Becky Lightman

I remember September 11th, 2001, like it was yesterday. I can't believe we are here at the 25th anniversary.

I lived in Atlanta and had just come out of a work meeting when I heard about the first plane. I invited a few people from work over to my house, which was near the office, because we all wanted to see what was happening, and we couldn't believe what unfolded in the hours to come. I had just adopted a puppy, a German Shepherd mix named Scout, who lived for 14 years. On that day, it was strange to see the puppy so full of life and cuteness in contrast to the horror unfolding in front of us. Here is a picture I took of Scout very close to that day.

This morning, I made my teenager come down and watch a little TV with me before school, as the remembrance ceremony was about to happen in New York. Now it is up to me to tell the story every year to my child, who was not alive at the time and only knows this from history books. I bear a responsibility to share what it was like that morning for me, what it was like in the weeks that followed, and what it was like for all Americans to have gone through such a traumatic experience.

I think about how I convey this. There are no words. There was one massive event, and yet thousands of small stories that are equally profound and powerful surrounding September 11th. Every first responder, victim, family member, plane passenger, worker, bystander, and rescuer has their own story of what they were doing that day. There is not enough time to fully document all of those stories, so we retell what we can and know that we only know a small portion of these moments.

Today my daughter said to me, “But Mom, I hear about this every year in history.” I said to her, “I know. I'm sure you do, but please just let me talk to you about it.” It helps me somehow to talk about it. I have an obligation to talk about it. The fact that we still need to talk about it as a way of healing our collective consciousness displays the type of trauma we all went through and continue to feel on this day. We need to pass along to this next generation what it was like to see something you could hardly believe was happening.
Scout was a blessing for me that day, and I know a lot of people found some tiny blessings on that day and in the weeks that followed. That is what we hold on to, because so much is so difficult to bear.

Rest in peace to all who perished; let us keep their memory alive in our hearts and for our children. Never forget means to retell their stories, to remember those we lost, and to make sure the next generation understands what happened and carries their memory forward.

Enjoying the time at wealth management Edge at the beautiful Boca Resort!!!

We’re excited to welcome Jayden Kahn to Lightman Capital as our Summer Associate.

Jayden is currently studying Economics and Applied Mathematics at Vanderbilt University, with minors in Data Science and Generative AI. He brings an impressive entrepreneurial mindset, intellectual curiosity, and passion for innovation to our team.

This summer, Jayden will be supporting Lightman Capital through:
• Investment and market analysis
• Website and digital enhancements
• Artificial intelligence integration across operations
• Research and strategic initiatives

At Lightman Capital, we believe great firms are built not only by serving clients well, but by mentoring and investing in the next generation of leaders. We’re excited to have Jayden with us this summer and look forward to the energy, ideas, and perspective he’ll bring to the team.
Welcome aboard, Jayden.

Author alert! 📖

It was a such a treat hearing actress and author Annabelle Gurwitch and my college classmate discuss Annabelle’s new book, “The End of My Life Is Killing Me: The Unexpected Joys of a Cancer Slacker” along with the theme of building resilience. The room was packed, and we hung on every word.

One idea that really stayed with me: happiness is built from celebrating small moments—connections, friendships, activities, everyday joy, simple conversations—as much as it is from the big milestones like weddings, marriages, and graduations. Annabelle shared how she found those moments of joy even after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

Zibby has become an amazing author and publisher in her own right, and I
I was also lucky to attend with my friend Bobbi Rebell Kaufman, CFP®, who has written several books on financial wellness.

After spending the morning surrounded by authors… I’m feeling inspired to write a book myself just to fit in. Stay tuned!

Rest in Peace James Van Der Beek. I loved Dawson’s Creek and never missed an episode. You will be missed and have been taken too soon. Also, another reminder if you are over 40, PLEASE go get a colonoscopy. Colon cancer is striking way too young and is preventable with early detection.

If you can’t beat them, join them. Starting my finance bro wardrobe with this fantastic Eddie Bauer vest from Future Standard. Sure beats the normal suit and heels. Hoping to build up my own fashion collection of finance bro fleeces and vests. Let’s rewrite the female finance wardrobe to reflect cold, air conditioned offices! #2025

Thrilled to have moderated a dynamic panel for the Financial Planning Association of South Florida on understanding the evolving landscape of alternative investments!

With industry leaders Dave Breazzano from Polen Capital, Brian Munson, CIMA® from Blackstone, and Rob Trenham from KPC Private Funds, we tackled top-of-mind issues like the current state of private credit (yes, including Jamie Dimon's "cockroaches" analogy!), how bad loans are born in good times, and the critical importance of understanding illiquidity risks before investing in private markets.

We also dove into the difference between IRR and multiple on invested capital—and why that matters when selecting alternatives. Plus, we explored how fees can quickly erode returns if you're not careful in this space.

It was an insightful session with some of South Florida’s finest financial professionals in attendance. Always exciting to engage in these important conversations! Thanks to Polen Capital for hosting us in your gorgeous space, as well as Stacy McGinty and her team for putting together such a good program. South Florida's financial leaders are on 🔥 . Greg Moro, CIMA® Mari Adam, CFP®, MBA, CRPC®, CFT™ Noah Rubin, CFP®, MBA Eric Cott Justin Weidenfeld, CFP®, RLP®

If you have a vacation home, or your parents do— you should be planning for it in your estate plan! Check out my latest article in Financial Advisor magazine. (Link in comments.)

Welcome to Delray Beach Marky Mark!

Mark Wahlberg Drops $37 Million on a South Florida Mansion The ‘Departed’ star’s new Delray Beach digs span nearly 18,000 square feet

Did you know that most closely held businesses struggle to find buyers if they do not map out effective succession plans in advance? I’m heading down to Miami for the IMN Family Office, Private Wealth and Real Estate Conference. I will be on Friday’s panel, “Understanding and Creating a Succession Plan: Planning & Executing Between Generations.”

If you are a business owner, this is one subject you definitely want to pay attention to. I’ll be back with more tips post-panel. In the meantime, try to do the opposite of what this family did. Photo credit: HBO, Succession.