P r a c t i c e MANAGEMENT
Women Advisors at Commonwealth Discuss Gender in the Financial Industry Joni Youngwirth
In an issue dedicated to women and investing, we thought it appropriate to include a profile focusing on some of Commonwealth’s women advisors. Of our approximately 1,400 advisors, only 17 percent are female. How has being in the minority impacted their experiences in the industry and how they do business today? We posed these and other related questions to: • Louise Dodd and Nancy Olt, Women’s Financial Network, Bedford, Massachusetts • Holly Gallagher, Horizon Financial, Traverse City, Michigan • Gwen Gloeckner, Gloeckner Financial Group, Worthington, Ohio • Kristin Guibord, BDMP Wealth Management, Portland, Maine • Lisa Keaton, Capital Financial Planning, Smithtown, New York • Judy Redpath, VISTA Wealth Strategies, Reston, Virginia • Marta Shen, Spring Street Financial, Atlanta, Georgia • Sue Storey, Storey Financial Services, Nantucket, Massachusetts • Martha Wilcoxson, Commonwealth Financial Network®, Pueblo, Colorado
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For Broker/Dealer Use Only – Not For Use With The Public
Q&A Q: How did you get started in this industry? Shen: My family immigrated to the U.S. when I was six.
I was always protective of my parents and can remember acting as their translator from an early age. Growing up, I wanted to be an attorney to defend and help give the disenfranchised a voice, possibly to compensate for my upbringing. The reality of practicing law was different; I disliked the adversarial posturing and yearned for one-on-one interactions where I could make a positive impact on people’s lives. A friend suggested I would be a good financial advisor, so I answered a recruiting ad for American Express Financial Advisors. I’ve been hooked ever since. Redpath: I got started in this industry after a midlife
career change; my background was business consulting and high-tech consulting and sales. I had a clear vision from the beginning that my business would focus on comprehensive financial planning for select executives, professionals, business owners, and families, helping them protect, grow, keep, use, and distribute their assets wisely. I started my business in an insurance-based office, where I gained clients by networking, making cold calls, and leveraging business relationships. I earned the CFP® certification as soon as I could and joined the local FPA chapter, later serving on its board. Gloeckner: I worked in a bank during college, before
moving on to work for an insurance company and a broker/dealer in New York City. Pretty gutsy for a little girl from South Carolina! I admired the brokers I worked with and always desired to work with clients, but the situation I was in did not allow me to make that leap. When I had my first child, I stopped working for four years to be with her. When I was ready to go back to work, the advisor channel was an easy decision. My mantra was “build a business that could not be taken away from me,” so I chose Commonwealth. The rest is history, and I could not be happier.
November/December 2010