Q: What did you do before joining Edward Jones?
A: I didn’t have any financial experience. I was a teacher and a high school basketball coach for 12 years.
Q: Did Edward Jones find you, or did you find them?
A: I was initially a client, and my Financial Advisor, Jim Pax, recruited me. Now he’s my regional leader and my friend, and I owe him a lot. That’s why I volunteer so often – I want to repay the good deed done for me. I also think about all of the people who helped me when I was going through the training. The support you receive is unreal. Because I came from an education background, I needed a lot of support, and I got it! Q: What was one of the first elements you enjoyed about a career with Edward Jones?
A: One of the things that drove me was just breaking the monotony. I hated knowing that I had to be in Room 15 in Hall C from 8:00 to 9:00, Monday through Friday – something that wasn’t going to change all year. So that freedom really caught my attention. Q: Aside from the freedom you have as a Financial Advisor, what other aspects of your life have changed?
A: I enjoy the opportunity and the difference between Edward Jones and anywhere else I’ve ever worked. The last time I updated my resume was when I came here nine years ago. I don’t even know where my old resume is anymore. One of the reasons I got into education was that I always saw one of the true measures of success as making a difference in somebody’s life. Jim Pax made that type of difference in my life. Things have changed tremendously in my life since I came to Edward Jones, initially as a client and now even more so as a Financial Advisor. Q: What do you think separates Edward Jones from the competition?
A: I interviewed with other firms before I came to Edward Jones. I wanted to see what other people sounded like, and what they were about. Since then I have been recruited actively by other firms. And there’s nothing that would compare to this opportunity. I have talked to friends who are brokers at banks or other firms who tell me, “You know, you’ve got a good deal – it’s hard for you to leave.” And there is nothing that a recruiter or a headhunter can tell me that will convince me it’s better on the other side of the fence. Q: What are your feelings about the Edward Jones selection process?
A: We want to create materials, brochures, videos and Web materials that will help people realize “this isn’t really for me.” Things have changed quite a bit since I was hired, as they will even more in the next 20. I think Edward Jones is doing a much more thorough job of screening and selecting the right folks to join our team. Senior Partner John Bachmann, who is a former managing partner, said, “We are trying to find individuals who we feel may be interested in the opportunity. And then we can find out whether they have the skills to do it.” I think we’re improving on that process every day.
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