Q: Describe what the Edward Jones culture means to you.
The culture at Edward Jones is important for people to understand, because we build relationships with clients and their families. You get invited to do so many things because the family wants you to be there. You also build relationships with other Edward Jones associates; I have made friends with associates in Canada and England. You share a passion for what you do, but you also have the support. When I was a brand-new Financial Advisor, I was about to leave to make my face-to-face contacts when the phone rang with the news about the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Because my daughter was downtown, I couldn't leave until I heard from her. Then I got a call from a general partner at the home office in St. Louis, and I was so sure he was going to chew me out — "What are you doing at home? Why aren't you out there meeting people?" — but instead he told me to take care of my family. "Once your daughter is OK," he said, "call the people you know who work in the city, because someone out there would love to hear your voice. Take the emotion you have right now and call someone." That's exactly what I did, and that day went so well because I was able to touch so many people. I don't think I would have gotten that kind of compassion from the bank where I used to work. I think that is the culture at Edward Jones. Q: How important is it to have your branch office located in your community?
My mom lives with me because she has slow paralysis. She doesn't get out of bed on her own, and it is gradually getting worse. She loves the fact that I am working so close to home. When I worked in the city, I was commuting an hour and a half each way. Now I am at the office in less than 10 minutes. She loves the fact that if she has to go to the doctor or there is an emergency, I am right there. Every once in a while I bring her to the office, and she has so much fun just being here and seeing it. Q: What was the best part of your decision to move to Edward Jones?
My mom's reaction when I told her I was joining the firm: She was happy because she knew I was going to run a business. She knew that if she needed me to come home or take her to the doctor, I would be there for her. Even though someone is there to take care of her, every once in a while she'll say, "I'm making lunch," or, "Are you coming home?" Her upper body is very strong, and every now and then she loves to go into the kitchen. I also bring her to the office once in a while. There is no way I would go to another firm, because here I have the ability to set my own schedule. I can leave whenever I want to get her lunch or check up on her. Q: Describe what it's like to build a business.
In New York City, it can be difficult, and I have faced that difficulty. There is an elderly gentleman very close to my office, and I would constantly introduce myself, and he would constantly throw me out. He would say, "Get out! How many times am I going to tell you to leave?" Finally, one day I brought him coffee, and I said, "Guess what? You are not getting rid of me. I am Jamaican, I am here to stay, and I am not going away." He started to laugh. Before, he would say, "Why do you have to keep coming out here introducing yourself? You are not going to make any money." We laugh about it now, and he is a very good friend of mine and a client. Q: What do you feel are essential qualities for an Edward Jones Financial Advisor?
You need to be self-motivated. We can give you as much training as you want. You must have the passion and motivation for what you do; no one can give that to you. Success for me at Edward Jones is a journey. I am nowhere near where I know I am going to be, but the journey is really interesting and fun. I have so much more support here than with my former employer. I couldn't take vacations. I couldn't leave until everything was done. There was no start time and no end time. At Edward Jones, I can leave anytime I want. I know I can take Friday off and work on Saturday if I want to — I can set my own agenda. When someone is running for political office, how do you know that person? He or she is out and about, introducing himself or herself to the public. Politicians want to make sure you know them and what they stand for when you go to the polls. So I don't think it is unprofessional when I present myself in person to you. I think it is unprofessional to call people on the phone whom you've never met and expect to give them advice and invest their money with you. Q: Have you earned any incentive trips?
Yes, and as far as the diversification trips are concerned, I can tell you there is nothing better. We have gone to Hawaii three times in 18 months. We have gone to the Riviera Maya. We are planning a trip to Rome. The one that stands out in my mind, though, is when my daughter spent her 25th birthday hiking with us in Hawaii. My husband hates flying, but I persuaded him to take a helicopter ride over a volcano. He also loves the water, so if he could go to the Caribbean or Hawaii every day, he would do it. He loves the trips. Q: What sets Edward Jones apart from other firms?
The people who have joined Edward Jones and have gone through the support and the volunteerism say it is unbelievable. It is something we offer, and it is not mandatory. Right now I am helping to train a new female Financial Advisor. When she was assigned to me, she was in the middle of leaving, because being in New York was tough for her. I was able to point out different ways of doing things, because we have to be creative in some markets, and now she is doing awesome. I also am unofficially mentoring some people around the country. I just finished a visiting veterans class, and twice a week on a Sunday night, we have conference calls because I tell them we need to stay together. They still call me if they run into situations and I call them as well. We also have the EDGE (expectations, development, guidance and expertise) program, and I mentor through it. Even at my stage, the support is second to none because if I hadn't received support, I would not have been as successful as I am. When I started with Edward Jones as a branch office administrator, I took a cut in salary from my previous position because I knew that in a year I was going to have my own office. As I started to produce as a Financial Advisor, my salary started to creep up, but it wasn't until my third year that everything really started turn around for me. Q: Describe what it's like to work in a two-person office.
You are physically in an office with just you and an assistant, but you are never alone. The people in your region call you. You see people at a regional meeting or an event, so you build up that relationship with them. In addition, as you travel about the country, you meet other Financial Advisors with whom you feel a close relationship. Plus, you have the clients, so you are constantly on the phone or visiting with them. You are never alone. I am never bored. Q: Do you have any advice for other women who may be considering Edward Jones?
A Financial Advisor career can be hard, but it is really how you approach it. I find I do so much better as a woman because I am speaking from my heart, and that is what I get from clients in return. You do not come off as a broker. They are able to relate to me as a woman because I speak to their heart. I speak about their family and their desires. Q: What are your feelings about the Edward Jones business model?
The night before I made my first contacts, I drove around and said, "This is the area I am going to visit." I remember getting up early the next morning, but I was so nervous when I went back to that neighborhood that I just couldn't stop my car. I ended up at a garage where some guys were working. I walked in and said, "I am here to introduce myself," and they all started to laugh. I think that helped a lot because a bunch of guys, who I am normally nervous around anyway, were all laughing when I told them exactly why I was there. It made it a little easier for me to go back into the community. With Edward Jones, it is really important for us to go out and meet people face to face, because I know that when I go home and someone calls to sell me something, I'll hang up the phone if I can't place the face. This way you are really placing your face in front of them, and they know exactly who they are doing business with. Some people say, "You must really need the money to be out here," but I say, "How many times have you met your broker? You are probably just a number. Who are you investing your money with? You don't even know who it is, but here you will always see me, and you will always know that I am here."
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