Danielle (Bauer) Harrison

Current Role/Title:

In January 2021, I founded Harrison Financial Planning, a fiduciary, fee-only financial planning firm. I work with clients in Mid-Missouri as well as virtually across the country and provide both on-going planning and investment management as well as hourly financial planning. I am a solo entrepreneur and plan to continue that for the foreseeable future, so I am in charge of everything—marketing, sales, financial planning, compliance, accounting, strategy, and whatever else needs to be taken care.

What is something fascinating happening in your industry right now?

For a long time, individuals would go to their local financial advisor’s office to get assistance with investments. Consumer expectations are shifting especially with the arrival of robo-advisors and the ability to work with service providers who may not be located in close proximity. Firms that will thrive going forward will focus on not just the technical side of finance, but also the behavioral side. People are wanting a thinking partner who is there to help with all of their financial decisions, not just provide investment advice or products.

How did you end up in your current position?

I’ve been in the financial services industry since I was 16 when I was a bank teller for a small community bank. While in the MBA program I worked at Veterans United, first as an intern and then a mortgage loan officer assistant. Following school, I was a commercial lender for seven years before making the transition into wealth management in 2018. I had been extremely interested in financial planning since I was very young but had a bad encounter during an interview for a company that touted themselves as financial planners. It was all product sales, and I was afraid that was what the financial planning industry was. It took me many years to realize that what I was looking for was a fee-only establishment. Although there are not many fee-only options in Mid-Missouri, I was fortunate that the bank that I worked for at the time was. I was brought on to bring financial planning to their footprint, so I got the Certified Financial Planner® and Certified Financial Therapist™ designations and set to work. A bank merger—that I was not happy with the results of—pushed me to start my own firm.

In what ways has your Mizzou education/affiliation impacted your life since graduation?

Having an MBA from a well-known school is a signal to employers that you are willing and able to go the extra mile and that can speak volumes. While in the program I had the opportunity to work on leadership skills as a member of the MBA Association and get real world experience through the many consultancy projects offered. As a straight through student, that was extremely valuable. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention that I met my future husband, Jonathan Harrison, while in the MBA program. That in itself made attending the Crosby MBA an excellent ROI.

Why did you choose Mizzou—what makes Mizzou special? Why should someone consider Mizzou?

For someone who was from a small, rural town and went to undergrad at a liberal arts college with less than 1,000 students, I was looking for an MBA program that would afford me the same sense of community that I was accustomed to. After meeting Barb Schneider at a career fair and finding out that the MBA program at Mizzou was comprised of small class sizes I knew it was the right fit. Not only did I receive a great education, but I was also surrounded by wonderful classmates, professors, and staff.

Fondest memories while a student or faculty member here?

I had a great time in the MBA program. It was a busy time—going to school full time, teaching lab courses in the AgEcon department, being in leadership in the MBA Association, and working 20-30 hours a week—but I had so much fun! The professors were wonderful, and I enjoyed the time I spent with my classmates both in the classroom and socially at different MBA sponsored activities, sporting events, evening gatherings at local establishments, or just grabbing a slice of pizza at Shakespeare’s.

In your spare time, what do you like to do?

My husband and I have two young children, ages 6 and 3. Between them and starting a business there isn’t much spare time. We try to spend a lot of time outdoors—in part so our boys don’t destroy our house. I also enjoy singing loudly for anyone who is around to hear and I recently have taken up Pilates again, because health is wealth!