Emily Falconer

I attribute my success to a lot of trial and error. Definitely figuring out what doesn't work before it does, but using that experience to then move forward and do less trial and error. That's really been the key for me - learning from what doesn't work and applying those lessons going forward.

I know it sounds a little cliche, but the best career advice I've ever received is that you should enjoy what you're doing, because we spend so much time doing it. If you're not enjoying what you're doing, or can't stand behind the cause that you're working for, then you should find something else, even if it's not as lucrative as something that you maybe don't like as much. It's really about finding fulfillment in your work.

It's a male-dominated industry, so my advice is to make it work for them in that environment. They need to do the things that fill them up and make sure that they prioritize themselves and what they need, so burnout doesn't happen. It's really important to take care of yourself in this field.

The biggest challenge right now is the uncertainty of the market. But when we look at it as far as an opportunity, the investment products that we create and design are very low risk compared to what else is out there in the financial industry. So there's a lot of opportunity to create a very stable financial future, even though the external environment may not be as stable as one would like. There's so much uncertainty these days, but we're positioned to help people navigate that.

The values most important to me in both work and personal life are integrity, communication, and ownership. These three values guide everything I do, both professionally and personally.