Why I Became an Investment Advisor: Ben's Story

After I finished my Economic degree, I was looking for a way to work in finance while also being able to live out in the country. My Dad sent me a posting in the Olds Albertan for a maternity leave position, and I interviewed for the job the weekend after I graduated. Interestingly, I didn’t have a clue what the job entailed, but I was thrilled at the idea that I would have my own office and that my employer would pay for me to do as many licensing courses as I wished. After spending the year doing as many courses as I could, I was offered a full time role as an associate advisor and haven’t looked back since.

There are two things that I particularly love about my job. The first thing is that I have complete discretion over what I recommend to clients, and that there are new problems to solve every day of the year. I greatly appreciate having the autonomy in my job to do my best to find solutions for families at various stages in their lives. The second thing (and my favourite) is being able to help people and families navigate one of the most important aspects of their lives, which is the wealth that they have accumulated over the years. I am incredibly honored to be entrusted with such an important part of some ones life, and that trust is something that not only do I value, but I take extremely seriously. It is impossible to put into words the feeling of helping clients navigate their financial picture throughout the entirety of their lives.

While there are number of crucial aspects to this role such as education and professionalism, I think that the foundation to this career is simply giving the best possible advice. If you aren’t willing to put the client above all else, then you shouldn’t be in this business (and really, any business!). As I’ve already said, being entrusted with a persons life savings is one of the greatest honors that can be bestowed, and there isn’t a circumstance where I would ever put that in jeopardy.

*Photo of Ben from his first year in business, 2015

To learn more about Ben, read his bio on our team page here