How Leaders Build Integrity, Adapt To Change, and Plan for the Future

Roman Polnar

Roman Polnar is the Founder and Managing Partner of Pillar6 Advisors, a multifaceted financial planning and wealth management firm geared toward serving successful individuals and families with active lifestyles. Roman is also a Partner at Pillar6 College Planning, where he helps families unlock debt-free money from the financial aid system so they can avoid loans and navigate the system with ease.

Roman has 24 years of experience in the financial services profession, working for some of the nation’s most recognized names. After 10 years in the corporate world, he left to build an independent firm that would do things differently, and that’s when Pillar6 Advisors was born.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

[01:03] Building a mission-driven company culture focused on integrity, care, and impact
[02:28] Understanding how change often brings both gains and losses in personal and professional life
[03:05] The critical role of digital marketing in maintaining client relationships during restricted in-person interactions
[04:25] Expanding emotional capacity to face uncertainty and complexity without reactive decision-making
[06:10] The importance of establishing a healthcare directive as part of basic estate planning

In this episode…

Leadership, business growth, and personal well-being often intersect in ways that require leaders to balance values, adapt to change, and prepare for the unexpected. From building mission-driven organizations and embracing emotional complexity to leveraging digital marketing and creating essential estate plans, today’s leaders are navigating challenges that demand both heart and strategy. So what can we learn from professionals who are blending integrity, adaptability, and forward-thinking planning?

Brad Stroh shares how his company’s culture of integrity, care, and advocacy empowers 3,000 team members to create meaningful impact for families facing financial hardship. Michael Koehler explores the emotional reality that all change comes with both gains and losses, encouraging leaders to approach transitions with empathy and awareness. Lael Sturm emphasizes the increasing importance of digital marketing in a world where in-person interactions are limited, urging businesses to make online engagement a central part of their growth strategy. Andy Cahill dives into the importance of expanding one’s emotional capacity to handle complexity and uncertainty without falling into reactive patterns. Finally, Rachel Dodson highlights the critical role of estate planning — especially healthcare directives — in ensuring individuals and families are prepared for unforeseen circumstances.

In this episode of the Pillar6 Podcast, Roman Polnar reflects on these conversations with Brad Stroh, Michael Koehler, Lael Sturm, Andy Cahill, and Rachel Dodson. Their insights offer valuable guidance for leaders striving to align their business, personal, and financial lives with their values, even amidst an ever-changing world.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

"We get better at what we do. We impact more people's lives. It compounds."
"Change often comes with loss. Almost every change is a mixed bag of gains and losses."
"Digital may be all you have. So it's time to make it an important part."
"There's some way in which we can expand our capacity to see more and feel more."
"You should do your estate plan before you're incapacitated or deceased, right? That's really important."

Action Steps:

Cultivate a mission-driven company culture: Focusing on integrity, care, and advocacy attracts dedicated employees and drives long-term impact.
Acknowledge the emotional complexity of change: Recognizing both gains and losses helps leaders guide teams through transitions with empathy and stability.
Prioritize digital marketing in your growth strategy: Strengthening online engagement ensures business continuity when in-person interactions are limited or unavailable.
Develop emotional capacity to navigate uncertainty: Building resilience allows leaders to respond thoughtfully rather than reactively in complex, high-pressure situations.
Establish essential estate planning documents early: Creating healthcare directives and wills protects individuals and families from unexpected legal and financial challenges.

Sponsor for this episode

This episode is brought to you by Pillar6. Pillar6 is a wealth advisory firm for successful individuals and families with active lifestyles.

Our clients appreciate having clarity and control over their finances and the peace of mind in knowing that their financial decisions are aligned with their core values, goals, and priorities. We provide financial planning services and wealth management services.

Schedule your complimentary discovery call to talk to us.

To learn more, go to www.pillar6.com or you can email us at hello@pillar6.com.