What has inspired you to stay at Bernstein for as long as you have?
Simple: This is a firm that bends over backward to create the best possible client experience in regards to their investment management, planning solutions and client service. I am still amazed to this day by the fact that, if need be, I can call the head of Bernstein and have him on the phone with a client in a matter of a few hours. This type of access to leadership creates such a natural bond and relationship with my clients. Nowhere else in the wealth management industry does the individual client matter as much as it does at Bernstein. I know on a gut level that this has been the right place to spend almost my entire career.
If you didn’t work for Bernstein, what else would you be doing?
If I wasn’t a Bernstein advisor, I would want to be a sketch comedy writer. One of the aspects I enjoy most about my job is the challenging, yet fulfilling, task of communicating heavy and nuanced topics in an easy-to-understand way. In a parallel world, I would love to take the storytelling skills I have developed at the firm, over the last decade-plus, and turn that into a way to make people laugh! While I am not holding my breath, if Lorin Michaels from Saturday Night Live calls me, I guarantee that I will be taking up a second career!
Tell me about the types of clients you work with.
Over the years, I have built my practice around entrepreneurs, sports figures, corporate executives and owners of privately held companies. My client base is generally in one of the following industries: food, beverage or the consumer product space. I enjoy partnering with individuals and families who have followed their dreams and work hard at their chosen passion, but simply do not have the capacity to think about the financial portion. In particular, I like helping clients with all of the planning items that might help their future legacy, which could easily fall off the radar when they are busy. I work very closely with all of my clients through every single planning phase. From start-up planning, such as qualified small business stock considerations (QSBS), to family philanthropy, exit planning, wealth transfer planning and everything in between, I get immense satisfaction removing this stress from their plates and ensuring their future.