night marketing consulting gigs to launching her own podcasting and authority marketing company—proving that side hustles can ignite entirely new paths. We also revisit her impact at BFG, including her role in launching impactful initiatives like Financial Planning for All and BFG University’s online financial education resources.
If you’ve ever wondered how to blend your professional life with your personal interests—or contemplated turning a hustle into a thriving business—this episode will inspire you to take the leap, embrace your creative side, and redefine what it means to “not retire, but graduate.”
5 Key Takeaways:
Side Hustles as Career Catalysts: Sara’s experience showcases how side hustles can be more than just second jobs—they can be stepping stones to entrepreneurship, new creative outlets, and greater career fulfillment.
Embracing Employee Passions Pays Off: I share why supporting team members in their outside ventures leads to happier, more well-rounded employees and can generate fresh ideas for the company—rather than stifling talent through strict no-side-hustle policies.
Learning and Growth Never Stop: Both Sara and I discuss how our consulting and creative work outside BFG enhanced our skills and perspectives, ultimately benefiting both our side ventures and our main roles.
Breaking Industry Norms: Sara explains her drive to bring creativity and authenticity to the financial sector, from infusing “pink sequins” into branding to pushing for industry-changing initiatives that expand financial literacy and access.
Finding Fulfillment Beyond the 9-to-5: We affirm that today’s professionals—especially millennials—are redefining work-life balance by chasing their creative passions and side hustles, proving that it’s possible to blend multiple interests into a purpose-filled, successful career.
Join us to hear a heartfelt, story-driven conversation about transformation, creativity, side hustles, and what it means to keep learning and growing at every stage. Don’t forget to subscribe and share this episode with anyone looking to build a career (and life) that’s as dynamic and inspiring as their dreams!
Learn more about Sara at favoritedaughtermedia.com or workwithbranded.com.
Eric Brotman [00:00:02]:
This is Eric Brotman, Chairman of the board and Chief Growth Officer of BFG Financial Advisors. Welcome to our webinar series, Diary of a Financial Advisor, where our BFG team talks about current events in financial planning and their professional journeys and their passion for helping others succeed. Today we have a really, really special guest. I’m pleased to be joined by Sara Lohse. Sara’s a storyteller, a marketer, and the founder of Favorite Daughter Media. No offense to her sister, I’m sure she’s also the co founder of Branded Media. Her mission’s simple. Helping people and brands uncover the power of their stories and share them in a way that connects authentically with their audiences.
Eric Brotman [00:00:40]:
The reason I asked Sara to be here is because she was an employee of BFG for a number of years and started a side hustle. And her side hustle has become her entrepreneurship journey. And I couldn’t be more excited to talk about that story today. Sara, thanks for being here.
Sara Lohse [00:00:56]:
Thanks for having me. I’m so glad that was recorded. You never say such nice things about me.
Eric Brotman [00:01:00]:
That’s totally untrue. Just never in public. So let’s talk about this because, you know, side hustles matter. And you know, for employees of companies, some companies really frown on their employees having something on the side. And other. Other employers are comfortable with it as long as it’s not directly competing. Um, obviously you’ve got this experience yourself, and I’d love to hear about it. But also you’ve worked with other people who’ve been through that journey.
Eric Brotman [00:01:28]:
Can you share a little bit about it?
Sara Lohse [00:01:30]:
Yeah, it was interesting. Cause I actually, while I was working for you, I was working with you at a side hustle as well. You and I were working together when you launched your side Hustle Brotman Consulting Group. And I was doing basically midnighting as a marketing consultant for other financial advising firms while I was working for you full time. And that was a really interesting opportunity and a way to actually have a side hustle that did, like you said, led into a greater career for me. And when I used to do side hustles, it was like bartending and serving at sports bars. So it was a far different experience. And having a side hustle, that was something I was really passionate about and let me kind of explore some other career options as well.
Sara Lohse [00:02:24]:
It was really a great experience and really great to actually have your support and do it alongside you.
Eric Brotman [00:02:30]:
Well, thank you. I’m glad you said that on air too. This is a love fest. Side hustles matter. I mean, ultimately it helps people be unemployment proof, or at least a little bit unemployment proof. And that happens certainly. So from a financial standpoint, I think having a side hustle makes sense. It is unfortunately something we have to credit to the millennials, because the Gen Xers like me, that’s not something we thought about.
Eric Brotman [00:02:55]:
We, you know, we were still part of the boomers and the silent generation where you went to, to work, you had a career, and that was your full, that was your full pursuit. But today, you know, I have a side hustle. You started a side hustle and became an entrepreneur, and you’re now involved in lots of different things. And we’re seeing this in other places. I’m seeing financial advisory firms who have full time marketing people like we had with you. I’m seeing other firms encourage their marketing team to essentially do what you did, which was a very cool transition. I love being your anchor tenant. It’s like we helped you build the mall, we’re the anchor tenant.
Eric Brotman [00:03:30]:
But you have lots of other things you can do. And you know, our brand was not a pink seguin. And so it made perfect sense. I think that’s seguin. But it made perfect sense for you to be able to launch and build your own brand too. So let’s talk a little bit about that. Because working for a company means you’re in their ecosystem and their constraints, and being an entrepreneur means you kind of do whatever you want within. Within your.
Eric Brotman [00:03:57]:
Your realm.
Sara Lohse [00:03:59]:
Yeah. And that’s kind of how it did lead me to what I’m doing now and those changes, because I like, like you said, I was an employee of bfg. I think I was with you guys only for a total of like two years, maybe three years. And worked with you guys previously when you were my client, when I was at an ad agency. And I loved the team and I loved the work we were doing and I loved the impact I was able to make. But there was always a little piece of me that did feel like I didn’t belong in the industry because I wanted everything to be pink sequins. I wanted things to be a little bit more creative and fun. And while you guys are a fun and creative team, you’re in an industry that doesn’t allow for as much of that as I always wanted.
Sara Lohse [00:04:44]:
So when I was able to start kind of going off on the side and finding some other projects, I got to kind of fulfill that side of my passions and explore other, I guess, paths that were a little more creative and feel like I was being myself a Little bit more. And it was great to do alongside my role with you guys, because I was practicing and getting better, and I think it improved my work with you guys. And then also was something else that could kind of fuel my creativity.
Eric Brotman [00:05:21]:
So. So what you’re saying is you made lots of mistakes working with us, and then you went on your own and you didn’t make mistakes with other clients? So many mistakes.
Sara Lohse [00:05:29]:
Oh, well, no, I just make new mistakes now.
Eric Brotman [00:05:32]:
All right, that sounds more like it. So it’s fun for me to do these diary episodes and to interview other folks with bfg. And you are such still an honorary member. Even though you’re not getting a W2 from us, you’re still so much part of our team and part of our culture and part of the reason why the podcasts have been successful and the webinars have been successful. I mean, Sara, really, for people who don’t know, she has been the creative. A genius, for lack of a better word. I’ll hear about that later. But she’s been the creative genius behind so many of the things we did, including, and I’m going to give you credit for this, when years ago, you were the reason why we built Financial Planning for All as an organization, something which differentiates us from our peers and something which we’ve become incredibly proud of and didn’t even think could happen.
Eric Brotman [00:06:25]:
And you’re the reason behind that. You want to talk a little bit about that story? It’s okay. I love this story. And you get credit.
Sara Lohse [00:06:33]:
Well, thank you. You know this, but I kind of took the job with you as a last. Almost. I don’t want to say a last resort.
Eric Brotman [00:06:46]:
Wow. But I had told you that hurts.
Sara Lohse [00:06:49]:
I had told you that I would never work in finance, and it was because my feeling of wealth management was colored by other experiences that I had had. And it seemed like it was not something that was helping people that I related to. It was just helping the very wealthy. And when I did start working with you guys, I was seeing all of the opportunities that there were to help more people than were usually helped by this industry. And I just asked, but more if insisted, because I was not taking no for an answer. Asked if we could start doing more and using the resources that we had to help others. And I think it started with an online course for high school kids to teach them about finances. And it’s still up and available@bfguniversity.com and that led to those webinars.
Sara Lohse [00:07:47]:
We had already had the podcast, and I am so proud of Yani actually is now the cfo. Congratulations, Johnny, on your new title. But he really took just the foundation that I laid and turned it into something that I never imagined. And I’m so proud of everyone at the company for embracing it, but he really did the hard work to rearrange everything to make it work.
Eric Brotman [00:08:13]:
Well, I feel like this episode of Diary has been like a love fest. Like, we’ve said so many nice things about each other, and now, you know, I feel like we should also make it a commercial for what you do, because you are working with other businesses. You are doing some incredible work in marketing and in branding. And why don’t you give us 30 seconds on what you’re doing now? As long as we never lose you as our person, we’ll be excited for you to have lots of success, lots of places.
Sara Lohse [00:08:42]:
Well, I appreciate that. I am a storyteller, and all I want to do is help other people tell their stories. And my main way of doing that is through podcasting and helping businesses and entrepreneurs launch podcasts to grow their brands. But I also do authority marketing coaching. I’m helping people become thought leaders, become speakers and podcasters, and just get their voices and their ideas out there so that they can make an impact in their industry and what they’re doing. So when I was kind of side hustling, doing the marketing consulting for other financial advisors, you were working with them as well and doing some consulting with other firms. What was your experience like? Because like you said, millennials, I’m a baby millennial. I kind of.
Sara Lohse [00:09:30]:
We started side Hustles. But you still got on board.
Eric Brotman [00:09:33]:
Yeah, no, it made sense. And as a proud Gen Xer who never wants to retire, because that would be totally off brand for me, you know, I did. I started Brotman consulting group in 2019 and am working with financial advisors and firms all over the country and helping them with facilitations and team retreats and advisory boards and annual planning and executive coaching and M and A work. And, you know, I never, ever want to retire. And my involvement with BFG is evolving now, but not going away. I’m super excited about it, but I love also having the consulting practice on the side. It’s keeping me busy. It’s creating speaking opportunities, and I’m just having a lot of fun.
Eric Brotman [00:10:13]:
Sara. I mean, the thing about a side hustle, you know, side hustles, a lot of times I think, are for people who don’t like their job and want to want to leave. Clearly, that was your experience at bfg, but for me, for me, it’s not that I don’t love what I do. It’s not that I don’t love my job. It’s that this gives me a chance to expand my influence but also learn. I mean, I’m able to learn by seeing what some of these firms are doing. And you know, we don’t have a monopoly on great ideas here either. So I’m not afraid to steal some good ideas when I can too.
Eric Brotman [00:10:44]:
So it’s been a, it’s been a ton of fun. And certainly Brotman Consulting Group is something that’s going to, I hope, exist for a very long time.
Sara Lohse [00:10:53]:
Yeah, I think I love that you said, like, you’re still learning and everything, because that’s how I felt when I was doing things on the side and I was bringing things that I learned back to your firm and things that I was doing there. But you said something at the beginning that I thought was interesting, that a lot of employers are afraid of side hustles and afraid of letting their team do other things on the side. You’re clearly not. And talk about that. Why is it something you actually encourage?
Eric Brotman [00:11:23]:
Well, I think these are employees, not indentured servants, first of all. So, you know, they may provide a service to us and a full time service to us, but, but it’s not a 24, 7 gig, I guess, unless your name’s on the door or you, you own it. So I, I think it’s important that people have their own lives. I also recognize that there are two approaches to this. We could either say, yes, it’s okay to have a side hustle outside of our industry, in which case we’ll have happier employees who are glad to be here and also get to do something fun and make a little extra money on their own. Or we can say, no, you can’t have a side hustle, in which case they’re either going to do it anyway and hide it from us, which none of us. They’re going to consider quitting their job with us and we may not want to lose them. They could be terrific.
Eric Brotman [00:12:09]:
So I think a lot of things go wrong when you forbid people from doing things in what really is their own time. I mean, I, I, I understand. I would not want our employees working for another financial advisory firm in a capacity of doing financial advising. That clearly would be a problem and a conflict of interest. But if one of them wants to be a sous chef or one of them wants to do, you know, something else on the side, I, I think it’s great. That they have a more well, round, that they can make extra money. I mean, who am I to say, no, don’t. Don’t make more of a living? I.
Eric Brotman [00:12:40]:
I think it’s okay.
Sara Lohse [00:12:43]:
And if it wasn’t consulting with other financial advisors, what would your other side hustle be?
Eric Brotman [00:12:49]:
I would sing in a band, which, by the way, I. I still hope as part of my retirement plan, I. I expect within three years to be auditioning if. If there are any producers out there or if there’s anybody looking for a singer. I have a. A pretty wide range. I can do country, I can do rock. I can do pop.
Eric Brotman [00:13:07]:
I can even rap. Sara’s seen that, though. That’s not how I want to spend the next 10 years of my life. But nonetheless, if I wasn’t doing financial consulting and financial planning, I would certainly be in a band. And that might be how I spend the next chapter of my adult life someday. At least part time. No, no one wants to see that right now.
Sara Lohse [00:13:29]:
I’m going to find out when the Voice is holding auditions.
Eric Brotman [00:13:32]:
Well, Sara Losi, you are a gem. And BFG is a better place for having been involved with you for so many years, and I’m a better human and a better advisor and all of those things for having worked with you for so many years and, and knowing you the way I have, and I just wanted to thank you. This. This is officially a love in. The diary’s over. We can go back to screaming at each other on the phone if you want, but thank you for everything.
Sara Lohse [00:13:55]:
Can I get this as, like, my ringtone?
Eric Brotman [00:13:58]:
No, absolutely not. Thanks for being here. Thanks for doing this, and keep the pink seguin coming. And please don’t put it behind me.
Sara Lohse [00:14:06]:
No problem.
Eric Brotman [00:14:07]:
All right, I’d like to thank everybody for watching today. If you enjoy our webinar, please subscribe so we can continue to be a part of your journey to financial freedom. We’ll be back in two weeks with another entry in our diary of a financial advisor. And for other content and free resources, as Sara said, check out bfguniversity.com we also encourage you, if you haven’t done so already, check out our podcast, Don’t Retire Graduate. It releases interviews every other Thursday, so an alternating weeks from this diary. And we would love for you to check that out and hear from some pretty amazing guests. And like Sara said, it’s all about storytelling, so you can hear some pretty amazing stories from some pretty remarkable people. So for now, thank you for joining us.
Eric Brotman [00:14:49]:
We will see. See you again in two weeks. And this is Eric Rotman signing off from Diary of a Financial Advisor. Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, llc. Kestra is member FINRA SIPC Investment Advisory Services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, llc. Kestra as an affiliate of Kestra is Kestra is or Kestra as are not affiliated with Brotman Financial or any other entity discussed.