Cosmetology school taught me things that turned out to be more transferable than I would have predicted: patience, precision, and how to make people feel at ease when they're not sure what comes next. I came back to financial services after that chapter with a clearer sense of what I was there for, and I've found I was better at the job for it.
What I do is keep the operation running. I open and process new client accounts, handle documentation that needs to move accurately and on time, support our advisors with follow-ups and problem resolution, and troubleshoot when things don't go as planned. I don't typically work directly with clients the way our advisors do, but I've come to understand that thorough behind-the-scenes work is what makes the client-facing work possible. When nothing slips through the cracks, when accounts are set up correctly, when questions get answered before anyone has to chase them down, advisors can stay focused on the conversations that matter. That's the standard I hold myself to.
I grew up in Shaler Township, a North Hills community just outside of Pittsburgh (named for a 19th-century judge, not for shale rock, in case you were wondering), and now live in the Mars/Valencia area. I've been married for 24 years, my husband is happily retired, and our daughter is 21 and working her dream job as a veterinary technician with Animal Friends, which the whole family couldn't be more proud of. On weekends, my husband and I are usually camping or out on our motorcycles, and our grand-furbaby Remi keeps the rest of our days interesting.