With everything she has on her plate, some might wonder when Deanna Olsen finds any free time.
She would tell you she makes the time, and that even with balancing her career and charitable work, she is a mother first and foremost. When not overseeing millions of dollars or working to support local charity groups, Olsen is devoted to raising 10-year-olds Paige and Dana, Clarkston’s own Olsen twins.
Olsen grew up in Riverview, attended Michigan State University for her undergraduate degree in education and the University of Michigan for graduate study to become a teacher. For four years, that was where Olsen thought her career was headed. From 1980-84 she taught at Grosse Lie High School.
In 1985, however, she decided the time was right for a career change.
‘At that time, there was really an overabundance of teachers, so they were pink-slipping based on your seniority and I was low on the totem-poll,? Olsen said, adding that she was not upset by the experience. ‘I look at it as a blessing in disguise. That is when I got into the financial planning business and I’ve been doing this for 21 years.?
Despite her many years in business, Olsen still considers he career switch a ‘fluke,? and does not know why she chose financial planning. Yet more than two decades later, Olsen is now the owner of Planned Financial Services, LLC ? and found success and happiness with her work.
‘I love the career. I think it’s a good business because I have control of my time and I’m able to help people reach their financial goals. It’s very rewarding,? Olsen said. ‘It’s working with people through their careers and helping them do what they are trying to achieve and you can see them through death, divorce and sickness? all of those things are difficult. It would be more difficult if you had financial problems on top of that.?
Olsen said she likes to maintain a personal relationship with her approximately 250 clients, which makes her responsible for $100 million in the Clarkston Community.
According to Olsen, there is no other community she would rather call home. She originally moved to Clarkston in 1992 with her husband Robert Olsen, who was also her mentor as she entered her new career.
‘He introduced me to this wonderful town,? Olsen said. ‘It’s a great community, I just love it.?
Robert not only acted as a business mentor and partner to Olsen, his community involvement inspired her to give back. Robert Olsen founded the Clarkston Foundation in the early 1990’s after the Waterford Foundation, modeling it to provide grants to art and science teachers. More than a decade later, Deanna Olsen just recently became an active member of the foundation’s board of directors and said she believes the foundation’s endowment fund has surpassed the $250,000 level and is going strong.
‘I’ve always believed that life has been good to me. I want to give back and I like to give back locally because I know where it’s going,? she said.
Likewise, the Olsens committed several years to supporting Clarkston SCAMP, the summer camp program for physically or emotionally impaired children and young adults.
‘SCAMP was very close to Bob’s heart. He was on the board of directors for many years, and when I moved to Clarkston I said I want to get involved because I’ve always liked to give back to my community,? Olsen said, adding that she ended up serving on the SCAMP board of directors for several years too.
Going a step further, the Oslens decided to establish an endowment fund in support of SCAMP.
‘Our intent was to get other people to do the same thing where we would never spend the principle and at some point the income from those endowments could run the whole program,? Olsen said.
In 2001, Olsen said she and her husband made the decision to ‘semi-retire? and move to Florida with their daughters. They severelly reduced their client base, took turns making monthly trips back to Clarkston and looked to sell their home in the community.
‘We decided to change our priorities and we spent more time with our family,? Olsen said. ‘We never saw ourselves retiring because we love our work ? we’re both work-a-holic types I guess, but we wanted to do what we do but less hours.?
Olsen said selling their home became a running joke when, after nearly two years, they had not yet received an offer. When one finally came in June 2003, Olsen said there was a feeling of relief and joy. Sadly, Robert took ill around the same time and just one week after selling their home in Clarkston, Robert passed away.
Shortly after, Olsen said she knew she wanted to return home to Clarkston with her daughters. Returning home meant going back to work and continuing to work with local charities, but more than anything being there for her children.
‘I am very busy, but my number one most important thing in life is raising my daughters,? Olsen said. ‘That is why we made this commitment to change our lives five years ago. Our business has been good to us and we worked hard and now I’m trying to have a good balance in my life and set my priorities straight.?
Though they have not decided on their own career paths yet, whatever Paige and Dana plan to do with their lives, Olsen said she wants them to raise them to be strong, independent women.