Kaela Eby
Kaela Eby is a seasoned Investment Client Services and Operations Expert with extensive experience in wealth management and financial services. She has been actively working in the investment industry since 2019 and currently serves as a Senior Client Services Associate at Mission Financial Planners, LLC, a position she has held since November 2024. Kaela is deeply committed to delivering “white glove” service, going far beyond administrative support to provide personalized guidance and compassionate assistance to clients during significant life events, including welcoming a new child, purchasing a first home, or coping with the loss of a loved one. Her client-centric approach ensures that clients feel supported, understood, and valued, with particular attention to those who may not have family nearby to provide support.
Prior to her transition into wealth management, Kaela built a strong foundation in customer service and financial operations working at credit unions that served prominent companies, including Valero, Tesoro, and NuStar. Seeking growth and new challenges, she moved into investment firms, where she combined her established client service skills with advanced knowledge in areas such as hedge funds, private credit, and private equity. Kaela’s career was shaped at Fundetto, where she spent nearly four years mastering client onboarding, relationship management, and operational excellence—experiences that instilled the organizational rigor and professional values she continues to apply today.
In her current role at Mission Financial Planners, LLC, Kaela operates as the sole support staff, managing the full spectrum of client services, including client communications, money movements, onboarding, transfers, marketing initiatives, event planning, and the creation of internal policies and job descriptions. This breadth of responsibility demands adaptability, precision, and a proactive mindset, qualities Kaela demonstrates daily. Beyond her professional achievements, she is committed to making a positive community impact through volunteer work with organizations such as the San Antonio Food Bank, Texas Diaper Bank, and Soldiers’ Angels, supporting initiatives in food security, child welfare, and community improvement. Kaela’s combination of expertise, dedication, and empathy ensures meaningful outcomes for both her clients and the communities she serves.
• Life Insurance License (2023)
• Notary Public
• DeVry University - AS, Business/Commerce, General
• Valor Never Alone (Mentor for single mothers)
• San Antonio Food Bank (Supporter)
• Soldiers' Angels (Supporter)
• Valor Never Alone - Mentor for single mothers in 6-month cohort program
• San Antonio Food Bank
• Texas Diaper Bank
• Fisher House Foundation
• Soldiers' Angels
• The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
• Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio
What do you attribute your success to?
I have the inspiration of my son, who has always been my drive or my why, but even beyond that, I just feel like I've always had this work ethic where I'm always giving it 100%. I'm always giving my best towards what I do, because that's what I would expect if I were in leadership. And I have been in leadership before, just not in my current role, but that's what I would want to expect from others, so that's kind of how I operate. I'm trying to push and give out the best quality work that I can as I'm doing my work.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Always be your own note-taker and document what you learn. Keep notes for yourself that can carry over to other firms, whether that's in OneNote or whatever method works for you. Write down the systems you use, the processes you learn, and the experiences you have. This becomes invaluable when you're switching firms or have time between jobs - you have those notes to go back to, and you can apply that knowledge to your resume. I learned to include the different programs and systems I've worked with on my applications, because firms always ask the same questions: What systems did you use? What CRM? What custodian did you work with? Just having that documented gives you a leg up, especially if you've already used software that another firm is considering or currently uses.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
First, I want you to know that while this field used to be very male-dominated, it's not as much anymore. There are more and more female advisors coming in, and more women building portfolios. If you're coming in as client services like I did, continue to advocate for yourself and the role you'd like to be in within finance and investments. Women tend to be in client services more than men, so keep advocating for what you want to grow into. Don't let any voices, even your own voice, talk you out of what you're trying to do. Walk into spaces with confidence - into interviews with confidence. Even if something doesn't work out, keep that confidence. And be your own note-taker. Document what you're learning, keep track of systems and processes, and understand your value within the organization. Write down everything - the systems you use, the CRMs, the custodians you work with - because you can carry that knowledge to other firms and it gives you a leg up. Sometimes just having that experience on your resume opens doors, because firms want to know you've already used the tools they're working with.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think the biggest challenge is navigating your trajectory when you're in a client services or client relationship role. Sometimes you can feel like you have a cap - like you're just client services, you're just client relations, even if you become a senior, and that's it. The struggle is figuring out what the next step is, especially when you work with boutique firms like I prefer, versus a Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, or JP Morgan. Even if you go to the big firms, it takes a lot longer to move up because it's a bigger company. So the challenge is: what's your next step if you want to stay in operations like I do? I'd like to move into Operations Management and train others, bring up others like my first operations manager did with me. But I feel like that's a big struggle, and I see it across all different firms - banks, big fish, little fish. It's about being seen that you can do more than client services, whether you want to build portfolios, become an advisor, or move into operations leadership. There's just a ceiling there, regardless of how long you've been in client services. Beyond career progression, there are also compensation challenges - a lot of firms want to pay experienced client services professionals less than they're worth, and there's a lot entailed in this job that should be compensated for. Benefits have also fallen off depending on the firm, probably due to economic climate, inflation, and companies just not wanting to pay.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are integrity, honesty, accountability, reliability, and trustworthiness. I believe in holding myself to high standards and being someone that both my firm and my clients can count on. It's important to me that clients know we genuinely care about them, not just because they have a portfolio with us, but because we truly want to support them through whatever they're going through in life.