This month’s spotlight is on Jessie Schlanderer. Jessie is a wealth advisor and a key member of our investment team.
Can you explain your dual roles at the firm? What do you do in each key role and what about it do you enjoy most?
I am both an Investment Analyst and Wealth Advisor here at SWMG. In the analyst role, I work with the rest of our Investment Team to build and run our portfolio strategies. I also review and rebalance our clients’ accounts to make sure they’re staying on track. I’ve always been a detail and numbers person (everyone here knows I love a good spreadsheet), so I like being able to use my math background and find ways to filter through the news and data so we can efficiently manage accounts. That said, I really enjoy putting on my Advisor hat to use my knowledge of the inner workings of our clients’ accounts to help them work toward their goals. I love being able to translate all the financial jargon, which for some reason not everyone loves, into something that’s easier to understand—or at the very least to give clients peace of mind that their money is in good hands, and confidence that they are on track to meet their goals.
What community organizations / volunteer opportunities are you currently involved in? What do these organizations do and what is your role?
The two I am most involved with are the Women’s Exchange of Washtenaw (WXW) and United Way for Southeastern Michigan’s Emerging Philanthropists (EP), both of which I first became involved with back when I was working/living in Ann Arbor. WXW is a networking group where women business leaders can collaborate and support each other with their goals, struggles, and triumphs. We also socialize quite a bit through events and workshops. Our Annual Forum is coming up on October 30th and SWMG is a sponsor! Many are familiar with the United Way, but back in the day I helped revamp our Emerging Philanthropists division, which is a group of young leaders looking to build their involvement in the philanthropic and non-profit arena. I also recently joined the Women’s Leadership Alliance (WLA) Ambassador Community, which strives to connect and empower women specifically in the financial advising profession.
What are a couple of important lessons have you learned while working at SWMG?
One that I’ve gotten better at, but am always working on, is delegation. I have always prided myself on being able to handle everything myself without asking for help, but I’ve learned that this approach makes it near impossible to sustain and grow a career. Luckily, we have a great team here to lend support in different ways, making it easier to focus on my own lane. Along that same vein, I think my time management skills have become sharper here while juggling my roles.
If you weren’t working in the wealth management field, what do you think you would have done instead?
I probably would have tried to stay on the actuary track, which was what I was studying at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor before I decided to work in finance. Realistically, I think I would have become bored of that and pivoted to something more creative—when I was younger, I wanted to be an interior designer. Now, I think it would be fun to do some sort of event planning. These roles still involve some math and planning, right?
What is something that clients might be surprised to learn about you?
I crochet! I grew up learning how to needlepoint from my grandma, and then in college my friend/roommate taught me how to crochet. I mostly like making scarves and blankets for gifts; every once in a while, I will venture into other patterns. Lately there have been a lot of wedding and baby blankets among my friend group. My yarn stash is out of control. Another fun fact: I am the reigning champion of Gilmore Girls trivia, as put on by Rock Paper Scissors in Ann Arbor. I’m currently on Season 4 of my annual re-watch. I’m staunchly Team Logan, of course.
Disclosure
*Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product (including the investments and/or investment strategies recommended or undertaken by Stephens Consulting, LLC, doing business as Stephens Wealth Management Group (SWMG), or any non-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in this newsletter will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the content may no longer be reflective of current opinions or positions. Moreover, you should not assume that any discussion or information contained in this newsletter serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Stephens Consulting.
Please remember that if you are a SWMG client, it remains your responsibility to advise us, in writing, if there are any changes in your personal/financial situation or investment objectives for the purpose of reviewing/evaluating/revising our previous recommendations and/or services, or if you would like to impose, add, or to modify any reasonable restrictions to our investment advisory services. To the extent that a reader has any questions regarding the applicability of any specific issue discussed above to their individual situation, they are encouraged to consult with the professional advisor of his/her choosing.
SWMG is neither a law firm nor a certified public accounting firm and no portion of the newsletter content should be construed as legal or accounting advice. A copy of SWMG’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available for review upon request. Links are being provided for information purposes only. SWMG is not affiliated with and does not endorse, authorize, or sponsor any of the listed websites or their respective sponsors. SWMG is not responsible for the content of any website or the collection or use of information regarding any website’s users and/or members. Important Disclosure.
Please Note: Stephens Wealth Management Group does not make any representations or warranties as to the accuracy, timeliness, suitability, completeness, or relevance of any information prepared by any unaffiliated third party, whether linked to SWMG’s website or newsletter or incorporated herein and takes no responsibility for any such content. All such information is provided solely for convenience purposes only and all users thereof should be guided accordingly.