Event Replay · The Guided Ascent Journal
How Emotions Affect Financial Decisions: Our Wealth & Wellness Event Replay
Some of the most important financial choices we make have very little to do with math. How emotions affect financial decisions was the focus of our Wealth & Wellness lunch event, held March 26, 2026 at the Moonshot Accelerator in Flagstaff: an afternoon devoted to the why behind the way we save and spend.
Our guest presenter, Emily Krushefski, CEO and Co-Founder of Emotional Innovations, shared research-based insights on how emotional patterns influence saving, spending, and long-term choices.
If you were not able to join us, or you attended and want to revisit the material, the full recording is below.
Watch the Full Presentation
A quick note before you press play: the video is set to begin at the 2:00 mark, where Emily's presentation starts and she is mic'd up, so you are dropped right in at the clearest sound. If you would like to see the welcome and introductions, just drag the playback bar back to the beginning.
A Thank-You Gift From Emotional Innovations
Emotional Innovations has created a courtesy code for Babb Financial Group clients and event attendees. It provides one free month of access to the Take Charge of Your Life Program at emotionalinnovations.com.
Code: Babb30Free
This offer is provided by Emotional Innovations, a separate, independent company.
About Our Speaker
Emily Krushefski is the CEO and Co-Founder of Emotional Innovations, a company focused on helping people understand the emotional patterns behind everyday decisions. Her work draws on behavioral research to explore why two households with similar incomes can have completely different relationships with money, and how each of us can begin to recognize our own patterns. Emotional Innovations is an independent company and is not affiliated with Babb Financial Group.
Why Do Emotions Drive Money Decisions?
Financial choices are rarely made on numbers alone. Behavioral research suggests that fear, uncertainty, and past experiences quietly shape how people save, spend, and invest, often without them realizing it. A market headline, a childhood memory about money, or a season of job uncertainty can each leave a lasting imprint on financial habits.
In her presentation, Emily walked through how these patterns form, why they tend to persist, and how simply naming the emotion behind a decision can change the way that decision feels.
Overspending and Oversaving Often Share the Same Root
One of the most discussed ideas from the session: overspending and oversaving frequently stem from the same emotional drivers. Both can be responses to anxiety, scarcity, or a need for control. They simply point in opposite directions. Recognizing that connection can make conversations about money, especially between spouses and partners, feel less like a debate about discipline and more like a shared look at what is going on underneath.
Ideas From the Session Worth Revisiting
- How fear, uncertainty, and past experiences quietly shape financial habits
- Why overspending and oversaving often stem from the same emotional drivers
- Practical, research-based techniques for managing financial stress
- How small perspective shifts may support clearer long-term planning conversations
None of these ideas replace a financial plan. In our experience, they enrich one, because planning conversations often go deeper when the people involved understand their own patterns. That belief sits at the heart of the Guided Ascent Plan™, which begins with your financial story, goals, and values before any strategy takes shape.
Join Us at the Next One
We host educational lunch events and seminars in Flagstaff and Sedona throughout the year, covering topics from retirement income and tax planning to the human side of money. Because we serve clients nationwide, we also stream these events live, so those who work with us from other parts of the country can take part from wherever they are. In-person seating is intentionally limited so there is room for real conversation.
Start a Conversation Contact Us
Prefer to talk first? Call 928-526-2911 or email clientservice@babbgroup.com and ask to be added to the event invitation list.
Related Reading
If today's topic resonated, these pieces from the Guided Ascent Journal explore the same territory, where emotion meets financial decision-making:
- 1031 Exchanges: Should the Tax Tail Wag the Investment Dog? How the fear of a tax bill can crowd out sound investment thinking.
- Are IPOs Worth Investing In When a Company Goes Public? What excitement and headlines can do to investor judgment.
- The Take Charge of Your Life Program from Emotional Innovations, the course behind the Babb30Free code.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who presented at the Wealth & Wellness event?
The event, hosted by Babb Financial Group on March 26, 2026 in Flagstaff, Arizona, featured Emily Krushefski, CEO and Co-Founder of Emotional Innovations, an independent company focused on the emotional patterns behind everyday decisions.
Can I watch the replay if I did not attend?
Yes. The full recording is available at the top of this page, and the player is set to begin at the 2:00 mark, where Emily's presentation starts. To see the welcome and introductions, drag the playback bar back to the beginning.
How do I use the Babb30Free code?
Visit emotionalinnovations.com, select the Take Charge of Your Life Program, and enter the code Babb30Free for one free month of access. The program and offer are provided by Emotional Innovations, a separate, independent company.
How can I attend a future Babb Financial Group event?
We host events in Flagstaff and Sedona throughout the year, and we also stream them live for clients who work with us from other parts of the country. Call 928-526-2911, email clientservice@babbgroup.com, or reach out through our contact page to be added to the invitation list.
This material is provided for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered personalized investment, tax, or legal advice. The views expressed by guest presenters are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Babb Financial Group or its affiliates. References to third-party companies, programs, or events are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement, recommendation, or guarantee.
