RSVP here to attend WABJ’s financial management workshop with Northwestern Mutual.

The Legacy Blueprint: Building Wealth with Purpose in Uncertain Times
by John Thompson III
Financial Representative
Northwestern Mutual – Washington, D.C.

During our first Financial Workshop at our Northwestern Mutual network office last year, I had the privilege of getting to know many WABJ members and understanding what makes each of you so special. Simply put, you understand the power of storytelling. Your work often uncovers the resilience, community strength, and transformation of communities throughout the DMV and beyond. You understand the power of a compelling narrative in shaping perceptions and inspiring action.

As a financial representative, I also believe that everyone has a personal story—one of building a meaningful legacy that can be profoundly shaped through deliberate financial planning, especially in today’s volatile society. Ahead of this year’s workshop, I want to help start the conversation by exploring how members can craft a legacy that withstands uncertainty by strategic planning and utilizing smart financial strategies. These are a part of the blueprint for building wealth with purpose, ensuring that what you leave behind creates lasting impact.

Our conversation last year navigated around topics, like tax considerations for freelancers and business owners, or how to plan and budget on modest salaries. The conversations were plentiful, but all with the same conclusion—comprehensive financial planning isn’t optional, it’s essential…

Essential to understand your current financial landscape.

Essential to define your long-term aspirations. 

Essential to outline steps that adapt to changing conditions.

We’ve all seen the crowdsourcing fundraisers, like GoFundMe, where people in a bind put their ask out there in their most vulnerable time. While this is truly unfortunate, does this have to be the case? It’s not just the tragedies that can cause financial strife—I’ve had clients lose their jobs, have a sudden home repair, even those concerned with the rise in the cost of living. 

They’re not alone either—Northwestern Mutual’s 2025 Planning and Progress Study revealed nearly 70 percent of people in Americans say that financial uncertainty has made them feel depressed and anxious. That includes 63 percent who say they’re losing sleep because they’re thinking about money. In Washington, D.C., that number rises—70 percent of those surveyed here say money issues has caused them angst AND has them losing sleep. As we continue to navigate a news cycle of inflation, tariffs, and unemployment, this year’s workshop offers a unique opportunity to help suppress those concerns as journalists and financial professionals connect on a deeper level—bridging the art of storytelling with the science of strategic planning.

There are many aspects to creating a financial plan. From retirement accounts, life insurance, or investments—the goal isn’t just wealth accumulation, it’s creating your story that reflects your values. Your financial plan isn’t just about what you leave behind; it’s about what you live out loud today. 

Here are three “legacy moves” you can make right now:

• Plan with purpose – Think about how a financial representative can help bring clarity and confidence. The same way a personal trainer helps to identify your goals and works on a plan to get you there through diet and exercise, a financial planner works with you to identify your personal goals and how you can reach them through a thoughtful approach.
• Protect what matters – Between family, a home, or education, there are ways to ensure the people and priorities you have are accounted for through financial planning. While life insurance is one example, there are many simple ways to integrate protection for what you value into your wealth strategy.
• Prepare for freedom – We all aspire for the day where we can work because we want to, not because we have to. Setting money aside for retirement that supports the lifestyle and impact you desire not only prepares you financially but also mentally because you can rest easier knowing there is a plan in place. 

The power of financial literacy and storytelling both serve to educate, inspire, and empower. When you understand the fundamentals of building a financial legacy, it becomes easier to communicate those ideas effectively to your audiences. Conversely, as journalists, your skill in sharing compelling narratives can make complex financial concepts accessible and engaging, encouraging communities to act. Our event, again, aims to nurture this idea through networking—where knowledge meets storytelling, and practical strategies meet individual and community impact through action.

In many ways, this workshop embodies the essence of your work: guiding your audiences through the complexities of life with clarity, empathy, and purpose. As we prepare to gather, I invite you to bring your questions, ideas, and narratives while we explore how strategic financial planning can be a foundational element of stories that inform and empower. Let’s work together to build a community where resilience and purpose are front and center – where every story is an opportunity to inspire action and forge lasting legacies.

I look forward to seeing you there and to the conversations we will share. Together, we can turn financial knowledge into stories of hope, progress, and transformation in the communities we serve though the legacy we leave.

John Thompson III is a financial representative for Northwestern Mutual’s Washington, D.C. office. His work specializes in helping individuals and families strengthen their financial position, build generational wealth, and create a lasting legacy. He lives in Odenton, MD with his wife and two daughters. In his free time, John enjoys playing golf, reading, and writing. John can be reached on his website at https://www.northwesternmutual.com/financial/advisor/john-thompson/.