Jennifer Conway

I hold myself to the highest expectations and put so much internal pressure on myself to succeed. Throughout my 20 years with a quota, I always blew that number out - I didn't even look at the quota. If you're doing something you like, you love, and you're good at, you don't need a quota, just go. Don't stop at a number, just go and be the best you can be. I also figured out how to simplify complex topics like 401Ks so I could sell them in days instead of months. I made it simple to understand, uncovered the need, and found value to the client instead of overcomplicating things. When it comes to coaching, I care about the people I work with - I absolutely love these people and want to better them. I get in and get dirty with them, doing one-on-one private lessons, watching videos, making tweaks, and doing joint calls with them. The way I coach is just like teaching tennis - I work with people weekly and tell them what to work on and how to do it.

Don't be intimidated. When I first came on, I was on a team of 8 men and I was the only woman, and I would say don't be intimidated, don't accommodate it, just go for it. I don't know if this generation is different - I have a daughter and she's pretty bold, so I sure hope that other young females are bold like that. I would also say don't limit yourself. Stretch yourself, keep learning, keep pushing. There are always forks in the road, and if it doesn't feel right, you can make another decision. Let's pivot, let's keep going and believe in yourself. Hold yourself to the highest expectations of yourself and be proud of yourself. If you're doing something you like, you love, and you're good at, you don't need a quota, just go. Don't stop at a number, just go and be the best you can be.

I feel very fortunate and very lucky - I'm a lucky mom, I'm a lucky wife, and I am successful in my career. I work very hard and have a lot of energy, but I also try to instill that and put two good human beings out in the world. The thing I hear women saying is women either being all-in on their career or all-in on their family, but I won the lottery - I figured out how I could do both. It's hard to do both, and sometimes you want to take on more at work and sometimes you want to be more present with your kids, but I never really felt like I missed out on either. I caught both. My marriage is important too - my husband Kevin and I have been married 20 years, and we've lifted each other up repeatedly. We don't have any family here locally, but we figured it out, and I couldn't have done it without him. We figured out how to make it work as a team. When it comes to the people I coach, I care about these people, I absolutely love these people, and I want to better them. If they're not coachable and not open to coaching, I can't do my job.