Lisa is the founder of assetPARTNERS, Inc. (API), a company that works with law firms and high-net-worth individuals to help resolve complex financial disputes during divorce proceedings. Lisa helps to establish the value of assets and liabilities, calculate income and expenses, analyze cash flow, and prepare valuations of business interests. She also works with clients to identify fraud, uncover lost or hidden assets, and recover money. With her unique combination of accounting and legal expertise, Lisa firmly understands how lawyers, clients, and Courts require information to be delivered and how to craft those messages most favorably.

Can you please tell us about one or two life experiences that most shaped who you are today?

Thank you for this interview opportunity. I got my first job when I was 14 years old, in a diner, where I would work from 4 until 7:30 in the morning, and then walk to high school, get changed, and attend the honors program. I still remember how enormously successful I felt to have the opportunity to work; a feeling I still have.

We all have myths and misconceptions about success. What are some myths or misconceptions that you used to believe?

For many years, I believed success was almost entirely defined in financial terms. I believed that if you had a high salary, a nice house, and an expensive car, then you were successful.

How has your definition of success changed?

However, the older and more financially secure I have become, the less I view success in purely financial terms. I have developed a much broader definition of success and beyond the ability to cover somewhat basic needs, the financial component is far less meaningful.

The pandemic, in many ways, was a time of collective self-reflection. What changes do you believe we need to make as a society to access success post-pandemic?

I think the pandemic allowed many people a glimpse into a less hectic and stressful lifestyle, trying to maintain, some of the lifestyle changes that were forced upon us, like a slower pace with more time for family, would be deemed a success.

What do you see as the unexpected positives in the pandemic? We would love to hear a few of your stories or examples.

One of the main positives I experienced during the pandemic was the extra time spent with my children. We were unexpectedly handed months of no/less school and found basic ways, like cooking, making a fire after dinner, and taking our dogs to new trails for walks together, to fill our time. In many respects, the pandemic provided a “back to basics” for me.

We are all looking for answers about how to be successful now. Could you please share “5 Ways To Redefine Success Now?”

Yes, here are my top five:

Spending quality time with loved ones. As I mentioned, with unexpected time available without the opportunity to engage with others, my family enjoyed trips to the beach, new hikes, the dogs learning new tricks, etc., — the common theme being time spent together.

Spend less time worrying about situations you cannot control. Living through the pandemic drove home that one cannot control all aspects of one’s life, and that time is better spent formulating plans as opposed to worrying about things that may never materialize or over which you have no control.

Spend more time engaged in meaningful endeavors. My neighbors, with three school-aged children, researched and bought supplies, and their entire family put in the hard work to build a multi-use sports court out of a formally unused side yard. They continue to use the area on an almost daily basis and have the memories of working together, over months to achieve their collective goal.

Appreciate your health. As the pandemic was unfolding, we all lived in fear of getting or transmitting the virus, and the potentially deadly consequences of doing so. As we now have access to resources that did not exist, we should appreciate our health.

Appreciate and enjoy newfound freedoms. For many, although not all, hours spent in cars commuting to offices is a thing of the past. Enjoy your increased “bonus” time. For almost 20 years, I commuted an hour each way, five times a week — well over a year of my life. But I now spend approximately four hours a month commuting to work.

How would our lives improve if we changed our definition of success?

For adults, adopting a new definition of success would result in tremendous stress reduction.

What’s the biggest obstacle that stands in the way of our redefined success? And what advice would you offer about overcoming those obstacles?

For generations of Americans, the definition of success was almost exclusively financial. Although the pandemic was a jolt to most of us, it may still take time to embrace a new perspective of success.

Where do you go to look for inspiration and information about how to redefine success?

I look to friends and family for inspiration on redefining success. I also have a much greater awareness that freedom and autonomy are important factors in defining my own success.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why?

I would love the opportunity to have a chat with Mark Cuban. From what I have read about him, he seems to have had a “scrappy” start and has embraced a work/life balance perspective with a dose of humor.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

Readers can learn more about API at assetPARTNERSInc.com or connect with me over email at Lisa@assetPARTNERSInc.com.