Mindful Money Management

by Madeleine Maccar | Oct 16, 2025

On a cloudy day in late September, Stan Molotsky is quick to draw apt analogies between the precautions one should take when considering the realities and implications of both an overcast sky and the current state of the U.S. economy’s influencing factors.

“You can’t ignore the fact that there are some clouds in the sky, like the weather today,” begins The SHM Financial Group’s president and CEO. “But at the same time, when you look at a day like today—which is similar to what the stock market would look like: a little cloudy—there’s no storm. But they can come up at any time, so when you left home this morning, did you take an umbrella or take a rain jacket [since] it might not be a bad idea to protect against a sudden storm? I don’t think we’ll have a continual downpour for two days in a row, but you may have a storm weather-wise—just like you may have that storm in the markets themselves. It’s a matter of having the foresight to have a little protection against that if it does happen and to be prepared for that, be able to take it in stride and move on until the sun comes out.”

But one doesn’t have to wait for the clouds to part for proactively positioning themselves to take advantage of “a market that’s a mixed, exciting time,” which offers its own unique opportunities to diligent, self-aware investors and businesses. Molotsky’s measured optimism—driven by evidence of both the stock market’s and people’s resiliency—and emphasis on careful, proactive planning are sentiments that many others in the financial realm echo.

And given their collective expectations that next year will bring additional doses of uncertainty, it’s never too early for the decision-makers of South Jersey’s business landscape to not only pay closer attention to widespread economic trends both domestically and abroad, but also get reacquainted with the nitty gritty of their companies’ internal workings.

“Reduce expenses,” advises New Jersey Bankers Association President & CEO Michael Affuso, who fully expects 2026 to yield “more uncertainty” and suggests both looking and planning ahead accordingly. “The reductions should be targeted not to hinder long-term growth, but businesses should focus on core missions and eliminating redundant or non-core activities. These savings can be partially retained for a safety net and partially reinvested in income producing endeavors. … We know that the Federal Reserve is in a rate-cutting cycle and we think we know that it will end up being a very mild cycle; however, does the economy continue to recede or does inflation pick up again? There is also uncertainty around trade policy and tariffs. To date, there has been little negative economic consequence—will that continue?”

“In uncertain environments, liquidity is the first line of defense: For households, that means keeping an emergency fund or short-term investments; for businesses, it means access to credit lines and prudent balance sheet management,” adds Andrew Davis, SVP director of macroeconomics research of Bryn Mawr Trust Advisors, a WSFS Company. “Beyond that, diversification is the best form of insurance, spreading exposure across asset classes and time horizons. The goal isn’t to predict every shock, but to be resilient enough to adapt when they happen. … [Looking ahead to 2026], we’re not blind to the risks. Structurally higher yields, demographic headwinds and political uncertainty will all matter. For investors, the message is clear: Diversification across asset classes will be critical to sustaining returns in the next leg of the cycle.”

For those organizations and individuals unsure of how exactly to begin identifying areas of either concern or potential, or how to keep their professional houses in order, seeking the guidance of experienced, trustworthy human beings can be an invaluable asset in drawing the road map to a sustainable future, whether those individuals are acting in an advisory, partnership or vendor role.

As Gregory Carlisle, commercial market president for TD Bank’s South Jersey/Coastal New Jersey region, emphasizes, he’s “a consumer, too,” which means those professional connections can also facilitate conversations about common ground that encourage solutions and practical advice stemming from shared experiences, especially with fraud being such a pernicious additional factor that everyone has to consider when safeguarding their finances and financial information alike from an array of external threats.

“This is a big thing going on across the world: I have never seen the fraud rings the way that I have this past year. They are so sophisticated, they are so deliberate, they are so advanced and they have the technology that they can use to fool anybody,” he says. “What happened over the course of the summer was a deliberate attack on all these customers across all these large banks but luckily, a couple of our clients were smart enough to call us and put us on the phone with them—and believe it or not, we would be fighting with these fraudsters, who were so arrogant and so brazen that they would fight back with us until we said we were doing an interval verification of who they were, and then they would hang up. … The ability to pick up a phone and call somebody in a world of automation is paramount. But more importantly, when we’re working with you, we can read the room and say, ‘It looks like you need more information, what can I do to help you? Can I get you more resources?’ When you’re only getting your information online, there’s none of that human interaction.”

“Human contact remains essential, especially for complex transactions or start-ups,” Affuso adds. “There is value to local businesses using local lenders. The local lenders have a better understanding of what is actually happening on the ground and can be more flexible in their approach.”

Indeed, as some industry professionals have noticed how technology has been a double-edged sword that empowers clients while also subjecting them to the noise and distractions that aren’t always easy to separate from tried-and-true expert wisdom, they advocate seeking advice from someone who knows how to get to the heart of one’s present financial state and future fiscal goals—whether as a longtime advisor intimately tuned into an individual’s position or a second opinion assessing one’s circumstances with fresh eyes—to deliver sound, actionable guidance that makes sense for that individual or business.

But doing your homework is still important when it comes to finding the professional who’s the best fit for helping you or your organization manage that financial health.

“If you’re sick, are you going to a doctor or are you going to use everything you read off the computer to treat yourself?” Molotsky says. “It’s the same thing in finance: People use [the internet and ChatGPT] for their information, but how accurate is that information? A lot of it is phony, and a lot of that information is wrong information. … There’s enough quality people in our business—especially in South Jersey, there’s a proliferation of financial planners you can utilize. It’s just a matter of finding out who does the entity work for: Do they work for a firm and are they restricted by the product line of that firm, and is that OK or is that not what you’re really looking for?”

And while President & Chief Executive Officer of First Harvest Credit Union Mike Dinneen notes that “the more information that our people have to make informed decisions, the better,” he does point out that AI platforms should complement rather than eclipse thoughtfully shared insight from a trusted resource.

“Artificial intelligence is best used when the information or advice it generates is additive to the human experience, not a replacement for it,” he explains. “There is no substitute for human experience, interpersonal relationships or human trust.”

That human element is fully aware that the future is unknowable, but utilizes the contextual nuances of examining historical precedents, economic patterns and the bigger picture to venture educated predictions that are ultimately intended to help those who trust their advice to prepare for as many permutations of the potentially emerging future as possible, right on down to considering responsive human behaviors in the face of cyclical trends and unexpected outcomes alike.

“History doesn’t repeat, but it often rhymes,” Davis observes. “We use a cycle-based framework—recovery, expansion, peak, contraction and recession— to position portfolios 12-18 months ahead of where the data suggests we’re headed. That forward-thinking mindset helps clients both capture opportunity and avoid overreacting to noise. The Fed’s own message, data-dependent not destination-dependent, fits that same playbook.”

Since 2026 will be here before we know it, local professionals have plenty of educated, personalized advice to offer on how to best navigate tricky times where unpredictability is anticipated to be a long-running trend—and extoll the virtues of getting back to basics to best understand what your company needs to best survive today’s conditions and emerge in a position to thrive tomorrow.

“Make sure that you’re checking your numbers: Pay attention to your reports, pay attention to your margins, see where things are compressing, take advantage of the ability to buy more in bulk and avoid the tariffs, make sure you’re paying attention to whatever your key performance indicators are,” Carlisle suggests. “At the very least, make sure you’re talking to your bank at minimum once a quarter. You’re talking to your CPA probably monthly, you’re probably talking to your attorney monthly to see what other opportunities are out there, maybe you can pick up a competitor super cheap because they’re not navigating some of these uncertain times as well as they would have hoped. … Pay attention, read, roll up your sleeves: Don’t be afraid to poke your nose around and make sure you really, really understand what’s happening with your own company.”

After all, as Dinneen points out, especially in this era where “uncertainty is the new certainty,” proactive protection and safeguarding your organization against whatever the future may bring have been longstanding tenants of a successful organization.

“The fundamentals of running a good organization have never changed: manage your operating costs, don’t over-leverage yourself, develop your employees and always maintain liquidity,” he says. “Rate markets or regulatory environments may shift more reactively, and we caution our business partners about overreaction, but the basic principles of running a safe and sound organization are evergreen.”

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Author: Madeleine Maccar

Mindful Money Management

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