Company: Investors Group Financial Services Inc.

Position: Division Director & Executive Financial Consultant

Employed: 4 years

Degree: Honours BA specialization in Geography. CFP, CLU

Where did you go to School? What program did you attend?
I went to York University. I was somewhat unsure what I wanted to do, so I took a variety of courses over the four years I spent in undergrad but I chose to specialize in Geography. While I was at university, I played hockey for the York Lions which was an integral part of my school experience and helped nurture my work ethic, discipline and perseverance.

How did you find your current position?
I was introduced to Investors Group by an Investors Group consultant. When I first began, I was hired as a financial advisor. After demonstrating an ability to coach and lead others, combined with individual success in building my practice as a financial planner, I was promoted to the role of division director, where along with my own financial practice, I also lead a team of consultants.

Tell us a bit about your responsibilities:
I manage an existing client base as well as continue to grow the number of clients I serve. The new responsibilities that I took on when I was named a division director revolve around the hiring, training and mentoring of new consultants. Today, I currently lead a team of more than 10 financial advisors. And those financial advisors have a client base that they serve as well.

What is the most challenging aspect of your position?
Managing the time and focus it takes to run my practice and coach my team of financial advisors successfully.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?
One of the most rewarding parts is developing lasting relationships with clients and creating a personalized financial plan that allow each client to reach their financial goals and dreams. And a lot of those clients have become close associates and friends of mine. But what I really like is the flexibility and independence of the career, because while I am with Investors Group, I'm really the one accountable for my own success and career advancement, and I'm not limited by people ahead of me with more seniority.

What skills have you learned through your work experience?
For me, I actually started down the path of being a teacher and decided early on that it just wasn't right for me. Tenacity and perseverance are crucial when you first embark on your career path. A rocky start does not have to define your future success, and having a challenging start in the beginning allows you to discover what strategies create the biggest successes.

What do you think it takes to be successful in this career?
To be successful in this business, you need to be a driven self starter; personable ' someone who is able to develop a rapport easily; innovative so that you're able to build a client base through creative marketing strategies. An individual who exhibits a commitment to hard work, dedication, persistence and integrity. These qualities are crucial in the path to success in this field.

Is there one accomplishment you are most proud of to date?
Earning the 2009 and 2010 Presidents Club Award which recognized me as one of the top consultants with Investors Group in Canada based on new business. But what really brings me personal satisfaction is that people I met as clients have now become some of my closest friends.

What advice do you have for students looking to land their first job?
Pursue a career in the field that you're passionate about and one that will be both challenging and rewarding.
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