Like many women in this industry, my path to finding this profession was long and rather indirect. My background and degree were in social work and my initial career was that of a counselor to young people in the Chicago suburbs. I honed my listening and organizational skills in my college courses and early career.
As most things do early in life, career paths change, and I found myself working as a typist and receptionist in a life insurance brokerage firm in Alexandria, VA. My father had always insisted that a woman needed such secretarial skills as a backup in case career plans fell through. That advice, although not welcomed, proved to be the key to my current career as a financial planner.
While working at that brokerage firm, I was given the opportunity to learn about their life insurance and investment arm. I found that I could combine my listening, organizational skills and my desire to help clients within that environment. It wasn’t long before I was meeting with prospective clients and left that reception desk behind. Prior to leaving the firm, I was offered a position as a partner at the ripe old age of 23.
When I had my first child, it was the early ’80s, and job sharing and working from home were concepts yet to be introduced into the work world. The choice was to stay at home, unemployed, or do the day care route and have a career. Unwilling to accept the latter, I spent the next 10 years as a stay-at-home mom to my three sons. I was blessed that I had that choice, as I know many women must be primary or co-breadwinners.
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After my hiatus at home, I decided to re-enter the work world. I returned to my love of financial planning and worked at updating my skills and once again being a working professional. As of December 2019, I will have been with MassMutual past 20 years, and I love what I do because I set my own hours and determine my own income. My efforts and business acumen determine my success.
In addition to this autonomy and independence, I also get to feed my soul by helping my clients and truly making a difference in their lives. How many business owners can know that at the end of most days they have discussed topics their clients might not broach with any other human being? That role of being their trusted adviser is humbling and inspires me to do my best each and every day.
I also have the wonderful opportunity to work with my eldest son in my practice, as he joined my firm eight years ago. Having a supportive staff, helping clients achieve their financial goals and dreams, and being an independent woman in this profession are the reasons that this career has been the wonderful match it is for me and my family.
As an end note, my husband retired this summer. I am now the sole breadwinner and know that our family can continue to live the lifestyle we choose because of the endless possibilities and opportunities available to women in our industry.
It is my belief that women are an extra-special addition to the financial services industry. As a gender, we possess many skills such as empathy, being good listeners, being attentive to detail and following up on those details. So much of the success in this industry is in the relationships, and those skills provide the building blocks for a successful career.
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