Advice from Jennifer...

Purpose, Ethos, Confidence

What are some keys to success? For me, some keys to success are working hard to pursue what is important to you and learning how to develop good relationships in all areas of your life.
What does success look like to you? Success is enjoying all aspects of your life: family, friends, work and personal passions/hobbies.
What’s the most effective daily habit you possess? The most effective daily habit I possess is starting the day with a positive attitude.

Social-Communication Skills, Advocacy, Empathy, Connection, Kindness

How would you describe good communication? Good communication is listening effectively and being able to clearly articulate your thoughts (whether it is in a conversation or on paper). The key thing is to not only make sure you are understood, but to also make sure that you are constantly seeking to understand the other person.
How can I better communicate what is important to me? Sometimes I find that writing things down helps me understand the key points of what I want to communicate and the best way to communicate those points. For example, even in a business meeting that is a conversation (vs. a presentation), I will still write down what is important for me to communicate in that meeting. This allows me to become more thoughtful about how I present my ideas and points of view -- and even edit how I would like to say certain points. This can even work when there is something important that needs to be communicated to a friend or family member. Writing things down first can help you at least organize your thoughts.
How important is kindness in business and/or life? Kindness is extremely important in both business and other areas of life. In business and life in general, you will need to interact with people and being kind makes those interactions more successful and enjoyable. In business, being able to work with others on a team is key to reaching many business goals. Kindness is needed in for a good, productive team environment.
How important is listening in business and/or life? Listening is extremely important in both business and in other areas of life. In business, listening allows me to clearly understand others’ points of view and often times continued collaboration and listening leads to even better ideas. I also strive hard to always listen to my husband and son so that I understand how they are feeling and if they need something.

Advice from Nicole...

Resilience, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking

Was there a time you messed up and felt like you’d failed? With owning a business, I feel like I am failing all the time! The best way to learn in business is to try something and then course correct when you aren’t successful.
How did you bounce back? The reality of owning a business means that I am solely dependent on how hard I am willing to work. Every day I have to figure out how to make a dollar, and then turn that dollar into a hundred dollar and then thousands of dollars. There is no time to hide in a business. Even on the hardest days, I allow myself some time to fret or be sad, and then I have to get up and try again. I remind myself that I don’t want to work for anyone else - that is usually motivation enough!
What did you learn by failing? Failing often teaches you more than success. I try to look at failure as learning lessons and not a disaster. You do….you learn…..you assess….and then you go again.

Purpose, Ethos, Confidence

What are some keys to success? Give yourself permission to design the life you want to live Create your own opportunities; don’t wait for them to come to you Have the courage to ask for help.
What does success look like to you? To me, success looks like total autonomy with my time and finances so I have the ability to travel, spend time with family, volunteer in the community and pursue passion projects.
What’s the most effective daily habit you possess? Each day I try to do the following: Give, Get, Grow….. Give (give of my time or resources to a charity or community), Get (more organized, more focused in my business, get stuff done - this is the “work” in my day), and Grow (read or listen to a podcast that will help me to become a better version of myself each day)

Social-Communication Skills, Advocacy, Empathy, Connection, Kindness

How would you describe good communication? Good communication can be conveyed through words and through physical reactions. Paying attention to word choice and realizing that in this age of electronic communication, texts and emails can often be misunderstood because there is no personal connection. In business, I do try to communicate via email so there is always a paper trail! You never know when you have to remind someone what they say!
How can I better communicate what is important to me? When we are comfortable in our own skin, it is easier to communicate what is important to us. It is often when we are operating in self-doubt or insecurity that we don’t convey how we are really feeling or what we really want to do. As you age, you realize what matters and what should absorb your emotion and attention.
How important is kindness in business and/or life? I think kindness is very important in life and business. When we are kind we are more likely to listen to others, to show empathy and to focus on what matters. Social media has allowed our culture to not always be kind because we can hide behind the screen. I try very hard to be kind without compromising my own self-worth and value.
How important is listening in business and/or life? We live in a world where there is a lot of noise but we don’t always take the time to listen. We talk in sound bites and from polarized political and social positions. If we took the time to really listen, society would be more compassionate. In business, you should talk less, and listen more. Your clients will tell you everything you need to know if you just listen!

Exuberance, Self Expression

Where do you find inspiration? I find a lot of inspiration through travel - I love being in a different culture or country. Even going to cities in the USA is a great education. We don’t all live, speak, eat and feel the same things. You can find a lot of inspiration in architecture, landscapes, food, culture and art. I also listen to a lot of podcasts, which offer a lot of inspiration for business.
Who are your role models? My role models are successful entrepreneurs who value travel and life experiences. I am also inspired greatly by my parents who have given my sister and me the gift of travel, family experiences, and the importance of being together.
What makes you happiest? Spending time with my family (I love our tradition of Sunday Night Dinner at my parents house) Any time I can get a new stamp in my passport - travel makes me incredibly happy. I have friends all over the world and I think that is an amazing gift.
What do you know how to do that you teach others? I know how to create my own opportunities and to make big asks. I also am a decent cook so I can teach you a thing or two in the kitchen!
If you could travel back in time, what advice would you give your kid self? Seek out the path less traveled - follow your heart to pursue a vocation that makes your heart sing - start moisturizing when you are in middle school!

Financial Literacy, Service

What advice can you give about “want vs need”? Ask yourself - if I want this now, will I also want this in 1 week, 1 month or 1 year? Want is a spur of the moment decision that often leads to unnecessary clutter. What you need is very minimal to what you want. Making your own money is a great education into what you want vs need.
What should I know about money responsibility? You should always pay yourself before you spend on yourself; meaning you should always put ⅓ of your money into a savings account. You also have to always have enough money in an emergency account so that you can leave a job, a relationship or situation when you want to. You don’t need a fortune but never let money be the reason you have to stay - especially in a relationship!
How does your company give back? I am very involved in the community: Board of Trustee, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of San Diego Board of Director, Home Start, Inc. (a child abuse prevention agency) Board of Governors, University Club San Diego Crisis Interventionist, San Diego Police Dept.
How can I be smart for my future? Surround yourself with people that will rise you up not knock you down Follow your heart - in love, work and home Give yourself permission to design the life YOU want to live; not the life your family, friends or coworkers want you to live What is the most rewarding thing you have ever done helping others? I’ve been fortunate to be a college professor for the past 10 years. It is very rewarding to work with students and to help them find inspiration in their work and life. I also think it is a privilege to serve on nonprofit boards because we can make a big impact for those that need extra support.

Conservation

How does nature affect your job? We are the stewards of the earth and we are only renting it from the next generation. It is our job to reuse, renew and recycle! How can businesses do more for our planet? We can cut down on unnecessary waste and give more thought as to how our actions are impacting the global climate crisis.

Literacy

What is your favorite children’s book? I loved The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.
What lesson did you learn and how does this help you in your life? It offers important lessons about giving and taking - we can’t always be giving without getting something in return, and we can’t always taking. It illustrates how easy it is to deplete yourself without boundaries and how selfish it is to always be asking and taking. The Giving Tree reminds me that balance is important and although we should be willing to always help others, we must do so with moderation so we remain happy too. We can’t become unhappy at the cost of others.

Advice from Stein...

Resilience, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking

Was there a time you messed up and felt like you’d failed? Yes, last week In a meeting with a government official. He got upset by something I said.
How did you bounce back? First I stopped, left some space (took a neutral to modest position for the rest of the meeting), and gave myself time to think about it after the fact. The next day I assessed the situation, possible consequences, and how best to fix or at least contain it.
What did you learn by failing? If you're pushing the boundaries, you're bound to fail. Learn to recognize it when it happens, learn to back off, learn to leave yourself some space (sometimes a day or two) to properly assess what happened and determine how to move forward.

Purpose, Ethos, Confidence

What are some keys to success? Finding opportunity. Changes in life happen. Obstacles appear. Learn to find hidden opportunities in challenges and disruptions.
What does success look like to you? Personal success: Getting on a path to financial stability. Finding purpose and meaning in life. Living positively.
What’s the most effective daily habit you possess? Take care of my body and mind.

Social-Communication Skills, Advocacy, Empathy, Connection, Kindness

How would you describe good communication? Understanding the interlocutor(s), and understanding their reaction as you communicate with them.
How can I better communicate what is important to me? Pay attention to others. What drives them and what is their life view? What do they have to say and what are their beliefs? How might your message dovetail into their worldview? How best to reach them? And if you feel like you cannot reach them, then don't try -- it will just make both of you miserable. Just stick to exchanging niceties, or just let them talk.
How important is kindness in business and/or life? What you put out to the world comes back to you. Also, you spend a lot of time at work, and so do others; might as well make it a pleasant experience. Having said that, this doesn't mean you should not be discerning with people. But once you know the true nature of a person, you have a better understanding of how to deal with them -- or to just avoid them.
How important is listening in business and/or life? See above.

Exuberance, Self Expression

Where do you find inspiration? In the outdoors, in nature.
What do you know how to do that you teach others? Wireless technology, technology strategy.

Financial Literacy, Service

What advice can you give about “want vs need”? Only want what you need. Set yourself up so you need just a little.
What should I know about money responsibility? It’s your responsibility to save for your future self and to work towards a job that will pay enough to sustain you.
How does your company give back? Through charitable giving, supporting volunteering, and matching volunteering giving.
How can I be smart for my future? Plan for your future self as if it were another person who will inherit what you have -- your finances, your body, your situation. Be kind and caring to your future self.
What is the most rewarding thing you have ever done helping others? Any form of help is rewarding.

Conservation

How can businesses do more for our planet? Having shareholders and public opinion put pressure on companies to show care for our planet.

Advice from Wyatt...

Resilience, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking

Was there a time you messed up and felt like you’d failed? Yes, getting let go from one of my first jobs after graduate school.
How did you bounce back? I took the time to figure out what I truly wanted. I realized that the job that I was in was not the right job for me and that getting let go freed me to pursue what i truly wanted. I mapped out a plan on how to get what I wanted and how to execute on that plan. Success most often requires a plan!!!
What did you learn by failing? Nothing is permanent - neither success or failure.

Purpose, Ethos, Confidence

• What are some keys to success?
• Persistence
• Integrity
• Intellectual curiosity
• Hard work
• A bit of luck
  

What does success look like to you? If one measures success by how much money is in the bank, one will never be successful because there are always others with a lot more in the bank than you.
Success Happy and well rounded family Loyal husband and devoted father Reputation of integrity and honesty Knowing that I never given up in my pursuit of my dreams and goals
What’s the most effective daily habit you possess? I don’t have a daily habit but I probably should. I should focus daily on being more grateful.

Social-Communication Skills, Advocacy, Empathy, Connection, Kindness

How would you describe good communication? Pick up the phone and talk with people. Don’t equate emails to communication. Effective communication can only achieved through spoken words and verbal communication.
Be transparent. People quickly figure out hidden agendas and once you have lost the trust, it is very hard to earn it back. When you are transparent, people may not like what you have to say but they can’t be mad.
How can I better communicate what is important to me? Effective communication is an on-going evolution and one never masters the skill. Each person is different and thus, there are millions of different ways to communicate. Don’t forget that.
To be a more effective communicator, I try to stop before I speak and think about what I am going to say and how the other person may hear my words.
How important is kindness in business and/or life? Unfortunately, in our modern world, kindness has increasingly become lost. It is too easy to fire off an email. It is lot harder to pick up the phone or tell someone the same thing in person.
Kindness is important because relationships still matter. Your career will be defined by your relationships and not by the money that you make. If you don’t wake up every morning try to do the right thing every day, then success will be fleeting and hollow. Part of doing the right thing is trying to treat everyone with respect and kindness though I will admit it is not always easy.
How important is listening in business and/or life? If you can’t listen, you can’t be successful. Warren Buffett, arguably the greatest investor of all time, has the 75/25 rule. You should listen 75% of the time and talk 25% of the time. If you don’t listen, you can’t learn and if you can’t learn, success is hard to come by.

Exuberance, Self Expression

Where do you find inspiration? Watching younger people around me discover their own success through hard work and determination.
Who are your role models? I dont have one role model. I take inspiration from bits and pieces of many people. For example, my wife is my role model for how to be kind to each other. I have other role models in the investment industry. I have others that are symbols of persistence.
What makes you happiest? Happy family, without question.
What do you know how to do that you teach others? As an investor, it is my job to put together a complex situation into an organized puzzle that can be boiled down into a few key points/issues. That is not always easy. I try to teach others to simplify things and not over-analyze things. It is impossible to predict the future so you often have to rely on your gut instinct. Your gut instinct will be right more often than naught.
If you could travel back in time, what advice would you give your kid self? Be patient. Your career is a marathon, not a sprint. Sprinters tire easy. Marathoners pace themselves and understand the prize takes time. Those who put short-term gains ahead of long-term gains very rarely succeed.

Financial Literacy, Service

What advice can you give about “want vs need”? We actually “need” very little - a roof over our head, food to feed ourselves and the love of others around us. Everything else is “want”. It is okay to “want” but it is important not to confuse the difference between “need” and “want.” When one confuses the two, it is very tough to be happy and content because you will always “want” more. The more that you “want”, the less happy you will be.
What should I know about money responsibility? Learn the power of compounding. A dollar today is worth more than a dollar tomorrow. If you invest a dollar today and return 6% per annum, that dollar will be worth $5.75 in 30 years. Invest that same dollar in 15 years and it will only be worth $2.40 in 30 years.
Wealth is created over long periods of time through hard work and dedication.
Never use debt for anything that can be consumed or declines in value over time.
How does your company give back? My wife and I donate 5% of our income to charity.
How can I be smart for my future? Dont be afraid to ask for help. People want to help people who are intellectually curious and ask lots of questions.
What is the most rewarding thing you have ever done helping others? Giving time. Giving money is easy. Giving time is harder. Nothing is better seeing the smile on someones face when you have made a difference.

Conservation

How does nature affect your job? I have seen a major transformation over the past 10 years where corporations are taking their environmental responsibility more seriously. There is still a long way to go but progress is being made.
My investors increasingly do not want me to invest in companies that are poor stewards of the planet. ESG investing is the hot word today.

How can businesses do more for our planet? Aligning management with specific environmental goals. For example, a CEO of a manufacturer of plastic is tasked with making money for his investors yet he is not compensated for developing more environmentally friendly plastics or packaging.
The shareholders need to hold the boards and management teams accountable so that their interests are aligned with the values held by the shareholders.

Literacy

What is your favorite children’s book?
I Love You Forever
What lesson did you learn and how does this help you in your life? Never forget where you came from and those who have helped you through your life. There will come a time where you will be called upon to return the favor.