Recognizing potential
Raymond James gives advisors the support they need to thrive
Financial advisors can have a wide range of unique backgrounds, like having overseen 21 retail locations for a Fortune 500 company. That’s what Jeri Richard did before she transitioned into financial services. Starting in retail operations during high school, she honed her people skills with individuals from all walks of life, working her way up to district manager. But after eight years, she was ready for a change.
“I got to a point where I was burnt out and felt that the company I was working for was not moving in a direction I was comfortable with. I went back to school with the intention of exploring law. It was during that time when I made a friend who worked in a Raymond James branch.”
The branch where Jeri’s friend worked was hiring for an operations role. Given her background and skillset, she was an ideal candidate. After meeting with the team, she secured the position. From the beginning, Jeri’s team fostered a sense of comradery, involving her in the process of running their practice and motivating her to pursue a career in financial planning.
Their encouragement led Jeri to earn her Series 7 within the first year of joining Raymond James and to later enroll in the Registered Associate Mentoring Program (RAMP), a one-year program designed to help registered associates explore the transition to financial advisor.
While participating in RAMP, Jeri learned about the Advisor Mastery Program (AMP) at the 2016 Women’s Symposium. She was convinced that AMP was the right fit for her once she attended the program’s breakout session and spoke with advisors about their experiences in the program. After discussing the benefits with her team, Jeri decided to sign up.
“AMP blew my mind from the first home office visit. You receive a lot of support for a very long time in the beginning of your career, which you just don’t find anywhere else. The runway and guidance Raymond James offers is different from anything else I’ve heard of or seen, and it was crucial in helping me transition to the advisor side of things.”
Jeri found that one of the most valuable aspects of AMP was how the program teaches advisors to become a truly holistic resource for their clients, helping them bridge knowledge gaps, understand all the tools at their disposal and rely on fellow AMP graduates for ongoing support.
Now an Accredited Asset Management SpecialistTM, Jeri credits her success to the guidance of her mentors. She’s particularly grateful for her colleagues, including her manager, who had previous careers outside of the financial field and understood the value of incorporating someone with a nontraditional work history.
“They recognized the potential I had. It really was a perfect storm of the right team, the right firm, the right culture for me to come into.”