Jane Newton, Managing Partner
RegentAtlantic
Morristown, New Jersey
1. Take risks. That goes for both men and women, but particularly for women. You cannot wait for opportunities to come to you and you cannot wait for everything to be perfect.
2. Follow your passion. Find something you really want to do and that you are good at and do it. Do not worry about what others say.
3. Have confidence. Believe in yourself. If you do not believe in yourself, why should others? This is especially true in wealth management. Others can see if you are confident.
4. Always remember the importance of networking. This industry is about relationships; nurture them. Work is a team sport so think about who you want on your team. You need a sponsor; someone who will pound the table for you and promote you when you are not in the room.
Karen Altfest, Ph.D.
Principal Advisor, Executive VP Client Relations
Altfest Personal Capital Management
New York City
1. Be a great communicator. I have learned to be patient, listen more than I speak, and to explain financial concepts to my clients, even when it’s a question I have been asked before. I have learned to abandon financial jargon, ditch acronyms and pause to ask if clients want further explanations.
2. Be precise. I feel I have a great responsibility to find the best solution to each problem and to get it right! I take this responsibility very seriously, watch what I say, and who I introduce to my clients. Clients tend to think anything I say may be an endorsement.
3. Wait for it. Everybody has a unique personal story to share. I have learned to search for that story. It always sheds light on who is sitting across from me.
Elizabeth Jetton, Founder
Elizabeth Jetton Coaching and Consulting Services
Atlanta, Georgia
1. Value your unjaded perspective: You will only have it for a short time and it is full of value.
2. When you start out, consider that you are looking for your first job, not your forever job! You will learn from a firm that is a great fit and from one that is not a great fit. It’s ok to move on, but make sure you learn something and don’t burn bridges; it’s a small world.
3. Get involved with professional associations. It will expand your network, build your confidence and raise your skills.
4. Find mentors and ask for help. This is a caring and giving community that wants you to succeed. This is a learning profession, so focus on learning, not being the expert. Mastery will come.
Russell T. Hill, CEO
Halbert Hargrove Advisors
Long Beach, California
1. Work only with those of good character. The larger the organization, the greater the tendency for organizational self-interest to crowd out the good intentions of individuals. Very tough to overcome, and your clients are placing a great deal of trust in your judgment.
2. Everyone—even academics—has an axe to grind, a point of view. It’s up to you to determine what it is. Keep learning. Attend as many industry and educational events as possible.
3. George E.P. Box said it best: “All models are wrong. Some are useful.” None can successfully predict the future. Be skeptical of certainty in an uncertain world.
4. Uncertainty and risk are not the same thing. Increasing longevity, aging demographics, perhaps climate change are all big picture items that will swamp the daily noise.