Founders Story
After reaching management and executive levels at two broker-dealers and being the ONLY woman in the room way too often, our founder saw how women were often over-looked and under-utilized by the traditionally male-dominated wealth management industry.
Women in the home offices described it as incredibly frustrating when they didn’t have the opportunity to lean into their capabilities fully…organizational politics and norms didn’t “let” the superstars contribute to their full potential or obtain the full credit for their work.
Women financial advisors weren’t invited to the key gatherings (usually a sporting event…) where advisors learned the business and shared ideas. Not being in the room slowed the female financial advisor’s growth trajectory.
These experiences are not just frustrating and emotionally draining for women, but they shake our confidence and ultimately force women out of the race.
We created this platform to give women a new way to connect and learn the business, a new way to get support and a new way to give back to others too.
Our Name
Muriel is a composite of someone we think many of us aspire to be -- someone who wants a big, sparkling life, knows herself, and runs headfirst in the direction of her ambitions.
The OG inspiration was Muriel Siebert, the first woman member of the NYSE. She was a maverick and a trailblazer - the true original Fearless Girl. The name "Muriel" also means sparkling sea, and "Muriel" reminds us of Miriam "Midge" Maisel on the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel show. So, while the original inspiration was certainly Muriel Siebert, Muriel is more than any one woman. She’s all of us.
Founding Team
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Shelby Nicholl
FOUNDER
Shelby Nicholl is the Founder of Muriel Network, a digital community exclusively for female financial advisors and women working in the wealth management industry. Prior to founding Muriel Network, she served as Senior Vice President at LPL Financial, the largest independent broker-dealer in the US. She also spent nearly a decade at Edward Jones, where she helped build their client insights function and was hand-picked to lead their product strategy for banking and lending solutions. Throughout her career, her work centered on understanding consumers and advisors and building strategies, solutions and products that meet investor needs.
She has an MBA from Washington University, earned her Series 7 and 66, and is a certified PROSCI change management practitioner. She is also a wife, mom to boys, and lover of lazy waterfront days and sunshine.
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Stephanie McCarthy
PODCAST PRODUCER & CO-HOST
Stephanie McCarthy is the producer of the Kick It Open podcast, where women in wealth management share stories, struggles, and ideas on how to maintain sanity and joy in a male dominated profession. Prior to the podcast, Stephanie spent 10 years in Insights and Experience at Edward Jones. Her roles focused on understanding people (investors, clients, & advisors) to design effortless and engaging experiences that build loyalty and trust. Prior to her work in wealth, Stephanie worked in travel & tourism (including a stint on a cruise ship!) and broadcast news (including a stint at a local city council meeting!). Stephanie has continually found new ways to immerse herself into people’s worlds to see it from their perspective - and create stories and narratives that inspire empathy and understanding (maybe not at that city council meeting…).
She has a Master’s in Marketing Research from SIUE, is a certified yoga instructor and an airbnb host. She’s also a wife and mom to four kids under age seven. She loves to read, hike, run half marathons, and cook vegetarian food for her family.