Q: What were you doing before you joined Edward Jones?
A: I was in international sales working in the Middle East. I sold petrochemicals in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Kenya for 10 years. Q: What made you decide to pursue another career?
A: After having children, I wanted to be closer to home, and the travel wasn’t fun anymore. I found myself in Cairo, Egypt, one day with two children, and it just wasn’t what I wanted anymore. It wasn’t fun. My heart was not in it. Q: Did you find Edward Jones, or did they discover you?
A: My broker, Barb Ostby, was actually with Edward Jones in Palo Alto. I always had so much respect for her and the way she treated me. So I had thought if I was going to go into a business, that’s the one I would like to join. It’s a funny thing, because when I met her, she actually tried to recruit me. When I met with Barb for my annual portfolio review, I told her I was ready for a change. Her eyes got really big and she said, “You mean you’re ready to join us now?” She had an application right there, and the rest is history. Q: How long was the training period, and how would you describe it?
A: The initial training period was two months, plus field training, so about four months all together. It was excellent training. They take you from A to Z. This was totally different from being in petrochemical sales. With Edward Jones, it’s all about the client. In my prior experience, the customer knew what he or she wanted; all I needed to do was get the right price for the product. This was different – this was about people, about their lives. The training was incredible, from the mentors to the field trainer. It was awesome. It was the best experience I’ve ever had. Q: Was the training difficult?
A: Yes, it was. In fact, my first two years were a blur – new experiences and lots of hard work. You have to know what you’re working for, and as long as you can envision it, you’re going to be successful. You just have to roll up your sleeves and get into it. Q: When did you first sense that your career with Edward Jones was becoming a success?
A: I was downtown visiting one of my clients, a female business owner, and she said, “Cyndy, I’m just going to give it all to you.” I was a little taken aback, and I asked, “Ingrid, why?” She said, “Because you’re young, you’re female, you’re out here doing what I haven’t seen anybody else out here doing, and for some reason I trust you.” That was my first real Edward Jones success story. Q: What kind of effect does an experience like that have on you?
A: It gives you the momentum to keep going. It helps affirm that the training you’re provided with really works. All I did was follow their direction. You need that structure, but it’s also about that relationship between you and the client. When you work in financial services and someone gives you money, it’s a special bond. That positive experience really helped me take my training and apply it to fit to my personality and community. Q: What do you feel are essential qualities for an Edward Jones Financial Advisor?
A: You need to have passion and an entrepreneurial spirit. Edward Jones gives you all the tools to succeed in this business, but you need the passion to go out and build the business. I think that successful Financial Advisors at Edward Jones have that passion, and they want to help people. When I get up in the morning, I ask myself, “Who am I going to help today?” Q: Do you see yourself doing this for the rest of your career?
A: Yeah, this is it. I did not anticipate when I joined Edward Jones that I would want to do this forever. But it’s not just a job. It’s a lifestyle and a career. My family loves it. It works for them, and it works for me. This is the only job I see myself doing. Q: What specific aspects of your career does your family like?
A: Edward Jones is very family-oriented. Whenever you earn a trip, you have the option to include your family. Many of the regional functions also include families. In addition, with my office so close to home, I can see my family anytime I want, and they appreciate that a lot. Before, I was thousands of miles away. And my kids, they’re totally Edward Jones boys – they’re my best little advertisers. They tell everybody, “You need to go see my mom.” My little one was at preschool finger painting. Most kids were drawing flowers and dinosaurs, and what does my child draw? A big credit card. He can’t write yet, but he said to me, “Mom, this says Edward Jones on the top of it.”
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