Meet Darcy Ripple | Partner & Vision Architect

We had the good fortune of connecting with Darcy Ripple and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Darcy, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I always knew I would start my own business. My dad is what we lovingly call a “serial entrepreneur,” and I’ve watched him, time and again, take risks, enter new industries, and concurrently start businesses from the ground up. He instilled in me the value of carving out my own space for success. During my undergrad, I pursued degrees in both Sales and Entrepreneurship. I began my career in medical sales and then moved into the financial services space. These fast-paced, highly competitive environments just made me hungry for more.
From my work with Northwestern Mutual, I knew I enjoyed the financial services industry. I had discovered the “what” I would be doing, but I was still searching for the “why.” I looked to all the amazing women around me at the top of their field, and my mission became finding a new and creative way to elevate them. I wanted to create something that would grow beyond me as an individual and into a women-driven movement within the male-dominated financial services industry.

In 2019, during a business trip in Milwaukee, I met one of my dear friends and mentors, Laura, for dinner one night. We started talking about the pain points and challenges financial advisors face when trying to market themselves. For example, they are business owners first and foremost, but not necessarily marketers. Therefore, their marketing efforts often don’t reflect their values, stories, or unique skill sets. In our shared experience, female financial advisors, in particular, lacked the resources to truly own their stories and grow their businesses.

By the end of that dinner, we had become business partners. Laura and I joined forces as Whole Growth Partners (WGP), a women-led consulting firm dedicated to promoting financial professionals through concierge-style marketing. We began with a niche service model, but WGP has since expanded into many different business units, each a strong pillar on its own. This structure allows our team to level up marketing for financial advisors with nearly any budget.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Whole Growth Partners is committed to attracting and elevating exceptional leaders, both as clients and team members, which has led to rapid growth during our first few years. In fact, we have doubled in size every year since WGP’s inception.
This growth stems from our strong company vision and value-system. Two of our core values at WGP are empowerment and entrepreneurship. We live these each day by encouraging our team to break out of their comfort zones, get involved in organizations that matter to them, and think of WGP as their own. We want our team members to be effective leaders and strong advocates not only within our company but also in their communities.

Continuing our mission of empowerment outside of WGP, we’re focused on elevating women and their impact in the world. We continuously seek new opportunities to invest time and resources into the incredible women we work with and support. We host training sessions and webinars for a women’s coalition of financial advisors within the industry. We also donated our resources to design the logo and branded materials for Northwestern Mutual’s Women’s Field Association, established in 2020. If we can continue to help women find their voice and grow their impact in their communities, we all win.

When working with our clients, we strive to do the same. We aim to help them become leaders in their firms and communities. Last year, WGP hosted a community event called “I am Remarkable,” which started as an initiative by Google for their employees and continued to build momentum from there. The event helped women break free from self-limitation by coaching them to share their accomplishments and display all the successes women are capable of without the stigma of bragging.

Our values, the cornerstone of our founding, remain at the heart of our mission to this day. We are committed to promoting education and economic empowerment for women. That’s why we’re excited to announce in just a few weeks, WGP will launch a new philanthropic giving initiative focusing on the advancement of women and girls. As a women-led company, we know a woman has power on her own, but when we stand together, we have the most impact. We want to assist any woman whose life is affected by exclusions. And according to a recent study by the Women’s Philanthropy Institute, less than 2% of all charitable giving goes to women and girls. We want to be part of the solution that changes that.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Favorite Restaurants: Fish n Beer
Safta
Cuba Cuba
Daughter Thai

Favorite Places to take Visitors:
A show at Red Rocks
Meowolf
Avanti
Happy Camper
Larimer Square

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d love to recognize Stephanie Shivar with Gallantry Coaching and Consulting. Stephanie helps business owners and executives level up their impact through thoughtful focus and accountability. I’ve been lucky enough to know her for nearly a decade, and I’ve seen firsthand the transformation that her clients experience. Her impact is truly remarkable.

Website: www.wholegrowthpartners.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wholegrowthpartners/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darcyripple/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wholegrowthpartners

Image Credits
Andrea Flanagan Photography https://www.andreaflanagan.com/