Q: What did you do before you came to Edward Jones?
A: Prior to Edward Jones, I was working with IBM as a financial analyst. I was there for five years. But I felt like a number. I never got the opportunity to express myself. I was recruited by one of the large brokerage firms, where I worked for a short period of time in a private client group. They indicated that I was going to be running my own business. I would be my own boss. I would be in control of my destiny. That could not have been further from the truth. But I made the most of the situation and grew my business. And then I was recruited by an Edward Jones Financial Advisor.
Q: How did you happen to meet the Financial Advisor who recruited you?
A: I had been competing for investment business in a community called Morgan Hill, and he happened to have his Edward Jones office there. He told me that each time he went to a prospect’s house or a business, he would hear my name mentioned by people whom I had prospected. So he called me up and said, “Mark, everywhere I go I see your card, I hear your name. I want you to come join Edward Jones.” I saw him as my competition. My thought was, “I’m going to get that guy. I’m going to get business from him.” Little did I know he was also after me. But he came after me with a job at Edward Jones. Q: Based on what he told you, what did you think about the opportunity at Edward Jones?
A: Well, at first I was a skeptic. The fact was, I had built a very good business at my previous firm, and I had no idea who Edward Jones was. In fact, I went into my district manager’s office and told him there was a gentleman from Edward Jones trying to recruit me. I remember the look on his face and his response: “Who is trying to recruit you? You don’t want to go to that little boutique firm.” So I thought, “OK,” and I stayed where I was for another three to six months. Meanwhile, the Edward Jones Financial Advisor called me religiously. I finally logged onto the firm’s Web site, and the philosophy that Edward Jones had in terms of how they treat their clients, their investment philosophy, everything from the ground up just appealed to me. That’s when I first started seriously considering Edward Jones. Q: You had financial services experience, so what was your training like?
A: Training at Edward Jones is completely different from what I experienced at other places. They start you out from the ground level. They train you before you even produce one dollar of revenue. They put a lot of emphasis on training, because there’s a lot of risk for the firm. They put a lot of money out, and they want to make sure you succeed. At my previous firm, we worked and then received the training. But it’s much better to get the training first so when you meet new clients, you feel more comfortable and at ease with them. I’ve seen several firms’ training programs and curriculums, and Edward Jones has the best training program hands down – the best training program out there. Q: How has your life changed since you began your career with Edward Jones?
A: I have more freedom to spend time with my family and do things I want to do. I didn’t have the freedom (at the previous company) to run my own business, and that’s really what I wanted. And when I joined Edward Jones, they gave me the opportunity to offer clients whatever is appropriate for them. I was finally able to do what I wanted to do – to help the community and spend more time with the family. That’s the kind of freedom I always wanted. The difference between today and where I was a few years ago is amazing. Q: What would you say to someone who thinks the Edward Jones opportunity sounds too good to be true?
A: It comes down to you, the individual, wanting to succeed. Edward Jones will give you the tools. They will give you the support – everything you need to build a successful business. But that one catalyst for success lies within you. You need to make sure you’re the right fit and that you utilize the tools you’re given. If you can go out there and do the work necessary to build a successful business, you’re going to be successful. Q: Is it safe to say the training is tough?
A: I’ve seen a lot of people come and go through this industry. There’s a lot of work involved, and it’s not that easy to go up to a stranger’s door and introduce yourself, saying, “Hey, this is what I do.” It requires a lot of work to build a solid base of clients, to be in the community meeting people. You have to have that gumption – that fire in your stomach, if you will – to do this kind of work. If you just hang up a sign on your front door that says, “I’m open for business,” it’s not going to happen. I always tell clients that when I was building my business, I wore out a lot of shoes. There will be good days, but there are going to be a lot of bad days. But as long as you keep chiseling away at that big piece of rock, that piece of rock is going to become a beautiful statue.
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