What’s behind the lack of women in the industry and how we can get more in the ranks?
Frani Feit was happily married with two small children when tragedy struck. Her husband, David, died unexpectedly leaving her with no source of future income. She had worked in the public accounting and the actuarial/pension fields before she had children, but she knew she wanted an opportunity to control her own destiny and leverage her people skills. When asked about the “hurdles” she believed she had to address and overcome in her efforts to enter the financial advisor field, Feit said she felt intimidated by having to go out and do the “hard sell.”
“The ironic thing is that once I became comfortable with what I was doing, I realized that meeting with prospective clients wasn’t selling, but rather having a conversation,” said Feit, now a vice president of planning and investments at Summit, N.J.-based Candor Wealth Advisors. “I enjoy speaking with people and learning about their lives and dreams. I am then able to connect with them on many different levels.”
But in this industry, Feit’s story is more the exception, not the rule.
