Finding your purpose

A new beginning inspires renewed purpose

For over 15 years, Jeff D. Perkins enjoyed a successful career in the pharmaceutical sales industry. But as time passed, he began questioning whether that was truly the field he was meant to be in. Searching for his next endeavor led him to realize that he could turn his love for economics into a career.

“I was always good at planning my own finances, so I thought, ‘What better way to spend the rest of my working life than helping people with their own, doing something I enjoy and making a living out of it?’”

Jeff consulted friends in the financial planning field, learning more about their day-to-day experiences and their approach to the business. One of those friends also happened to work at Raymond James. Jeff felt that Raymond James and its culture were the right fit for him, and he decided to enroll in the Advisor Mastery Program (AMP).

Although he had previously completed some sales training programs, they were nothing like his experience in AMP. Not only did the program teach him essentials about building a business, it also provided detailed lessons on things like time management and time blocking.

Jeff appreciated that the program allowed him to develop his own voice. “I loved that there was a sense of autonomy. They gave people the freedom to choose how to phrase things and how they wanted to build their practice. It was very clear that AMP, and Raymond James as a firm, let you be yourself while giving you a lot of big-picture wisdom.” Not only did Jeff apply the lessons he learned during AMP to his new role as an advisor, but he also drew on the knowledge he’d acquired throughout his pharmaceutical career.

He knew he could rely on his AMP mentor for guidance. “I would go to my mentor and ask questions like, ‘What would you do in this situation?’ His input was so valuable. Without it, I wouldn’t have been able to act with as much confidence and conviction.”

Since graduating from AMP, Jeff has acquired an ultra-high-net-worth client and plans to further establish his niche while continuing to refine his skills. His advice for aspiring advisors is to be flexible and open-minded.

“You can’t commit to an approach that doesn’t work, and you may have to try different ones until you find the one that resonates with you. I had to adjust on the fly, be versatile and try new things. It’s important to be open-minded and know that you certainly don’t have all the answers.”