Welcome to Motif Planning!
Spenser Liszt, CFP®
Founder and Lead Financial Planner
I spent 17 years as a professional musician before becoming a financial planner for music executives. I hold a Master of Music from the University of North Texas and earned my CFP® certification from Southern Methodist University.
I started Motif Planning because high-earning music professionals are often overlooked in financial services. Your career comes with complex financial decisions—equity compensation, taxes, investments, and long-term security. I help you navigate them with a clear, strategic plan.
When I’m not working with clients, I’m in my woodshop or spending time with my family.
My Why
In August 2015, my life changed.
I had 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 changed everything. I started learning about personal finance—reading books, listening to podcasts, and applying what I learned. I shifted my mindset, focused on building assets, and became more selective with gigs. Small changes led to big results. Within two years, I increased my income, started saving for retirement, and bought my first property. I saw firsthand how managing time, money, and mindset could create financial stability and artistic freedom—something many creatives lack.
Too many music professionals struggle financially, deal with tax issues, or live paycheck to paycheck. It doesn’t have to be that way. With the right tools and strategy, they can build wealth, buy homes, and plan for the future. I started sharing what I learned, became a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®), and founded Motif Planning to help high-earning music professionals take control of their financial lives.
My mission is simple: help music professionals make smarter financial decisions so they can bring more art into the world.