Seven Years of Living Fully: The Milestones That Matter Most
Pictured from left to right: Stephanie Bucko, Amy Johnson (one of Mana’s seed investors), and Cristina Livadary.
Seven years ago, Stephanie and I were in San Sebastian, Spain during my two-month long sabbatical from my asset management career. After a magic hour ride on the picturesque carousel, we had a realization. I had spent the last decade of my life meeting with over ten thousand advisors, yet I’d recommend less than five to my parents. Similarly, Stephanie had spent the last few years of her career managing a portfolio of several hundred million dollars, but realized the work her firm did lacked meaning and impact.
We weren’t trying to reinvent financial advice. We simply believed it could be more. More human. More thoughtful. More connected to what actually matters. We opened our doors with a few great clients and a shared belief: when people feel safe and seen, they make better decisions. Not just with money, but with their time, energy, and vision for life.
Seven years later, that belief still anchors everything we do.
And these are the milestones that prove we’re living into our own vision and dreams.
We measure success in milestones, not markets
There’s no shortage of firms talking about performance.
But our best stories aren’t about numbers on a quarterly report. They’re about people living bigger, braver, more intentional lives.
In seven years, we’ve had the honor of guiding:
23 clients through liquidity events, turning concentrated stock into legacy-building freedom. One client had built something in the wake of a family tragedy. When the acquisition offer came, there was a tension between the years of effort behind him and the question of how to carry that forward with meaning. We helped him separate the emotion from the opportunity, shape a plan for what came next, and turn the windfall into a slower, more spacious life.
85 clients through equity compensation decisions, giving them confidence in moments that usually create confusion. One executive came to us with major equity in three companies. The stakes were high: overlapping vesting schedules, complex tax implications, and uncertainty about when - or if - liquidity would come. Without a clear strategy, she risked overpaying in taxes or missing key windows to act. We built a proactive, tax-smart diversification plan that helped her optimize each holding, reduce concentrated risk, and take action with confidence both at work, and beyond.
23 clients through sabbatical planning, helping them press pause without regret. One client, a partner at a law firm, had always dreamed of offering pro bono counsel but couldn’t imagine slowing down. She had saved diligently for years, yet the idea of stepping back felt impossible. Through planning and deeper conversations around money and identity, she gave herself permission to pause. After taking an extended sabbatical to unwind and dream, she has launched the law practice of her dreams.
55% of Americans have no estate plan at all, leaving their wishes (and their loved ones) unprotected. We’ve helped 46 families through estate strategy and execution, ensuring their wishes are honored clearly and thoughtfully.
44 babies born to Mana clients, with financial plans that made room for the joy, chaos, and cost of new life. One couple delayed having a baby, unsure how they’d manage without one partner’s self-employed income during parental leave. A year and a half before they became pregnant, we helped them put a structure in place that allowed her to pay into her state’s paid family leave program and qualify for benefits. When the time came, she didn’t just step away from work—she was able to rest, recover, and be fully present.
12 families designed multi-year charitable giving strategies, aligned with their values and long-term generosity. One family came to us with a strong desire to give back. They had always donated cash, often in a rush at year-end. We helped them design a giving strategy that aligned with their values and made their generosity more intentional and tax-efficient.
We’ve also supported clients through the deeply personal moments that don’t show up in portfolio reviews:
Moving across the country and wondering how state taxes will shift your entire plan.
Rebuilding after a loss or divorce.
Letting go of guilt around spending money on a dream house or passion project.
Questioning if you’re doing enough, even after years of saving and striving.
Our work lives in those moments. The ones that ask for more than math. The ones where having a guide who listens, really listens, makes all the difference.
The questions beneath the questions
Over the years, we’ve started to notice patterns in what clients bring to the table.
Rarely does someone begin with a technical question. More often, they begin with life.
“I’ve got RSUs vesting soon. How do I not mess this up?”
“There’s talk of an IPO, but I don’t know when or how to plan for it.”
“I want to take a sabbatical, but I don’t know if I can afford to.”
“We want to support our parents and raise our kids well. How do we plan for that without burning out?”
“We just came into more than we expected. How do we give thoughtfully, without rushing?”
These questions carry weight. Timing. Emotion. Pressure. And often, a quiet fear of getting it wrong.
Our work begins with listening. We then build a plan that brings clarity and confidence. The real goal isn’t financial organization for its own sake. It’s freedom. Confidence. Breathing room.
Planning that grows with you
Many of our first clients are still with us today. Not because life has stayed the same, but because it hasn’t.
Jobs have changed. Families have grown. Homes have been bought and sold. Some clients moved across the country. Some sold businesses. Some lost loved ones. Some finally made the leap into their dream work.
We’ve been there through every shift. Updating the numbers, yes, but also helping clients understand the meaning behind the changes. Our clients stay because they feel deeply known.
They know we’ll remember the exact equity grant that’s vesting next month and the name of their son who’s starting kindergarten.
They know we’ll catch the thing they forgot to ask. They know we’re proactive, not reactive. Collaborative, not prescriptive. And always just a text, call, or Zoom video away.
What makes Mana different
We’re proud of our investment strategy. Our tax knowledge runs deep. Our technology is designed to make life easier.
What clients remember is how we see them. We see people with high-stakes lives and a desire to get it right, for themselves, their families, and their future. We offer guidance that reflects their timing, their values, and their goals. We simplify complexity so people can move forward with confidence.
And we don’t do it alone. Our team of financial planners, tax professionals, and client service leaders work together to bring all the pieces into focus.
You won’t get fragmented advice. You’ll get unified thinking across your financial life, delivered with care and precision.
Our team and culture: growing on purpose
Mana started with a handful of clients and a small team.
Today, we’re proud to have built a collaborative, credentialed, deeply connected firm. One where CFPs, CPAs, and financial life planners work side by side. We hire people who want to make lives better. People who value independence and integrity. People who bring curiosity to every client conversation and humility to every strategy meeting.
We’re also a firm that’s still building. We’re creating a path to partnership for the next generation. We’re making space for planners and tax professionals to own their work and their time. We’re growing in a way that protects what makes us special, relationship-first planning, backed by technical excellence.
And through all of it, we continue to come back to the reason we started. To give people a better experience with their money and their lives.
What’s next for Mana
We’re not slowing down. The future of Mana includes:
A deeper bench of specialists in complex compensation, taxation, estate planning, and charitable giving
Continued investment in our client experience, from onboarding through every major life chapter
More education and community experiences for clients who want to engage with their money in new ways
Thoughtful growth that maintains our high-touch, collaborative culture
We’ll keep doing what we do best: helping people live full, meaningful lives with confidence in every financial decision.
To our clients, thank you
If you’ve trusted us over these seven years, thank you. Thank you for inviting us into your biggest decisions. For sharing your hopes and your spreadsheets. For referring your friends and raising your hand when you needed help. For staying with us as life evolved. You’ve shaped this firm as much as we’ve served you.
To those just getting to know us, welcome
If you’re here because you’re considering a change, or you’re ready to move forward with more clarity, we’d be honored to talk. You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to be open to something better. We’ll bring clarity. You bring the vision.
Here’s to the next seven years, and all the milestones to come.
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Stephanie Bucko and Cristina Livadary are fee-only financial planners based in Los Angeles, California. Stephanie is the Chief Investment Officer and Cristina is the Chief Executive Officer at Mana Financial Life Design (FLD). Mana FLD provides comprehensive financial planning and investment management services to help clients grow and protect their wealth throughout life’s journey. Mana FLD specializes in advising ambitious professionals who seek financial knowledge and want to implement creative budgeting, savings, proactive planning and powerful investment strategies. As fee-only fiduciaries and independent financial advisors, Stephanie and Cristina never receive commission of any kind. Stephanie and Cristina are legally bound by their certifications to provide unbiased and trustworthy financial advice.