Beck BodeFinding Strength in community
What determines how we face life's greatest challenges? For some it's unwavering determination, for others it's finding joy in small moments, and for many it's the support of community. While we each approach difficulty differently, October invites us to consider how our mindset shapes not only our experience of challenges but the legacy we create through them.
In this edition we share perspectives on navigating life's significant transitions and challenges. From Angel Costanza's powerful journey with cancer and her "achiever" approach, to our team's experience at the TYR Wodapalooza Fitness Festival, to establishing our Legacy Cup that brought so many together. As Parents' Weekend approaches at many colleges, Jim Bode also shares how thoughtful college planning can help families avoid a potential $50,000 mistake and set students up for success in this critical life transition.
These stories remind us that meaningful accomplishments begin with the mindset we bring to each challenge. At Beck Bode, we believe creating a lasting legacy comes not just from careful planning but from the courage we demonstrate when facing life's greatest tests.
In This Issue
- The Achiever's Odyssey: Angel Costanza on Cancer, Leadership, and Legacy
- Connecting Communities Through Competition and Purpose
- The $50,000 College Mistake I Almost Made: Jim Bode's Guide to Intentional College Planning
The Achiever's Odyssey: Angel Costanza on Cancer, Leadership, and Legacy
Chief Operating Officer
It started with a last-minute decision to escape. Last July, Angel Costanza, COO of Beck Bode, and her husband Nick booked first-class tickets to Dallas just 24 hours before departure. An uncharacteristic splurge in the name of spontaneity. What Angel couldn't have anticipated was who would be sitting across the aisle. The stranger's phone conversation caught her attention immediately. "He's talking about cancer research on the phone before we take off," Angel recalls. "So I asked him, 'Do you do cancer research?' And he goes, 'I own a biotech firm, we're working on cancer research.'"
What began as casual conversation shifted when Angel mentioned her own diagnosis. "I said, 'Well, actually I have breast cancer, I'm in treatment.' And he replies, 'What kind do you have?' I said, 'Triple positive.' And he goes, 'Well, my company doesn't do that. We're working on triple negative. But I know alot of what's in the space,"
This stranger then offered her something precious: certainty in an uncertain time.
"He said, 'You're young, you're 35. You're stage two. You won't die from breast cancer. Even if it comes back, it will not happen. I know everything that's in the pipeline. I know all the things that aren't FDA approved yet that are coming out.'"
For Angel, this chance encounter transcended coincidence. It became the first moment she could truly breathe again after her diagnosis.
Continue reading Angel's story
Building Community Through Competition and purpose
We've kept active these last couple of months, engaging with our community through competition and purposeful giving. October brought opportunities for our team to not just talk about our values, but to live them through shared experiences that build deeper connections.
From the adrenaline-filled competition floor in California to the pristine fairways at Oakley Country Club, we've embraced challenges that test our limits while creating meaningful impact. These events reflect our belief that life's most significant moments happen when we push ourselves, connect with others, and contribute to causes that matter deeply to us.
From Spectators to Competitors: Our Journey at the TYR Wodapalooza Fitness Festival
A couple of weekends ago Ben Beck, CFP® was standing on the competition floor in Huntington Beach at a massive CrossFit festival called The TYR Wodapalooza Fitness Festival. Last year our team was in the audience as spectators. This year, we weren't just watching, the team were sponsors and competitors. Ben Beck, CFP®, Vincent Savio, and Joshua Plosker signed up as a three-person team, throwing themselves into workouts designed to humble even the most seasoned CrossFitter.
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The team competed in the Masters RX division and achieved an impressive third-place finish as Team Forging Elite Finance!
The competition pushed our team through a full spectrum of emotions. From the rush of adrenaline during events to moments of self-doubt between heats. Those challenging moments revealed the true nature of resilience and the importance of mindset when facing physical and mental barriers.
Our team had the amazing opportunity to meet with some of our great clients, friends, and make many new connections while out competing in California. It was such a pleasure competing alongside some incredible teams in such a well-organized event with dedicated judges, volunteers, and staff who made the whole competition possible.
Legacy Cup Highlights: Competition, Connection, and Purpose at Oakley Country Club
The Legacy Cup tradition has begun! Thank you to our 89 golfers made of clients and new friends who joined us at Oakley Country Club on Monday for a day of competition, connection, and purpose. We're especially proud that through this event, we raised $4,500 for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Breakthrough T1D Greater New England.
This event represents the heart of Beck Bode's philosophy. As Jim Bode shared, "As advisors, we talk all the time about saving money and putting money away, whether it's for college or for retirement, but what's next after that? What's important to you as an individual that you want to be remembered as?" The Legacy Cup embodies this bridge between financial planning and creating lasting impact.
Congratulations to our Legacy Cup Champions: John Kostas, Marty Dunlap, Ryan McGeown-Conron, and Michael Bryan!
And a special thanks to all participants who contributed to the day's success.
From the closest-to-pin competitions to the silent auction, every element of the Legacy Cup reflected our commitment to building meaningful legacies together.
View the photo-gallery from the Legacy Cup
The $50,000 College Mistake I almost Made: Jim Bode's guide to Intentional college planning
Managing Partner
It's been nearly a month since I dropped my son Luke off at college, a milestone that arrived faster than I ever imagined. I can't help but reflect on the journey that got us here and the costly mistakes we managed to avoid along the way.
When most parents think about college planning, they immediately focus on saving enough money. That's certainly important, but there's a critical mistake that could cost you $40,000 to $100,000 or more: rushing the college selection process itself.
Many families took a different approach, having their child send application after application to numerous universities, then visit after acceptance when they have about 30 days to decide. The result? Kids often spend a year at the wrong school that maybe doesn't offer their major or isn't the right environment. That's when you waste tens of thousands of dollars having them figure things out because the process was rushed.
Read my complete college planning guide
A Final Thought
As October brings both challenges and opportunities, we're reminded that our mindset when facing difficult circumstances often determines not just our experience but the legacy we create. Whether it's Angel's unwavering determination through cancer treatment, pushing physical limits at fitness competitions, coming together as a community to support important causes, or thoughtfully planning for our children's educational futures—each journey begins with how we choose to approach it.
At Beck Bode, we believe that creating meaningful impact extends beyond financial planning to encompass how we face life's most significant tests. We're here to help you navigate each challenge with intention, clarity, and purpose.
Wishing you strength and resilience this autumn season,
The Beck Bode Team