What has inspired you to stay at Bernstein for as long as you have?
I have been a passionate and engaged employee of Bernstein for nearly 25 years. There are many reasons for my prolonged tenure, however, three really stick out in my mind. First, our firm’s commitment to placing our clients’ interests first. That doesn’t mean we get everything right every time. Sometimes, even with the best of intentions, we still get it wrong. However, what is it does mean is that every decision is made with a client’s best interest and outcome top of mind—not our own. Second, our people. I am blessed to work with diverse, intelligent and hardworking colleagues who inspire me every day. The Bernstein team consistently motivates me to become a better employee, advisor and leader. Lastly, we are innovators who are in constant search of new ways to improve what we do, on behalf of our clients.
If we don’t eat our own lunch, then somebody else will.
If you didn’t work for Bernstein, what else would you be doing?
Given my lifelong passion for learning and development, I always figured that I would end up becoming a teacher. Yet, in many ways I have been able to teach—as well as absorb information as a student at Bernstein.
What has been so amazing about my 25-year career at the firm is having the opportunity to constantly learn new things and consistently expand my skill set. Not a day goes by without a challenge from a never-seen-before client situation or a fresh perspective offered by one of my colleagues. In my client work, I teach when I take complex information and break it down into relatable and understandable terms. My goal is to educate and ensure that clients are empowered to make the best possible decisions.
What’s the best way for people to put their wealth in perspective?
I find that deliberate question-asking is the best way to help clients put their wealth in perspective. If you can get clients thinking about their wealth in different ways, you can unlock so many doors. Many clients just need a starting point. Great questions really help refine the starting point and, as a result, the finish line. Great questioning has allowed me to better tailor unique client solutions. I engineer solutions backward starting at the clients’ goals, objectives and fears—not my perception of their answers. In turn, trust and confidence are built and their objectives are attained, with strong mutual accountability.