About Spenser Liszt, CFP®

Hi, I’m Spenser Liszt, CFP®, founder of Motif Planning, an advice-only financial planning firm based in Dallas, TX.

I began my career as a professional musician and earned a Master of Music from the University of North Texas before transitioning into financial planning. After completing the CFP® certification program at Southern Methodist University, I built my practice to serve high-earning executives and families who face complex financial decisions.

My early work focused heavily on music industry leaders, where I saw firsthand how often high-income professionals were underserved. Many advisors did not understand executive compensation, equity awards, deferred compensation plans, or the tax implications that come with them. As a result, successful professionals were earning substantial income but lacked an integrated strategy.

Today, I provide holistic financial life planning for high-earning executives and families who want clarity, structure, and long-term direction. My work centers on lifetime tax planning, equity compensation strategy, investment planning, cash flow management, risk management, and estate coordination. Every recommendation fits within a broader financial life plan.

Motif Planning operates on a flat-fee, advice-only model. I do not sell products, earn commissions, or manage assets for a percentage fee. My role is to provide objective guidance so you can make informed decisions with confidence.

I believe financial planning should reduce stress, increase optionality, and support the life you actually want to live.

Outside of work, I enjoy woodworking and spending time with my family.

My Why

In August 2015, my life changed.

I spent 17 years fully committed to being a professional musician. Many see music as a risky career, assuming financial struggle is inevitable. I never believed that. After earning a Master’s in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas, I built a career playing with top artists, recording albums, and making a living as a performer—a goal I was proud to achieve.

My financial awareness came from my parents. My mom, who grew up poor, taught me to save. My dad’s business failure and our family’s bankruptcy in the late ‘80s showed me how to take risks and recover from setbacks. But in the summer of 2015, I returned from a tour to my $300-a-month rental in Dallas with just $67 in my bank account. I felt lost and exposed.

I told myself, “I never want to feel this way again. And no other music professional should either.”

That moment forced me to change. I started studying personal finance. I read books, listened to podcasts, and applied what I learned. I focused on building assets and became more selective with gigs. Within two years, I increased my income, began saving for retirement, and bought my first property.

I saw how clarity around money creates freedom. The ability to choose your work instead of chasing it.

I began teaching financial literacy to musicians. Over time, I earned my CFP® designation and launched Motif Planning.

As the firm grew, so did my focus.

I realized the people who most consistently needed deep, ongoing planning were high-earning executives and creative professionals with complex compensation, equity, tax exposure, and big life decisions. They did not need basic budgeting tips. They needed holistic financial life planning.

Today, I primarily work with executives and creative professionals who want to build wealth intentionally and align their money with their values.

And I still support musicians. I offer pro bono planning sessions and financial education to artists facing hardship or navigating unstable income. That part of my story never goes away.

My mission remains simple: help ambitious people make smart financial decisions so they can build stability, create freedom, and focus on the work that matters most to them.