AJ Williams, Financial Services Professional, MassMutual Pittsburgh

10/31/2026

Wishing you a day filled with fun, laughter, and a few sweet treats. 🎃🍬

10/29/2026

Keeping with the Career Development School theme, it was great hearing from Joe Mallee, Head of MassMutual Financial Advisors.

Joe is an industry veteran whose career is a testament to what perseverance, consistency, and a commitment to growth can accomplish. He graduated college, jumped into the financial services industry, started as an advisor, progressed to General Agent, and ultimately became the Head of MassMutual Financial Advisors.

The rest will be history.

His presentation was about more than just the positions he's held and the successes he's achieved. It was the stories behind that journey. His experiences were a powerful reminder that success rarely happens overnight. It takes showing up consistently, working through challenges, learning along the way, and believing in what you're building, even when the road gets difficult.

What makes MassMutual special is its investment in the people who serve its clients.

Career Development School is a great example of that commitment. Taking the time to bring advisors together, provide access to leaders, share experiences, and invest in professional development reinforces something important: when a company invests in its advisors, those advisors are better equipped to invest in their clients.

The knowledge, perspective, and inspiration we gain from leaders like Joe don't stop with us when we leave the room. They carry forward into our practices, our conversations, and the relationships we build with the families and businesses who trust us to help protect their futures.

I'm grateful for the opportunity to learn from someone who has experienced this business from so many different perspectives and continues to help shape its future.

Thank you, Joe, for sharing your journey and reminding us that where you start doesn't define how far you can go. Consistency, perseverance, and a willingness to keep growing can make all the difference.

10/27/2026

One of the highlights of Career Development School at the MassMutual Home Office was the opportunity to moderate a panel discussion with Anastasia Surmava of Commonwealth Financial Group and Will Bearden of PSA Wealth.

Both dedicated their time to sharing their experiences, discussing their journeys, and offering valuable perspective on what it takes to continue growing in an industry that can be incredibly challenging.

There is something uniquely valuable about learning from people who are actively navigating this career themselves. They understand the challenges, the setbacks, the learning curves, and the discipline it takes to keep moving forward. They aren't just sharing theory or telling us how things should work. They're sharing real experiences from their own paths and showing us what continued growth looks like. There is real value in hearing directly from advisors who are still challenging themselves, developing their practices, and finding new ways to grow in this profession.

Growth doesn't stop when you get established. In this industry, it has to be a commitment you make every single day.

Having the opportunity to moderate this conversation was a great reminder of just how much we can learn from one another.

I'm incredibly grateful to Anastasia and Will for their time, their honesty, and their willingness to invest in the next generation of advisors.

We don't have to figure everything out on our own. Sometimes, we just need to be willing to listen, learn from others, and make sure that we are putting ourselves in the right rooms with the right people to keep growing!

10/23/2026

The best financial lessons often start at home. As Halloween approaches, consider using candy budgets, costume spending, or trick-or-treat rewards as opportunities to teach children healthy money habits.

This Halloween, candy as currency can become a lesson on budgeting, market value, even taxes. This article covers suggested lessons parents can teach kids.

10/23/2026

Three things for an employee to look at if your ESOP company is sold:

1️⃣ What does this mean for you financially? It’s important to be clear on the details – price per share, deal structure, and your voting rights are all important considerations.

2️⃣ How and when you’ll get paid – this varies, so it is important to be clear on the details about vesting, payout timing, and form of payment to expect.

3️⃣ Taxes and distribution options – for many employees, this may be the largest sum of money ever received, so it’s important to understand how it is taxed and how it fits in your overall financial plan.

Don’t go it alone – I can help you understand these considerations and more. Let’s connect.

10/22/2026

Last week at Career Development School, I had the opportunity to hear from Michael Book of Lenox Advisors, a 2026 Finseca Hall of Fame inductee.

And what an hour it was.

Michael didn’t stand up in front of us to tell us how to sell more. He stood up there and reminded us how to BELIEVE more.

Believe in ourselves. Believe in the work we do. Believe that the conversations we have, the relationships we build, and the guidance we provide have the power to change lives.

This wasn’t a sales seminar. It was an hour spent listening to a legend in our industry share his passion, his perspective, and his belief in what we do. More importantly, it was an opportunity for him to pass that passion along to the next generation of advisors.

As rising advisors, we spend so much time learning the business, developing our skills, and figuring out how to grow our practices. But sometimes, what we need most is a reminder of WHY we started in the first place.

We aren't just building businesses. We're changing lives.

I'm incredibly thankful for leaders like Michael who are willing to give their time back to this industry and invest in those of us who are still growing, learning, and finding our way. That kind of generosity makes a lasting impact, not just on the advisors in the room, but on the countless families those advisors will go on to serve.

Thank you, Michael, for the reminder, the inspiration, and the renewed sense of purpose. The impact of that hour will reach far beyond the hour itself.

This is the power of the MassMutual network, the MassMutual Advisors Association, and the advisors that believe in it!

10/20/2026

Sometimes, it’s the simplest things that make the biggest difference.

As we entered the historic halls of MassMutual Home Office last week, I never imagined the welcome we were about to receive. It wasn't over the top, it wasn't loud, it wasn't in your face. It was quiet, it was reassuring, it was comforting, it was sincere. 7:30am, still a little groggy from the previous day of traveling but the excitement was still there. I can't think of a better person to welcome visitors into the building than Peg LaRace, Director of First Impressions. Every day, Peg was there with a smile, ready to greet us and help start our day on a positive note.

It’s amazing how much you can underestimate the impact of a smile, a warm greeting, or someone simply making you feel welcome. We never really know what someone else might be dealing with, but a little kindness can go a long way in changing the course of their day.

Peg is a great reminder that making a difference doesn’t always require a big gesture. Sometimes, it starts with showing up, being genuine, and sharing a smile.

Thank you, Peg, for being such a wonderful first impression of MassMutual and for reminding me how important the little things really are!

10/20/2026

As your life evolves, your insurance needs may change too. Learn how term-to-permanent conversions work and whether permanent life insurance or the use of an available conversion option may be appropriate for your situation.

https://bit.ly/4dK3SRE

10/16/2026

Just getting back into the groove after spending the week at MassMutual's Home Office in Springfield, Mass. What a great experience to be in the room with top advisors from around the country and such knowledgeable people from our home office staff. The collaboration and networking between fellow advisors was invaluable.

I'll be sure to share more and highlight more over the next few days/weeks. Right now, I'm just taking in everything that was poured into us to become better advisors for our clients, our families, and ourselves.

So thankful to be associated with a company like MassMutual and an agency like MassMutual Pittsburgh, that works with groups like the MassMutual Advisors Association , that together are fully invested in advisor learning and growth!

Have a great weekend!

10/14/2026

A thoughtful financial strategy can help protect that progress toward your career, home, and goals while keeping it all moving forward. Let’s build a plan tailored to what matters most to you.