The Best Career Advice You've Ever Gotten: Advisors' Advice

2. The top lesson I learned was to always keep learning. This profession requires so much knowledge, and you always have to adapt as life changes, clients change, laws change, social media changes, etc. My mentor shared this with me early on, so I’ve always stayed up on reading, listening to podcasts, etc. so I am always [improving] for my clients. Never be comfortable. — Thomas Kopelman, Financial Advisor, RLS Wealth, Fishers, Indiana

3. My first boss was at Marriott HQ, in Bethesda, Maryland, when I was 15. She told me what she wanted me to do, explained why it was important, and how it would contribute, and then set me free, always acting as an open-door resource to come back with questions. She trusted me and gave me the leeway to create something of my own that I could be proud of. I wish every boss since then was like her, but alas, not the case. And I strive to lead this way for my clients and colleagues. — Catherine Valega, CFP, Green Bee Advisory, Winchester, Massachusetts

4. I worked on finance at Drexel Burnham, then tax consulting at KPM early in my career. My managing partners’ expectations of me were the same as they had for senior staff. I learned quickly to carry myself in the same manner: There were never excuses, only direct answers, we had to own the responsibility of our work, good and bad.

The more I was direct and communicated effectively, I had great success. It’s so important to work on communication skills in business and in everyday life. Get off your phones and devices, video games and group texts, and beef up on how to speak directly to clients and colleagues. Take some communication skills building and public speaking courses. Because of these experiences, I have fluid conversations in business without hesitation, and our clients, staff, vendors, etc., deeply appreciate it. — Ian M. Weinberg, CFP, Family Wealth and Pension, Woodbury, New York

5. I was working with a tough supervisor. My mentor Dave Sullivan (now of DGC) told me that if I learned to work well with everyone in the firm, I'd be a great businessperson and be able to work with anyone. That was a great piece of advice! — Daniel J. Flanagan, CFP, Canby Financial Advisors, Framingham, Massachusetts

6. Some of the best advice I’ve received is to get and mentor and/or join a mastermind group. It is so valuable to have like-minded individuals you share ideas and frustrations with early on in your career. It can reduce your stress and fear and motivate you to reach your goals with support along the way. — Haley L. Tolitsky, CFP, Cooke Capital, Carolina Beach, North Carolina

7. I created an advisory board to bring expertise, information, advice, quality and professionalism to my practice. Ideally, the board provides big-picture guidance: pinpointing potential pitfalls in my business and marketing plans, providing input for solutions to the ongoing problems that I will encounter and to make themselves available for the casual reality checks that I may need to fine-tune new ideas. I selected the best people from across eight disciplines (marketing, financial planning, management, law, etc.). The board meets semiannually. — Patrick Dougherty, CFP, Dougherty Wealth Management, Dallas

8. The best advice I was ever given was when I was 18 years old working for a major bank as a business systems analyst/liaison. A gentleman named Joe Vanella, in student loans, told me to “Never be embarrassed to ask a question. (that) the only dumb question is the one not asked. And if you’re wondering what the answer is, most likely, so is everyone else in the room and they don’t want to be the one to ask." — Michelle Petrowski, financial coach, CDFA, mediator, Being in Abundance, Phoenix