Having a solid online presence and social media engagement might land a financial advisor in a commercial. That’s how it worked for Eszylfie (pronounced E-sil-fee) Taylor.
When the Sunnyvale, Calif.-based LinkedIn needed users from unique professions for its “In It Together” ad campaign that launched during the 75th Golden Globe Awards in January, the company set its sights on users who shared personal stories and engaged their followers and connections. The campaign’s director, Stacy Peralta (known for the documentary Dogtown and Z-Boys) documented professionals such as mixed-martial arts fighters, real-life cowboys, physics teachers, avant-garde musicians, animators, chefs and financial advisor Eszylfie Taylor, the owner and president of Taylor Insurance and Financial Services in Pasadena, Calif.
“Our team looked for LinkedIn members like Eszylfie who have unique stories to tell and who can serve as an inspiration to others in their industries,” said Kenly Uphaus, the senior manager of corporate communications at LinkedIn. “[Eszylfie] isn’t just ‘In It’ for himself—he has a real passion and desire to ‘share the wealth’ and help others succeed.”
The 39-year-old advisor has been in the financial services industry for close to 20 years. He got his bearings at New York Life Insurance Company, where he spent close to 13 years as a broker and achieved multiple accolades. He was NY Life’s top advisor in Los Angeles, made a list of the company’s top 50 agents nationwide and was named its top African-American advisor.
Toward the end of his time there, he recalled feeling like a “shark in a fish tank” because he believed he could no longer grow in the New York Life platform. In addition, Taylor said, “no one knew who I was.” That presented a problem for Taylor, who believes “visibility is important” in helping people know that financial advising is a possible profession for them.
In 2013, he started his own entity, Taylor Insurance and Financial Services, a fiduciary advisory and brokerage of SagePoint Financial. The Taylor Brokerage services approximately 200 advisors. He also created the “Taylor Method,” an international enterprise that offers sales training and sales coaching.
To add to his plate and broadcast himself and his services more, Taylor hosts his own radio show (“Ask the Experts”) about financial literacy and has co-authored the book Ask the Experts: The Unique Benefits of Working with Top Professionals.
“People can look at me and say I can be him,” said Taylor. He also said he does it for the impact: “Impact in the community, impact for my clients, impact for my family.”
Although the Twitter and Facebook accounts for a couple of Taylor’s businesses have shallow engagement, his LinkedIn and Instagram posts show much livelier social media activity. Taylor shares content that follows his “3 F’s—finance, family and fitness.” His photos are of his radio show guests, his speaking engagements, his yoga poses (he is a yoga instructor too), his nonprofit basketball camp that he is a coach for and intimate moments with his family.