In my early 20s, I laid out my vision and goals with my dad on a walk.
A few years later, I got the envelope in the mail.
My dream came true.
I was accepted to attend Harvard Business School.
It was the happiest day of my life.
When I got into HBS, I thought my life would be set.
- I would be successful in business, then the money would follow.
- I would find the man of my dreams at Harvard and
- Live happily ever after.
I lived in a little bubble for two years while at school.
- The economy was on fire,
- The Internet was creating new businesses, and
- Everything was awesome.
I was completely unaware of how difficult and competitive the real world was going to be after graduation.
I soon learned that HBS didn’t provide me:
- The shortcut I had expected.
- The experience I needed to be successful at work
- Quick money, and
- I certainly did not find a husband!
When I graduated in 2001, I accepted a job in my dream city of San Franciso at Goldman Sachs.
There was only one big problem. The dot com bubble crashed.
SF was a bust of a town.
Everyone was moving away.
I wasn’t sure what to do.
Instead, luckily a friend, a mentor from HBS reached out to me.
“Move to NYC and work for me in investment banking.” Thank you, Melissa Fisher.
I went where there was work, and it was time to go after what I wanted.
I wanted to work at a hedge fund, but I had no experience.
I asked HBS friend Yen Liow, “How do I prepare for hedge fund interviews?”
- "Start investing and pitch your investment thesis to funds," Yen told me.
- Read the book, Market Wizards by Jack D. Schwager.
(another great book is by Peter Lynch, One Up on Wall Street)
I met my husband a few months after I moved to NYC.
I got my dream job any guy would die for in 2003 at a hedge fund.
Luck, grit and connections had a lot to do with getting me where I am today.
But I also followed where the growth was.
Hedge funds were all the rage in the industry back then.
Whenever the economy tanks, it’s up to you to be resourceful and look for new areas of growth.
While there is always a bull market somewhere, true growth comes from your passion, purpose, and relentless drive.
Many times I come across folks who feel stagnant with their financial growth and more often, it’s because they don’t have an advisor. We all need a guide, a bit of luck and work towards something.
I’m a lucky girl running towards growth but I also had a wonderful network of bosses, mentors and friends from Harvard Business School.
I would love to be your financial guide, so please feel free to reach out to me.
Your Friendly Wealth Engagement Guide,
Tiffany Kent
Tiffany@wealthengagement.com
Disclosures: Past performance is not indicative of future results. This material is not financial advice or an offer to sell any product. The information contained herein should not be considered a recommendation to purchase or sell any particular security. Forward-looking statements cannot be guaranteed.
This commentary offers generalized research, not personalized investment advice. It is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a complete description of our investment services or performance. Nothing in this commentary should be interpreted to state or imply that past results are an indication of future investment returns. All investments involve risk and, unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Be sure to consult with an investment & tax professional before implementing any investment strategy. Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.