Therapist gets sound counseling from adviser

Daryl Thorne is fluent in concepts such as spiritual energy, karma and holistic psychological counseling. The Gaithersburg, Md., therapist is not an expert at managing money or running a business. For those challenges, she turns to Zaneilia Harris, her investment adviser. “I'm not business-savvy,” said Ms. Thorne, who owns the Center for Healing in Harmony LLC. “Zaneilia helps with that.” In her advisory practice, Ms. Harris is developing a niche focused on female entrepreneurs such as Ms. Thorne, who runs her therapy business in addition to serving as an assistant professor at Trinity Washington University. Ms. Thorne met Ms. Harris through her husband, who was one of Ms. Harris' clients. Ms. Thorne developed her own advisory relationship with Ms. Harris because of the latter's enthusiasm for helping women with their finances. LEADING BY EXAMPLE “One of her desires is to really educate,” Mr. Thorne said. “That is one of the things that drew me to her.” Ms. Thorne was captivated by Ms. Harris' commitment to female business owners. “Women haven't been molded into financial leadership roles, whether it's in the home or in a business,” Ms. Thorne said. “The fact that [Ms. Harris] has taken this on and [seeks] to lift us up is inspiring.” Ms. Thorne also relates to Ms. Harris because the latter is a business owner herself. “You're able to bounce ideas off one another,” Ms. Thorne said. Ms. Harris is helping Ms. Thorne think through how she can maintain her practice into her retirement years. She also has provided guidance on how to build a financial foundation for the business through investing in areas where Ms. Thorne has a professional interest — the service and education sectors. “I still have some of my own anxieties [about investing],” Ms. Thorne said. “She gives it to me straight. She tells me the pros and cons, and what you should think about. When I invest money, I don't want to lose anything.” Ms. Harris' home office — featuring mahogany, silk drapes and natural light — puts Ms. Thorne at ease. “The ambience is one that caters to women,” Ms. Thorne said. “It's an atmosphere that makes you feel good. It makes you feel important. Even if you're not a millionaire, you're on your way to becoming one.”