Her Story
About Yesmin
I've been in the financial field for about 14 years. Right after college, I started as a banker at Wells Fargo, which is where I began my financial career. After a couple of years there, I was hired at a local firm called Public Financial Management as an operational analyst, and then moved into an investment accountant role for that firm. A couple of years later, I joined my current company, Sageworth Private Trust Company, as an investment operations officer, where I've been for the past 8 years. In my current role, I concentrate on private equity, which is my main area of focus. I work with reconciliation, making sure all the accounts are in line, researching financial matters like amortization and specific securities that are posted or not, and dealing with different private equity transactions that go through every week, including capital calls, distributions, and valuations that are posted for specific funds on a quarterly or monthly basis. I make sure our reports have the most correct information. One of my most notable achievements has been seeing the tremendous growth in our private equity portfolio. When I first started 8 years ago, we had only 6 funds, and now we're at probably 30-ish funds, with the whole investment pool growing to a few hundred millions.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Yesmin
01What do you attribute your success to?
I want to make sure the world is a better place for the next generation. I want to make sure my children and the future generation has a better place to explore and build their career. Basically, helping this world to become a better spot for the future generations is what drives me.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
I think the best career advice is that you just have to take a chance. Even if it doesn't sound right sometimes, you have to go explore and look at it yourself. I remember when I was in my previous company and I was going to interview for my current company, a lot of people were skeptical of me going to that interview. But I just committed to the interview, so I had to go explore myself. I feel like if you don't go explore it yourself and try to learn the things you need to learn, you'll never be making decisions. You just really have to put yourself out there to experience it. So I think be open-minded for any opportunity that comes along the way, and see if it is gonna work. Give it a shot.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I say just go. People sometimes get intimidated from what people say, what others will say, and try to put you down. Just ignore all that, and follow what you think is the right thing to do. And be true to yourselves.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Being a woman, and also a woman of color, I definitely faced many challenges where maybe people didn't have the faith that I was the right person for a certain job. I really had to push through, and be confident, and do what I needed to do, and basically ignore all the negative energy around me. In terms of opportunities, I think there's still a lot of places people can improve in, for sure. The company I'm in is doing pretty good - the ratio between man and woman is very close, like maybe 48% to 50%. But I think there's still a lot that can be done everywhere, where we have more opportunity for new ideas and whatnot.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I think helping the community and helping the people we work for is my most important moral that I follow. Wherever I'm gonna go, if I'm not helping my surrounding, if I'm not making something better, there's nothing. If I'm not doing that, what am I doing?
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