I was introduced to Katherine by Sally Cates – talk about networking! Katherine is a vibrant, energic woman whose story we are thrilled to share with our readers. This “Ironwoman” shares her dedication, commitment, and certainly her attitude in pushing the limits in all that she does. It is no wonder she is one successful leader!
– Maree Moscati, CEO CTPRP
Katherine Forrester Schneewind
Founder and CEO
High Note Wealth
Share with us something that most people don’t know about you.
Katherine: I would have to say that most people don’t know that I am a very average athlete. But I completed an Ironman Triathlon, which is considered the most difficult endurance race in the world, eight years ago. And I completed it without being a superstar athlete or having collegiate sports scholarships. For two years, I swam, biked, and ran 40 hours a week so that I could put myself up in a position to succeed. I wanted to see really how far the average athlete could push themselves. I’m here to tell you, no matter how average you are in terms of your skill set, if you put your mind and heart and soul into it and then put the work behind it, you can do it. Completing the Ironman was probably one of the greatest days of my life, because I found out exactly how tough I was mentally, and that’s something that no one can ever take away from me.
Share how your career path positioned you to where you are today.
Katherine: The greatest blessing of my career was that I got into defensive financial planning right out of the gate, meaning I was selling life and disability insurance, long-term care insurance, and I very quickly added investments within a year or two, because I really thought I wanted to be a stockbroker. It’s a lot sexier than the world of insurance, but what’s interesting is, I kind of became known as a top wealth management advisor in the country rather quickly, and that foundation of defensive planning has been my compass pointed due north for every single client I’ve had. I can prepare them, 360 degrees, and knowing that if I get that call on their worst day, I am going to be able to tell them, “We have looked at everything, and you are going to be okay.” That’s what I’m the most proud of, and starting my career with the foundation of the full scope and range of a client’s entire financial life has been my ace in the hole. Fifty percent of the time, I’m a financial planner. Fifty percent of the time, I’m a financial therapist.
What is one of your greatest passions?
Katherine: I am really passionate about giving back, and it has always been really important in my life. We have taken it to a whole other level by starting a family foundation in the last three years. We actually have our kids write up a report once a year about a charity that they’re interested in, that’s close to their hearts, that’s something that stood out to them, and we actually vote as a family which one of those charities to donate to.
I probably get the most energized and excited when I’m working with people who also want to give back and want to create something bigger than themselves to make the world a better place while they’re here. I get so much energy around people who are interested in talking about charitable remainder trusts and foundations and using financial tools to create leverage to give back to whatever causes they’re passionate about.
That’s what wakes me up in the morning.
Bio:
Katherine is the Founder and CEO of High Note Wealth and she personally brings over 25 years of wealth management expertise to the business. She founded the firm with her brother Michael Forrester on the belief that all clients should be treated like family. Katherine was a recipient of the 2016 Top 50 Women in Business Award (Minneapolis Business Jouranal) and the 2017 and 2011 Top Women in Finance Award (Finance & Commerce magazine). In addition, she has been a regular contributor of FOX9’s morning news show, sharing her expertise on personal finances for families and individuals. Always active in the community, Katherine is a current board member of The Berg Group and the Schneewind Family Foundation and a former board member of the Ridgeview Medical Center Foundation and Northwestern Mutual’s FRA Board. She continues to give back to others through her work with her family foundation, Women’s Violence, The Animal Humane Society, and the University of Minnesota.
Katherine earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in music therapy from the University of Minnesota and holds the Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU*) designations.
Katherine enjoys traveling, meaningful friendships, and self improvement pursuits. On September 8, 2013, she achieved her lifelong goal of finishing the Ironman Triathlon in Madison, Wisconsin, where she swam, biked, and ran 140.6 miles with a finishing time of 14:02:02.