Elliot Kallen — Turning Grief Into Purpose: How Elliot Kallen is Combating Teen Suicide

Mindful Money

Elliot Kallen is a financial advisor, entrepreneur, and founder of A Brighter Day, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting teens struggling with depression and preventing suicide. After a successful career building Prosperity Financial Group, Elliot turned personal tragedy into action, combining his passion for business, philanthropy, and mental health advocacy.

This week, I talk with Elliot about finding purpose through profound personal loss. After losing his son to suicide, Elliot founded A Brighter Day. We discuss the painful journey from grief to action, the importance of emotional connection, and how loss reshapes both personal and professional life. Elliot shares how helping others has become a central part of his healing, and we explore the critical role empathy and mindful communication play—not just in counseling, but in parenting, advising, and living well.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro

• (01:05) - Meet Elliot Kallen

• (04:11) - Growing up and financial lessons

• (06:58) - Wealth vs richness

• (08:58) - From accounting to entrepreneurship

• (11:01) - Losing a child and founding A Brighter Day

• (20:18) - How to effectively communicate with teens

• (23:10) - Understanding teen depression

• (24:10) - Balancing personal grief and professional life

• (27:57) - How loss affects your work

• (33:19) - Coping with deep loss

• (35:25) - What "not" to say to people who are grieving

• (38:14) - Giving yourself permission to grieve

• (43:38) - How to connect with Elliot

Get full show notes and links at https://mindful.money.

Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MindfulMoney.