I've been doing this for 11 years, and my job is to make sure everything actually gets done. That means scheduling appointments, opening accounts, processing rollovers and transfers, handling insurance applications, pulling reports, managing transactions, and dealing with whatever comes up in between. If a client needs something, I'm the one making it happen. I also handle whatever's needed to keep the office running and support the advisors in their work.
I've worked with brilliant people over the years. Doctors, engineers, and people who are experts in their own fields. They'll hand me a stack of account statements, completely flustered because they can't make sense of it. I remind them that if I had to interpret charts or data in their world, I'd be just as lost. That's why we have specialists. Nobody can know everything about everything. The financial world is full of complex rules and tax codes, and the best calls I get are from clients who tell me they don't worry about any of it because they have us.
I got into this industry because my mother-in-law worked as a paraplanner and was moving up in her company. She needed a replacement. I interviewed, and it turned out the work suited my personality really well. I have good attention to detail, which matters more than people realize. I once found a client who hadn't updated his beneficiaries in so long that his ex-wife from over a decade ago was still listed. He was relieved I caught it. This happens all the time, and it's one of those things that can create serious problems if nobody's paying attention.
Working with a lot of retirees means I get extra grandparents. Certain clients will absolutely ask to see pictures of my kids when they stop by. It's a lovely bond. A few years ago, one of my favorite clients passed away. My boss called to tell me, and I started crying in the middle of Costco. That's the reality of this work when you've been doing it long enough. These aren't just accounts. They're people.
I share a passion for music with my husband, so when I'm not working or spending time with our two children and dogs, you can find me writing, recording, and performing in the rock band we formed together over a decade ago. Outside of music, I love gardening, cooking, baking, traveling, decorating for the holidays, bringing magic to my kids' childhoods, reading, and spending time with animals and nature.